I recently visited the State of Maine’s Department of Motor Vehicles site to gather information about the new veterans’ license plates. I was surprised at the number of different plates that were available to qualified veterans, but I found one particular sample appalling. The State of Maine apparently offers a “Congressional Medal of Honor” plate. It’s frustrating enough to see this erroneous designation, applied to our nation’s highest award for valor, in movies, on TV, and occasionally even on major network newscasts. I would have hoped never to see my state join in not only perpetuating this error … but putting it on a license plate no less.

I’m sure that there will be people who think this isn’t important, but we are not talking about a charm from a Cracker Jack box. This award is not given lightly, and to not at least have the courtesy to call it by it’s proper name is disrespectful to all who have earned it … many of them posthumously.

It’s the Medal of Honor.

Mike Mulkern

Portland