Tibetan Flag License Plates in Virginia
In 1992 and 1993, back when I worked for the Tibetan Resettlement Project in Chicago, if I saw a car with a Tibetan flag bumper sticker, there was a very good chance that I knew the driver. On more than one occasion, there were some near misses on the roads as I sped up to wave at friends of Tibet. (This was before cell phones.) I always knew when I had arrived at the right house for a Tibet event because all the cars parked outside showed the owner’s support for Tibet. In those days, I was known to carry extra Tibet bumper stickers in my car in case any of my friends’ had faded and they needed a new one.
Through most of the 1990’s, the Tibetan flag was so unfamiliar that when ICT first printed Tibetan flag bumper stickers, dozens of people would phone in complaining that the flag had been poorly cut because the yellow border was only on three sides. So ICT started printing details about the Tibetan flag on the back of the stickers to let people know that the yellow represents Buddhism and the open side shows that Tibet is open to other schools of thought.
That has all changed. In 1993, there were only three Tibetans in Chicago, now there are more than 300! The Tibetan flag is well known and Tibetan bumper stickers are everywhere. In the state of Virginia you can even show your support for Tibet with a Tibetan flag license plate, in addition to a bumper sticker. The Virginia license plate campaign was initiated by the Conservancy for Tibetan Art and Culture and part of the income will be benefiting the Tibetan community in Virginia. Hopefully, Tibetan communities and friends of Tibet in other states that have vanity plate programs to support non-profits will apply for a Tibetan flag plate. And more people in Virginia will obtain a Tibetan flag license plate for a more durable show of support on the back of their car.
7 Responses to “Tibetan Flag License Plates in Virginia”
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I stayed with Bill and his family back in January when they put myself and 9 other Irish visitors up for the Inauguration of President Obama – I noticed his plate which looked so well on a classic Alfa Romeo – The man has taste as well as compassion
Stephen Neill (Moneygall,Obama’s Irish home, Ireland)
What a brillant idea is right i sure wish somebody had thought of it bk ere in Ireland, well done keep up the great work.
Love from an irish buddhist.
daniel
Save Tibet
Bill Shuyler, a member of the board of The Conservancy for Tibetan Art & Culture, developed the Friends of Tibet license plate idea, worked with the Virginia General Assembly to get approval and even designed the license plate himself. The license plates not only help to raise awareness about Tibet but also raise funds for Tibetan communities in Virginia. We expect the license plates to bring in about $30,000 in revenue every year.
Bill will be happy to help Tibetan groups in other states develop Friends of Tibet license plate initiatives, but some states do not have group license plate programs. In those states first you must push for legislation to enact the program, something that may be easier today since states are looking for every source of revenue that they can find.
For more information about the Friends of Tibet license plate you can reach us at info@tibetanculture.org, or come visit us October 10 at American University in Washington, DC, where we are sponsoring a teaching by His Holiness (http://www.dalailamadc09.com).
I wish we had them in Nj I’d get one tomorrow!
I just ordered these plates last week. Personalized to read “JULY SIX,” the Dalai Lama’s birthdate. It isn’t a vanity plate; it’s a statement plate.
Illinois needs them too! I’d pay a little extra for one to help balance our budget–something our legislators do not appear inclined to do!
What a wonderful idea! I wish we had something similar in Massachusetts.