Friday, February 2, 2007 12:25 AM CST
Column: State shouldn’t waste money, time fighting ‘Choose Life’ plates
By HARRY REYNOLDS, Editorial Page Editor
hreynolds@jg-tc.com
I received a letter Wednesday from James Finnegan, president of Choose Life Illinois, located in Barrington.
Finnegan is also a board member of the Illinois Family Institute, a pro-adoption, anti-abortion organization frowning mightily on homosexuality and gay marriage.
Finnegan has been leading an effort to promote the creation of a “Choose Life” specialty license plate in Illinois. He said his group, playing by the rules, went to Springfield four times.
“We were denied a hearing from both houses of the legislature,” Finnegan stated in his letter. “They kept it from even getting out of the assigned committee.”
So, the organization filed a lawsuit. The results of which prompted the letter from Finnegan.
“Federal Judge David Coar got it right in his ruling when he stated that he assumed ‘that a request for a Choose Life specialty license plate was prompted by a sincere interest in promoting adoption, that the message was protected speech,’” wrote Finnegan.
The judge ordered the Secretary of State to produce the “Choose Life” plate. Of course, the state can appeal the decision.
Eighteen states already offer “Choose Life” plates. Total sales for all states selling the plates stood at almost $7 million as of December last.
The states are Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Mississippi, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and Georgia.
“Judge Coar got it right,” Finnegan concluded in his letter. “It never was about abortion, only a sincere effort to offer yet another choice, at a time of a difficult pregnancy. Don’t let others try to frame this argument any differently. Certainly, we welcome those who do not agree, to consider their own plate proclaiming they are pro choice. After all, they are claiming it is all about abortion. Isn’t that truly the American way?”
From a practical standpoint, I don’t understand why the State of Illinois is wasting taxpayer money going to court to try to suppress a specialty license plate as innocuous as “Choose Life.”
At a time when the state is strapped for cash, why are our politicians getting hung up on what is essentially a protest movement?
And what the !@#$%^%$# is wrong with advocating life? Any relief from the crushing realities of murder and mayhem should be embraced.
The most fundamentally America act is the protest, whether it be in the streets or in the form of a sticker on the back of a pickup truck.
Choose Life opposes abortion -- so what?
Planned Parenthood supports abortion. Hawaii sports a Planned Parenthood specialty plate, “Respect Choice.” The Choose Life plate is reportedly outselling the “Respect Choice” plate 5-1.
I don’t agree with many of the positions groups like Choose Life and the Illinois Family Institute take, but I am in complete support of their right to express their views.
Free speech is free speech. I seriously doubt whether “Choose Life” on an Illinois license plate will foment violence, trigger a chain-reaction traffic pile-up, or intimidate anyone.
Well, actually, at least one official has taken great offense at the prospect of “Choose Life” plates. The New York Vehicles Department director, in denying an application for the plate, deemed it “patently offensive.”
Frankly, I find it incredible that a guy from New York could possibly be so easily offended. New York City, in particular, is a rough place.
In California, a state not noted for the timidity of its inhabitants, the legislature has refused to consider a “Choose Life” specialty plate. Planned Parenthood has been almost demonic in lobbying against it.
Rather than engage in struggles over who puts what on license plates, I think the legislators in the 50 states should put more thought into how much will we make from specialty license plates?
The average haul for the 18 states allowing “Choose Life” plates is roughly $388,000. That’s not chump change.
Rather than playing “Politically Correct” politics over license plates, legislators should be salivating at the prospect of making big bucks encouraging sane, borderline-mad and insane specialty plates.
As long as the specialty plates are not profane, pornographic or complete works of debauchery, they should be allowed -- nay, encouraged.
The more money pouring into the state coffers from sources other than beleaguered taxpayers, the better.
I hope the State of Illinois has the good sense not to appeal federal Judge David Coar’s decision. But, given the PC fixation gripping that office and the rest of state government, don’t bet on it.
I’m looking forward to being able to work in reading outrageous specialty plates close up as I motor down the highway talking on my cell phone, drinking coffee, tinkering with the radio dial and adjusting my hearing aids.
The state should quit wasting money and time fighting a specialty license plate that harms no one.
Harry Reynolds is editorial page editor of the Journal Gazette/Times-Courier. Contact Reynolds at hreynolds@jg-tc.com or 238-6861.
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