The ACLU of Ohio is representing NARAL in a lawsuit against the state of Ohio's sale of "Choose Life" license plates.
Effective May 18, Ohio residents will be able to spend an extra $30 for the specialty plates, $20 of which will go to anti-choice groups that "encourage women to consider adoption rather than abortion." The state will not be providing specialty license plates with an abortion-rights message.
The lawsuit hinges on viewpoint discrimination against pro-choicers, because the Ohio legislature rejected a license plate with a pro-choice message. Of the 10 states that have "Choose Life" plates, none offer plates that read "Choose Choice."
"This is a case about fundamental fairness," said Carrie Davis, ACLU of Ohio staff attorney. "The State of Ohio cannot open a public forum to one side of a debate without allowing the same access to all other sides."
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I just wanted to comment that Montana does offer both a pro-choice and pro-life license plate. We were the first state to do that.
By that same logic, the ACLU should be suing any state that funds anti-smoking advertisements as "viewpoint discrimination".
By that same logic, the ACLU should be suing any state that funds anti-smoking advertisements as "viewpoint discrimination"
It is the government speaking when it advocates against smoking, as it is when the government advocates against abortion. The government may, within certain limits, advocate for things.
However, it is not the government speaking on a license plate. It is the car driver's space. The free speech rights of the people who cannot get a pro-choice license plate are what are at stake here.
Mithras has it just right. If the government wants to sell "message" plates, it must select messages based on criteria other than content -- e.g., it would be OK to require 1000 orders before printing a plate.
It's hardly an adequate substitute, but if you're feeling ticked off NARAL sells a $15 license plate frame:
http://store.yahoo.com/prochoiceamerica/licplatfram.html
2003 AP story from South Carolina:
After a federal judge ruled the state's "Choose Life" license plate was unconstitutional because there was no forum to provide the opposing political viewpoint, a Republican lawmaker devised his own compromise - a "Choose Death" tag.
"My bill is simply a reaction to the abortionists," said State Rep. John Graham Altman, R-Charleston. "They're pro-choice. Well, they've got a choice - whether to buy [the tag] or not."...
(Altman's the same asshole recently prevented the elevation of domestic violence from a misdemeanor to a felony, while supporting making cockfighting a felony -- source.)
Pro-Choice License Plate Art Contest: Winner has the opportunity to have their artwork showcased on specialty Florida License Plates. Orlando NOW is sponsoring a national art contest for the production of a Florida Pro-Choice license plate. Please visit www.LicenseToChoose.org