Anti-abortion slogan OK'd on Arizona license plates

[ursi]

Source: Reuters

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - An Arizona agency wrongly denied an anti-abortion group permission to print their message "Choose Life" on license plates, a federal appeals court ruled on Monday.

The Arizona License Plate Commission allows nonprofit groups to highlight their cause on license plates, but the commission in 2002 and 2003 denied the Arizona Life Coalition permission for a specialty plate with the "Choose Life" slogan.

The Arizona Life Coalition alleged that the denial violated their First Amendment rights to free speech and a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2849406920080128

[theredpen]

1. Arizona neglected to set up objective enforcable rules forbiding controversial content...

...so it seems like the "Choose Life" people had a legitimate case.

Damn First Amendment.

[Der Blaue Engel]

2. So now I guess the KKK can start working on their plate

Since this is just a little ol' free speech issue. :grr:

[Ian David]

23. "Choose White"? n/t

[joeglow3]

24. Are they a 501(c)(3)? nt.

[cosmicdot]

28. possibly

just change the first letter to a K

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Conservative_Citizens
"The Council of Conservative Citizens (CofCC) is an American white supremacist organization"

The CofCC has a non-profit foundation, the Conservative Citizens Foundation,
http://cofcc.org/?page_id=86
The Conservative Citizens Foundation is a 503 (c)(3) organization.

[NMMNG]

3. "Choose Life"?

Does that mean they'll be abolishing the Death Penalty there? :shrug:

[ursi]

9. very good point!

[woo me with science]

10. Also sounds like they're for choice! nt

[customerserviceguy]

45. Those who get the death penalty

have more often than not chosen it for themselves.

[Pakhet]

48. no, I'm sure they won't

however, I'm having a bunch of bumper stickers printed up so when I see those cars with those license plates and other "compassionate" conservative bumper stickers that says "and Yes I am a hypocrit". probably be able to use them up at the wal-mart right by my house

[MADem]

4. Car thieves should run around and steal the airbags and catalytic converters off those cars! NT

[DCKit]

They'd get the death penalty. n/t

[Newsjock]

5. So, when will we see ...

"Marriage for all"
"Reproductive rights"
"His Noodly Appendage"

They damn well better not try to shut any of these down now.

[martymar64]

40. I'll get one with "Hail Satan"

Gotta keep true to my heavy metal roots. :headbang:

[MrSlayer]

6. I would just assume they were "Wham!" fans and run them off the road.

Which is what they would deserve.

[Berry Cool]

21. Maybe next they'll allow license plates with

"Frankie Say RELAX"?

[evilkumquat]

7. Here In Indiana The God Damned Specialty Plates Feature "In God We Trust"

And they are EXTREMELY popular here... so much so that one wonders why so many people are willing to pay an extra $35 for them, apart from just a sense of religious fervor.

Well, come to find out that unlike every other god damned specialty plate in the state, the "In God We Trust" plates are FREE. They do not cost ANY additional money to choose. In fact, up in my extraordinarily conservative part of Indiana, the local license branch employees were giving those plates out as THE DEFAULT, making many around here assume they were the new "official" plates. Only by going online was I able to determine that both plates (regular and religious) were available.

Every time I see one of those plates I want to drive to Indianapolis and shove it up a random congressman's ass screaming, "First Amendment you fucker! Separation of church and state!"

Perhaps then those fucking hypocritical idiots will quit pandering to their loony base and keep things secular, as the Constitution intended.

Evil Kumquat

[kas125]

12. Well, once you learn this, you'll REALLY want to drive to Indy -

those aren't "specialty" plates. They don't pay to get those In God We Trust plates, they're an "alternative" to the ugly regular plates. WE pay for them with our taxes. There were people arguing about it in the newspaper a lot when they first came out, and I agree with the ones who think that if those people want those plates, they should have to pay for them like any other specialty plate.

[moobu2]

18. I saw one of those yesterday for the first time.

As an atheist, it is offensive and intimidating to me

[evilkumquat]

46. Don't Forget About Prayer in Our Capital

Those bastards won the fight to keep saying Christian prayers to begin their congressional sessions, too.

Man, if I wasn't so planted here in this state, I would be out of here faster than Day Quayle at a spelling bee.

Aw, who am I kidding? I'd move to Canada or the Netherlands or any other country higher up the list.

Evil Kumquat

[Virginia Dare]

25. We have "Fight Terrorism" plates here in Virginia..

I've seen the "Choose Life" ones on Florida tags too. I wish they'd just get rid of all the vanity and slogan nonsense on license plates altogether, but since it's such a revenue maker, that will never happen.

[Gato Moteado]

26. "fight terrorism, impeach bush and cheney"

now that's a specialty plate i'd like to see.

[kentauros]

27. I've been saying they should get rid of all that crap

on license plates ever since they started that trend. Why can't we have the big and simple plates they use everywhere else in the world? When they started putting all that junk on the plates, the size of the numbers and letters had to shrink. The purpose of a plate at all is for easy and quick identification. You'd think the police would complain the most about that.

[Virginia Dare]

32. It's just a back door tax, that's all it is....n/t

[Mojambo]

8. I agree with this decision. n/t

[defendandprotect]

14. Now . . this idea coupled with concealed weapons and religous symbols in

the public arena should eventually bring renewed public conflict, if not violence ---

[Lex1775]

11. I also agree with the decision, and before everyone gets all huffy and puffy...

Let us remember:

A) No one is being FORCED to use these tags, it is only an option if you want them. Arizona has a boatload of specialty tags to choose from.

B) This works both ways. I direct you to Supreme Court case Wooley vs. Maynard, 1977. The state of New Hampshire mandated that ALL non-commercial license plates have the "Live Free Or Die" motto printed on them. Mr. Maynard, a Jehovah's Witness, found the "Or Die" part offensive and cut it from his license plate. The Supreme Court ruled, 6-3, that the state of New Hampshire could NOT force him to display the state's motto because it violated his freedom of speech.

Edited:

http://www.azdot.gov/mvd/vehicle/mvdplate.asp#AmateurRadio Website listing all the different AZ specialty plates.

[defendandprotect]

15. He and others are "forced" to use coins which say "in God we trust" ---

and to hear options that include "under god" in the pledge of allegiance.

I think the presumption here is that religious fanatics will go for this ---
and that the majority of citizens who may back choice will be more cautious about
advertising their positions . . . mainly because it will be fanatics who would attack
their cars!!!

One way or another, I imagine this will all backfire on Arizona ---
time will tell . . .

[Lex1775]

16. I'm sure if someone had the money and the time they could force the "In God We Trust Issue"...

And I'm betting very few of these plates will even be issued. I've lived in Phoenix for over eight years now, my job keeps me on the road a great deal of the day, and I have yet to see three quarters of the specialty plates that the AZ DMV offers on any vehicle.

The presumption that this will cause people to be more cautious about advertising their positions is a bit over the top, Arizona is not overrun with religious fanatics. There are how many pro-choice bumper stickers out there? I must see a dozen pro-choice and pro-life bumper stickers everyday. None of those people are trying to ram each other off the road or key each others vehicles up.

[defendandprotect]

34. Here in NJ . . . . I've seen a few "pro-life" stickers . . . and the only

time I've seen a few "pro-choice" stickers is when people were on their way home from rallies.
Something on the car that was going to be removed.

If you're seeing a dozen pro-choice and pro-life bumper stickers everyday . . . I think you
have more going on in Phoenix than we do here in Central NJ.

On the other hand, at one point I did have a pro-choice sticker on my car's bumper at one point
and parked it across from a Protestant church and it was ripped off. Very thoroughly!!

[spoony]

20. If it's such a problem, send me your money.

I'll have no trouble using it.

[mwb970]

22. I have no problem with "Choose Life" on license plates.

I hate abortion and I wish everyone considering it could find a way to, well, choose life instead. BUT. I want the choice to be made by the woman and her doctor, not the government. For this, I consider myself pro-choice.

The poster who said that seeing "Choose Life" on a license plate would ruin his life, or whatever it was, should dial down the drama just a little.

[defendandprotect]

35. Keep in mind that NATURE gave women "choice" . . . including interrupting

conception. Most of the plants and information which provided these natural options were
destroyed. Though some of the information survives and some of the plants.

NATURE provided women with birth control and when necessary ways to end a pregnancy.
NATURE provided women with natural means of ending fertility if they wished.

As I've said some of this natural information survives ---
lemon, for instance, still kills sperm -- women used to use sponges soaked in lemon juice.

Papaya when eaten for seven days in a row would end a pregnancy.
It has the same active chemical which is now being used in RU486.

And, these are only one or two of the NATURAL options that I'm aware of ---
many of the plants have been destroyed.

NATURE provided plants for nourishment and our medication -- INCLUDING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM.

[truthisfreedom]

13. Hey, I'm all for choice. Choice is what it's all about.

I think someone should suggest "Choose Choice."

[Indenturedebtor]

17. My wife and I moved here a couple years ago

Big mistake. AZ has one of the worst education systems in teh country. It shows all over the place. Oh and the driving! This is another piece of the conspiracy designed to get me to kill someone with my car. Must resist... Especially if I see that on one of the ever present 5 mpg 2500 10 cylinder trucks with no scratches on the paint or in the bed. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Meh lovely weather though. Just don't make eye contact. And we moved from Indiana.

[Phx_Dem]

29. exaggerate much?

Maybe you would be happier somewhere else?

[fascisthunter]

30. Lack of Good Education = State Sanctioned Pro-life Status

makes sense to me. Makes sense to see a state with a bad education cross the Seperation of Church and State.

[TCJ70]

31. This isn't state a state sanctioned anything.

This just means people can VOLUNTARILY put a liscence plate on their car that says their "pro-life".

Let's not blow this out of proportion...

[fascisthunter]

33. Religious Issues Should Not Be State Sponsored

sorry if I offend you, but there it is. In fact, I'll go even further: remove God from our currency as well. No gods nor religious doctrine should ever be sponsored by any state in any way. If a religous person chooses to buy a sticker from a private business, fine. Government agencies such as DMV's should NEVER sell license plates with religous views. Thank you for understanding.

I like that wall that seperates Church and State.... read your Constitution

[TCJ70]

38. No offense taken...

On the surface, there is nothing about God in the statement "Choose Life". That's why I don't see this as the state sanctioning a religion or a religious view. After all, you don't have to be religious to encourage someone to "choose life" when it comes to abortion. I bet you could find people on this very website who think abortion is no good, but won't deny people the opportunity to have one.

[fascisthunter]

42. It's Based on Religious Perception Regarding "life"... Always Was

Those of us who aren't religious know the difference. (I have a religious background as well) If it weren't for religions and the religious, this issue would be dead and buried as it should have been, long ago. Funny you should suggest we remove religion from this all together. I wish I could, but I'm sure religions are too busy spreading their propaganda through money and preaching. They even hire trolls to spread their garbage on web sites, pretending to be secular.

Regarding this statement:

"I bet you could find people on this very website who think abortion is no good, but won't deny people the opportunity to have one."

You really don't know folks well here.... Stick around and you'll learn that MOST people in general don't WANT abortions, yet respect the women's right to choose. I being a male have no right to judge women who choose to have an abortion or not. That's a personal decision they have to make regarding their own bodies for themselves and the Church as well as the self-righteous should mind their own business.

Sorry... the abortion issue in based on religion vs. state. One thing I disrespect more than anything else is religious people who are dishonest in carrying out their agenda. They are far worse than any liar I have ever known.

[TCJ70]

44. Admittedly, I worded that sentence poorly

What I was trying to convey, is that while the religious may have a corner on the pro-life stance...it's not limited to a religious mindset. It's possible for someone who isn't religious to respect a woman's right to choose, but also encourage women to consider options other than abortion (aka, choosing life).

[dbackjon]

36. People are MUCH friendlier here than in Illlinois

Or Tennessee, or even Indiana.

I have NEVER felt unsafe here, anywhere.

[immoderate]

37. Every time I stopped at a light in Phoenix, I felt like my car had a giant target...

...painted on it. I never drove to or from work without seeing the result of some traffic accident. Also, the Phoenix police like to rope off every accident and treat it like some crime scene, which causes huge backups.

--IMM

[and-justice-for-all]

19. "Choose Life" END WAR...nt

[liberalhistorian]

39. So, would those of you who are upset still be so

upset if it were "pro-choice" plates that were being approved? I thought not. See, the First Amendment is a bit funny that way. It doesn't just allow for things that only YOU agree with. It exists for everyone else, too, including people and groups whose message you may not agree with. The anti-abortion groups have just as much right to have their say as the pro-choice groups, and that's true of other groups and issues as well.

It's more than a bit hypocritical to demand that YOUR beliefs be permitted to be expressed, while getting angry if the other side, or beliefs you do NOT agree with, are permitted to have their say as well.

As long as other groups and beliefs are permitted the same expression under this law, then this is the right and proper decision.

[Hugabear]

41. In Florida, you can get "Choose Life" license plates

I saw one of these the other day, it was a vanity plate that read "UNBORN". Just seeing it made me want to :puke:

[fascisthunter]

43. Choose Life, Vote Democratic! (nt)

[Chovexani]

47. One more reason to get out of this shithole state

I've never seen as many mouth-breathingly stupid vanity plates in my life than I have in 1.5 years of living in the Phoenix metro area.

I blame the desert sun.