Posted on 03/30/2006 3:20:00 PM PST by SmithL
NASHVILLE — The American Civil Liberties Union will likely appeal a recent ruling by a federal appeals court, which allows Tennessee to offer anti-abortion license plates bearing the message "Choose Life."
A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati earlier this month overturned a lower-court ruling that said the tag illegally promoted only one side of the abortion debate.
The ACLU and other plaintiffs have until Friday to file an appeal for a hearing before the 6th Circuit, according to Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee.
They would have another week to ask judges to keep a court order in place that bars the state from making the plates, she said.
The tags have been on hold since the Legislature approved them three years ago because of the legal challenge by ACLU and Planned Parenthood.
Julie Oaks, spokeswoman for the Department of Safety, said the agency will not manufacture the plates until the court order is lifted and the legal matter is resolved.
Even then, it would still be at least two months until the plates could be sold at county clerk offices. And during that time, the plates would be made and the nearly 1,200 people who preordered them would be contacted, she said.
Anti-abortion state lawmaker Rep. Glen Casada, R-College Grove, said he doesn't think the ACLU or other groups should delay getting the plates on the road.
"They're playing it too safe," Casada said. "Just because there's a chance for appeals, there is no reason to stop what the 6th Circuit said was OK to do. It's time to move forward."
Abortion-rights proponents have complained the state does not offer those with other political views a similar way to express them — citing an attempt to create a "Choose Choice" tag failing in the Legislature in 2002.
Federal appeals courts have been divided over whether such license plate programs are constitutional.
Last year the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower-court ruling that said similar South Carolina license plates violated the First Amendment. Tennessee is the 13th state to offer "Choose Life" plates.
A boy named Sue? lol
ping
I don't see too much difference between them and the FemiNazi's, honestly.
The full force and might of the US government should be brought to bear against the ACLU as an enemy of the people.
By objecting the ACLU demonstrates that "pro-choice" is a lie (babies never choose to die).
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