BURLINGTON, Vt. -
Almost 33 thousand 'I am Vermont Strong' license plates have been sold since February, but some Vermonter's don't agree with the wording, and have gone undercover to fix it.
Driving around Vermont, some people are making a statement -- I Am Vermont Strong. It's a response after the devastation of Tropical Storm Irene to raise money for victims. But one Vermonter thinks the message is a bit off.
"It should of said 'We' -- We Are Vermont Strong," said the artist we'll call, The Revisionist, because he asked WCAX not to reveal his identity.
The concept is simple, not to mention fast. For the past month, whenever The Revisionist or one of his three person posse sees an I Am Vermont Strong license plate -- they wipe, stick and take a pic.
"Vermont is a 'We' state, it's not an 'I' state. We were all effected. We all contributed to Irene," The Revisionist said.
The custom made sticker fits perfectly over the 'I Am,' leaving no obvious trace.
The plate was created by two Rutland residents who wanted to help Vermonters recover from the storm. The state embraced the idea and didn't alter the design, allowing drivers to replace their front license plate with the I Am Vermont Strong plate until June of 2014.
But The Revisionist said the message misses the mark. It should be about everyone's strength. "I talked to one person in the Department of Tourism and they said, What did you think of the plate? And we said, It should have said 'We Are.' And they said, That's what a lot of people are saying," he said.
There's no cover of darkness needed. Whether it's on a coffee run or a brisk walk, the fix is quick. The Revisionist knows what he's doing is illegal -- it's considered vandalism.
Reporter Gina Bullard: Is someone in this car -- it's running.
Revisionist: Yep, It's running -- someone might get upset.
Reporter Gina Bullard: And then we just walk away?
A stealthy worker, the Revisionist has only been caught once.
"She looked down at the plate, saw the revision, gave me a thumbs up and a big smile and said, 'That's cool,'" he said.
If you are behind the 'We Are' concept, you'll just have to wait until you've been stuck. Seventy-five plates have been revised so far.
The Burlington Police and DMV say they've haven't received any complaints of the revised license plates so far.
"If you're in Chittenden County, look at your plate. You might have already been revised," The Revisionist said.
A subtle change with a big message.
