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.
Great, the same time that ACLU stops getting government support.
"which allows Tennessee to offer anti-abortion license plates bearing the message "Choose Life.""
I had a choice between fish and chicken for lunch. I chose fish. According to the logic of this article, I'm anti-chicken.
"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."
So their plate would be an aborted baby with the slogan 'choose death'? Actually as gross as that is it is a good idea. Show these people for what they really are.
I'm sure if there was a "Support Choice" plate, the ACLU would be right there suing for a "Right to Life" plate.
Sure.
And if there was a "Conserve the Environment" license plate, I'm sure the ACLU would be right there to demand "Drill for Oil NOW" plates or "Drain the Swamps!" plates.
Right.
Well, I hope our justice system can continue to see through this fraud. There should be some way to make the ACLU pay for this idiocy.
Ha, I'm in FL and I'd like to see them TRY to take my Choose Life plate....
susie
Why is the ACLU against choice?
Oh that's right . . . it's life that the ACLU is opposed to.
What is the ACLU's case? If they are for defending American Civil Liberties and free speech, how does this action fit into the plan?
I'm with the ACLU. "CHOOSE DEATH BY MUTILATION" plates should be made available immediately!
Our tax $ are funding these hate mongers.
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Isn't it the same group of people that made the choice to fund illegal aliens in this country, the same group that made the decision to fund the ACLU ???
Your Congress at work again!!!!
Let's offer a plate that says Choose Death with a grim reaper as the back ground.
Fair is fair.
Life.
Or Death!
How is "Choose Life" anti-abortion?......Choosing life is just another CHOICE just like abortion is!
What a bunch of satan lovers we have here. Right is wrong, up is down, black is white...and if you don't support abortion, you'd better SHUT UP or the ACLU will sue your pecker off.
FMCDH(BITS)
ML/NJ
Interesting concept, but no, I'm not. I do wear my hair short tho, does that count?
susie
Yup, that's exactly the kind of image that makes the ACLU recoil in horror, just like Dracula recoils from the cross.
Yeah, allow a "Choose Choice" license plate with the remains of any abortion, partial-birth, saline, or whatever. Unless the pro-abort crowd is ashamed of what they favor, they should be proud to display the bloody result of the removal of an "Obligate Parasite."
They should display it with honor. Heck, we taxpayers are already subsidizing this slaughter anyway.
Can't imagine what they'd put on their plate. "Choose Choice" superimposed over ______________________ . I can't imagine.
Those plates would be be a huge hit. Every teenage Nihilist goth kid would have them on their cars.
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