"Abortion advocates" fight Tennessee's "Choose life" license plates

(AgapePress) - Tennessee's new pro-life license plate -- which is not even in circulation yet -- has caused such an outcry that abortion advocacy groups have carried the state to court.

The license plate, which displays the phrase "Choose Life," is causing a problem for organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood because the state did not offer a "Pro-Choice" alternative. The legal battle has now made its way to Cincinnati, in the Sixth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Abortion rights activists, with the ACLU in tow, say they are being discriminated against with the new license plates. The panel of judges representing the Circuit Court of Appeals has taken the case under advisement and has not determined when it will rule.

Several years ago, the Tennessee Legislature began a special program that allows private groups to participate in the revenue sharing of funds collected on special license plates, which are an extra $35. Over the past several years, 90 different special plates have been created, and the monies have benefited such projects as state parks, agriculture, colleges, arts and various other areas of interest. In the case of Tennessee's Choose Life plate, half of the funds raised, after expenses, go to the pro-life group New Life Resources, an outreach of Tennessee Right to Life.

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/11/32005e.asp

and finally had to get rid of their 'choose life' option until someone comes up with a plate for 'choice'. (Which is never going to happen). As a result of that ruling, though, we now have the option to obtain a license plate that says "In Reason We Trust" since there is already one that says "In God We Trust".

(We just got our 'reason' plate)

I will give them that.

I am going to get after my state senator and represenative right away!

Many women faced with unplanned pregnancies do choose to continue them. With inner strength & family support, they decide to change their plans to accommodate the baby-to-come.

It is essential that a woman who feels she cannot continue with a pregnancy has a safe, legal way out. It's also good that a woman can decide she'll have the baby--instead of being "trapped." An unplanned baby does not have to be an unwanted baby. All because of "choice."

And was SHOCKED to see these kind of plates.

Isn't just the lack of allowing an opposing view to have the same benefit garnered by pro-life groups. Rather, it's that the state is willing to give preference to any political position and allow that position to be essentially advertized on state property.

It is not the role of good governance to promote one political position over another (never mind also allowing it to siphon public funding into said preference). In allowing a political view advertizement on state property, they are opening the door for any politically motivated groups to require the same privelege granted to the pro-life position. Does anyone here want to see "Segregation Again" tags? Cause I'm sure there are some racist groups who would love to share the same benefit that pro-life groups are garnering from these "Choose Life" tags....

The state should remain neutral when it comes to promotion os political speech. It is perfectly acceptable for a state to say provide public airing space for demonstrations and political gatherings (like the old town crier areas in parks), where the role is providing a space for free speech that any citizen can enjoy. It is a vastly different action when the state actively promotes one particular politically motivated form of speech, such as Tennessee is doing here with these so-called "Choose Life" tags...