Posted on 10/06/2009 4:43:37 AM PDT by truthnomatterwhat
The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal in Choose Life Illinois v. White, upholding a Seventh Circuit ruling that the Illinois system for approving specialty plates was not discriminatory.
The case was filed in 2004 after citizens had collected more than the requisite number of signatures, but were denied a “Choose Life” license plate.
“Ever-increasing numbers of pro-life Americans want to proudly display the ‘Choose Life’ message on their vehicles—as evidenced by the fact that 22 states now offer such plates,” says Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life. “Illinois is unfairly censoring the freedom of speech of its citizens by not allowing them to obtain a plate with a life-affirming message.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thevoicemagazine.com ...
It should not have gone to the SCOTUS in the first place. The fact that lower courts failed to act is a travesty.
If the government is going to allow SOME messages, but not others, simply based on an arbitrary decision (not based on law or statutes), then there is a problem. Technically, it IS an violation of constitutional rights.
SCOTUS is right to not take it up—this is a state case. Feds need to keep out of them.
Something like "Choose life! (Illinois legislative hacks won't let me say this on a license plate.)"
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