[Captain Shady]

Got no problem with the tags myself. If you hate the car tag,don't buy it.I didn't buy it,but thats because it costs more than regular tag and I'm too cheap.Also,I value being anonymous when I travel

[firewalk]

bump to read later....

[Consort]

[Diago]

What other plates are out there?

If there are pro-enviroment plates must there be anti-enviroment plates. If there are anti-smoking plates, must there be pro-smoking plates. If there are buckle up plates, must there be "don't buckle up" plates. If there are pro-American plates, must there be anti-American plates.

This judge is a jackass.

[SubMareener]

I don't know why the South Carolina Legislature didn't authorize the "Kill Babies" plates when it authorized the "Choose Life" plates.

[doosee]

while abortion rights supports have no license plate of their own

I guess they dont want CHOOSE DEATH.

[Diago]

What other plates are out there?

If there are pro-enviroment plates must there be anti-enviroment plates. If there are anti-smoking plates, must there be pro-smoking plates. If there are buckle up plates, must there be "don't buckle up" plates. If there are pro-American plates, must there be anti-American plates.

This judge is a jackass.

[machman]

What about New Hampshire? With their LIVE FREE OR DIE on all plates (at least they used to have it on them). What are the rights for people who would gladly live under slavery rather than fight for freedom?? Where is their "voice". hehe ;^)

[RJCogburn]

The whole situation is silly. Use the plates to identify vehicles, that is what they are used for. Does everybody have to have a vanity plate that spouts some point of view? Are there not already enough ways to make ones point of view clear? Do even the most arcane parts of life have to have a political purpose?

Silly!

Live Free or Die.

[roderick]

A federal court judge has ruled South Carolina's anti-abortion license plates are unconstitutional

Okay, what section or amendment to the US Constitution was violated? This newspaper article is typical, no reference to our founding document. The editors probably acknowledge what I do not, that most sheeple couldn't care less what article or if any article of the Constitution was violated.

How did we slide so far to allow ourselves to be ruled by self appointed philosopher-kings?

[leadpenny]

The only way we will rid ourselves of these constant assaults on 'free speech' is for the individual States or the US to outlaw all theme and vanity plates. Of course that won't happen anytime soon because they are a 'cash cow'. IMO, if you want to say something by wearing it on your car, make a sticker and put it on your bumper. License plates should be just license plates and nothing else.

[crystalk]

I have often wished I too was a damned idiot, for then I too could be a Federal judge and make $200M a year guaranteed for life.

[Brilliant]

Abortionists have no forum in which to express their beliefs? What about the liberal media? Perhaps the judge should declare the media unconstitutional since it seems to express only on side of the issues.

[Notwithstanding]

From a US Supreme Court Opinion:

"We think it abundantly clear that HN10a State is not required to show a compelling interest for its policy choice to favor normal childbirth any more than a State must so justify its election to fund public but not private education."

MAHER, COMMISSIONER OF SOCIAL SERVICES OF CONNECTICUT v. ROE ET AL.

432 U.S. 464 (1977)

[Notwithstanding]

From the official syllabus of Rust v. Sullivan (500 U.S. 173, 1991, US Supreme Court):

"There is no question but that [the statute's] prohibition is constitutional, since the Government may make a value judgment favoring childbirth over abortion and implement that judgment by the allocation of public funds. In so doing, the Government has not discriminated on the basis of viewpoint; it has merely chosen to fund one activity to the exclusion of another."

[joebuck]

"The plates, which include the slogan "Choose Life," violate the First Amendment because it give anti-abortion advocates a forum to express their beliefs, while abortion rights supports have no license plate of their own, Senior U.S. District Judge William Bertelsman ruled last week."

This ruling is a naked, bold power grab by an unelected bureaucrat and is decidedly chilling in its implications. What the Judge is saying here is that the State can never promote any policy position without giving the other side "equal time". There are opponents to virtually every political position the State may choose to promote, so....does this mean the State can't approve a "say no to drugs" license plate without "providing a forum" to those who believe drugs are OK, and want a "say yes to drugs" plate? How about a plate which says "Don't hate...Diversity is our strength” - do we have to give a forum to the Klan and other groups who want to support racism?

The Judge tried to hang his hat on a "free speech" basis in order to avoid the more absurd aspects of his ruling. He takes the position that since people must "pay” for the plates then this is private speech rather than state speech and therefore is a government sponsored private forum for one side against the other. This doesn't hold. Vanity plates are, in essence, a revenue raising vehicle for the state. A voluntary tax if you will. Therefore, the Judge is ruling that the State can't offer a voluntary tax to help support and promote a policy decision unless it offers the same promotion and support to those who oppose this policy decision. This is crazy and finds no support in the history of First Amendment "free speech" caselaw. In fact this is a much "fairer" vehicle than if the State just gave away "Choose Life" plates because then the "pro-choicers" whould be forced to fund with their tax dollars a viewpoint that they disagree with. If the State government decides to raise revenue and promote a policy position using the same vehicle, this does not violate free-speech. Again, when the local police dept. sells those "Say no to drugs" stickers for a quarter, will it now have to also offer "say yes to drugs" stickers?

What has happened here is that the State is sponsoring a political viewpoint with which the Judge disagrees, so the Judge is banning it merely because he has the power to do so. Had situation been the Klan suing in opposition to a "Stop Racism" plate do you think the result would have been the same? It used to be that Dictators wore helmets and waved swords...now it seems they wear robes and pound gavels.

[ecomcon]

The only way to address this may be to eliminate the forum.

Hmmm.

[Badray]

Planned Parenthood always claims that they are not pro-abortion, but pro-choice. Isn't LIFE one of the choices?

[Bill Davis FR]

ok...choose death

[Dutchy]

FYI...

[vannrox]

.


What about "Free Exercise" clause in the first amendment. This ruling violates that clause.


The first amendment does not state "EQUAL Exercise". It states and discusses Free and individual Right of the excerise of ones beliefs. Jeeeze!


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