Chosing Life is OK
A Federal Appeals court just ruled that it is OK for the State of Tennessee to offer a “Choose Life” license plate, though it does not offer a Pro Choice plate. Complete stories here (THV), here (WAVY), here (WBIR), here (Seattle Post Intelligencer), here (News Day), here (WREG) and here (Knox News Sentinel).
The Court, disagreeing with the ACLU, said that the state does not have to offer a plate with the opposing view of a topic, and that the 1st Amendment Right to Speech does not guarantee a equal voice or means of communication. Simply the 1st Amendment Rights of those that want Pro Life plates need not be silenced to protect the 1st Amendment Rights of those that oppose the plate. This ruling also means that the issuing of a license plate does not equal a state endorsement of the view expressed on the plate. The court did say that the plate was a “an exercise of government one-sidedness” and that may make it a bad idea, but not a illegal one.
— Update —-
Stop the ACLU has a post upbout the same topic – here
Add to Cao’s Friday Trackback party here
Well, it doesn’t really seem legal. It seems more like the state taking one side and not the other and the state projecting a faith-based agenda.
Hey, faith is great; it’s personal and unique to everyone. And, that’s why the state should keep its mits off of it. There is no way to dictate to every individual’s faith and get it right for everyone. That’s why we have this sep. or church and state. It is not downing any particular faith or bolstering atheism. It is keeping it safe for all of us to worship (or not) as we need.
So, technically, there shouldn’t be any favoritism here for either side.
Comment by
Circe — 3/17/2006 @ 1:55 pm
Interesting point Circe but no one, including the law or our post, mentioned faith.
There are people that are atheist that are against abortion. Just because the a Pro-Life movement is normally associated with Christianity does not mean that all pro-lifers are Christians, or that a Pro Life plate endorses a particular faith.
Today is St Patrick’s day, a Irish saint, but more then the Irish celebrate it. To celebrate St Patrick’s day one need not take the predominate view of the Irish in regards to English control of Northern Ireland. Basically, simply because the event, activity, or promotion is related closely to one group does not mean all that participate or support it are members of that group or cause.
Now about to abortion. There can be(and are) Pro-Life diest, atheist, Jews, Muslims, etc. There are Christians that are Pro Choice. So, the state really did not take a side on a faith issue here, but on a political / social view to be expressed on a plate. It is also important to note that a Pro Choice plate was suggested and failed in the legislature due to lack of support in 2003.
For me the really interesting point here is that one political view does not need to be silenced because the opposition is not being represented in the same fashion. Basically saying freedom of speech goes both ways (both the popular and the unpopular) and should be supported even if it is unwise in how the state goes about fostering the right to speech. This is the kind of decision that people will hate at one moment (when it opposes their views) and then embrace later (when it supports their view). That is what makes the freedom of speech great, everyone gets to use it, even when they disagree with the personal views of others.
Thanks for posting though and visit again soon.
Comment by
admin — 3/17/2006 @ 2:14 pm
Tennessee “Choose Life” License Plate Upheld By Court of Appeals…
Hat tip: Team Swap
The following is an email from Matthew Staver of the Liberty Counsil.
Today the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, in the case of ACLU of Tennessee v. Bredesen, upheld the Tennessee law that authorizes the production of a “Choose L…
Trackback by Stop The ACLU — 3/18/2006 @ 12:02 am