Planned Parenthood confronts Kryptonite

Once again we have a story in the news revealing that certain so-called pro-choice groups are as fearful of the choice for life as Superman is of Kryptonite or vampires are of crosses.

It appears that Planned Parenthood of South Carolina has its corporate nose out of joint over a recently enacted state law allowing the state to issue motor vehicle license plates bearing the message "Choose Life." The law, signed by Governor Jim Hodges last Sunday, does not mandate the installation of these plates, but merely makes them available, along with other specialty plates (such as NASCAR), for selection by motorists who want them.

Planned Parenthood apparently tried to get the South Carolina legislature to offer plates saying "Choose Choice," but, in exercising its legislative prerogative, it chose not to do so. Failing at that, the abortion-promoting organization has resorted to the courts.

Planned Parenthood tried to convince a federal judge that in issuing license plates featuring the words "Choose Life," the state will violate the free-speech guarantees of the First Amendment by providing a forum for one political view but not another. The group's attorney, Peter Murphy, said, "The fact that only one choice is being provided by the state is exactly what's wrong."

That's interesting. Do the choicers really want to go down this road? Are they truly contending that a state cannot make statements on political (or other) issues? Don't states often make statements when they pass laws?

For example, if a state enacts a law authorizing capital punishment for certain crimes, is it not making a statement that capital punishment is justifiable? It is absurd to attempt to stretch the First Amendment to the extreme that it precludes a state from taking official positions. Taken to its logical conclusion, such a concept would render a state entirely impotent.

The free-speech guarantees in our state and federal constitutions are designed to prevent the state and federal governments from restricting speech.

How does the issuance of specialty plates endorsing God's greatest creation even remotely suppress speech? Perhaps it would be a different story if the state also passed a law prohibiting bumper stickers carrying the pro-choice or pro-abortion message. That arguably could chill speech. But as it stands now, those who have an aversion to the pro-life stance are free to plaster their vehicles with choice stickers. And they're free to argue their case in the public square, on the radio, on television, in their homes, in church, in the legislature and in their pro-abortion counseling services to pregnant women. So don't talk to me about speech being chilled – it's just nonsense.

Maybe Planned Parenthood is confusing its constitutional principles. Isn't it trying to use the reasoning employed in Establishment Clause cases (loosely, those involving separation of church and state)? In those kinds of cases – as opposed to Free Speech cases – the state can be called to task for taking a position that promotes one religious view over another.

Planned Parenthood obviously understands that it can't sustain a challenge of this law on Establishment Clause grounds. But isn't it showing its true colors by making analogous arguments under the Free Speech clause – exhibiting its nearly religious zeal against dissemination of the pro-life message?

You think I'm overstating the case? Well, I remind you that the state plate does not in any way propose to remove anyone's right to choose – it is just encouraging people to exercise their choice in a particular way. If it is choice, rather than abortion, Planned Parenthood is seeking to protect, the "choose life" message should not bother it.

Planned Parenthood objects that the $70 fee for these specialty plates is to be used to support private non-profit crisis-pregnancy programs, but may not go to any agency or organization that "provides, promotes or refers for abortion." So what? That still does not violate anyone's Free Speech rights. The fees are paid not by the state, but by the motorists who choose, of their own volition, to order the specialty plates. If strident pro-choicers want to fund organizations that do abortion referrals, such as Planned Parenthood, let them buy their pro-choice bumper stickers and donate the balance of their $70 to Planned Parenthood.

The state of South Carolina deserves plaudits for jealously guarding its own sovereignty by resisting the oppressive pressure of political correctness and making a bold statement celebrating life.

Right! I get it now, Planned Barrenhood believes their rpomotion of hiring serial killers has equal right to be promoted by the state if the right to life is promoted. Uh, could someone point those fools to the Dec;aration of Independence and Constitution. I don't the think the right to hire a serial killer is an unalienable right, however the right to life IS, or was, until the lieberal socialist societal engineers took control of the courts and media.

AMENDMENT XIV

Passed by Congress June 13, 1866. Ratified July 9, 1868. Note: Article I, section 2, of the Constitution was modified by section 2 of the 14th amendment.

Section 1.1 of 5
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

note there are a total of five sections to this amendment.

This is the sort of pique with which millions can be selectively exterminated at the whim of those who choose to do the deed or hire it done, as in abortion: All persons born or naturalized in the United States...

The use of the law for purposes not originally intended, thus acts of the courts flexing their judicial muscle to establish cultural taboos and cultural persuasions is the reality of judicial fiat. The criminal activity that judicial fiat is will never be addressed by a spineless congress or cowering president and thus such fiat as the 1973 court created can result in the slaughter of millions. The tenth amendment and fifth (if memory serves at this very late hour) are also disregarded when the right to life of the preborn are involved.

I think that South Carolina should take PP's advice, and offer an alternative point of view: license plates that read "Choose Death." See how many people want to drive around with that on their cars. Just further evidence that PP is not pro-choice, but actually pro-abortion.

I would like that photo posted on billboards all over the world. I think it would put an end to abortion. It is the photo that turned me against abortion. Before I saw actual abortion photos I was very undecided.

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