Federal Judge Strikes Down Louisiana License Plates
Apparently, it violates the First Amendment rights of abortion fans when folks in Louisiana choose to sport license plates which say “Choose Life.”
This is an interesting precedent. The logic in the judge’s decision was that since there was not a pro-abortion plate offered that it was a violation of free speech to offer a pro-life plate. Could we expand this? Ban ‘Visualize World Peace’ bumper stickers since no-one sells ‘Visualize Chinese Oppression’ or ‘Visualize Communist Stalin’s Mass Graves’ stickers? Ban Texas’ beautiful bluebonnets plates since there are no pro-strip mall plates?
Regardless of one’s feelings on abortion, this is about as Orwellian a reading of the First Amendment as you can get.
5 Responses to “Federal Judge Strikes Down Louisiana License Plates”
Comment from jank
Time July 17, 2003 at 10:47 pm
I’d argue the same about pro-abortion’s slogan. ‘Choice’ happens in the bedroom, backseat, or wherever. Choices have been made long before a pregnancy is terminated.
Also, the first amendment’s establishment clause is explicitly there to protect religious speech as well as political speech. As is frequently pointed out, there is no protection against hearing things that one finds insulting.
Comment from etrigan
Time July 18, 2003 at 9:33 am
Oh, and using the term “abrtion fans” is awfully inflammatory. No-one is a fan. Despite the pro-life propaganda machine, there is not a group of people who view abortion as a recreational persuit. Making that decision is very, very hard.
As someone who was a teenager having sex, I can attest to the fact that calling the act a “choice” is stretching it. I did very many dumb things when I was a teenager and without a doubt having unprotected sex was one of them. I always thought/said that I would abstain, then at the moment of truth I was a little too overwhelmed to think clearly. The only difference in my life, now, is that I am prepared to accept the consequences.
Comment from etrigan
Time July 18, 2003 at 10:23 am
State-paid religious speech is the issue. I fully support private groups making mountains of “Choose Life” bumper stickers or license plate frames, but the state should not be paying for them or collecting taxes by making them.
Comment from jank
Time July 18, 2003 at 2:01 pm
The debate over abortion does not qualify as religious speech any more than the debate over capital punishment. Saying that ‘Choose Life’ is state sponsored political speech, kind of like being able to buy an ‘I voted for Al Sharpton’ license plate would be a more valid comparison.
But by that logic, pretty much any advocacy license plate would be state sponsored political speech.
I’ll also avoid ‘abortion fans’ in the future. It is insenetive.
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Comment from etrigan
Time July 17, 2003 at 7:32 pm
I think there’s a difference. “Choose Life” is a slogan that is directly linked to religous group’s beliefs. Bluebonnets and World Peace are not. (I might buy the world peace thing, though.) I approve of the idea that they should,also, provide a license plate that says “Choose Choice”. (not to mention, the moral majority should be embarrassed about picking such a poor slogan when they even reject abortion as a choice when both the life of the child and mother are in danger.)