I think the word intellible should read "unintellible." Otherwise, I am ambivelant about forcing goverment to supply you with a slogan on your license plate (although I consider myself pro-life, if the abortion procedure will cause agony to the fetus.) That is a bumper sticker issue.

Georgia already has a "choose life" tag available. The real question is, will Georgia approve a pro-abortion tag too? You can bet the answer is "No," and that is the crux of the problem.

No state should be in the business of approving politically charged messages, unless they allow ANY political expression on status tags.

There is a smallish, finite set of specialty license plates. While there is some, small individual expression in selecting one, at that scale it is still mostly a government speech, and as such cannot be forced to be open as a function of free speech.

It's fixed now. Thanks for the copy editing!

... "Choose Life" on a license plate has way too big a stick up their butt.

There may be context behind the group using that totally innocuous phrase - that is, they might be the world's biggest jerks - but the phrase itself? Can anyone even argue that it's anti-choice?

Why can't we have European-style license plates? No messages or graphics of any kind, just the license number big and legible. Elegant, functional, and minimalist despite the larger size.

Aesthetically, the fact plates are different sizes across the ocean leads forces the rear bodies of cars, in a global system where many models share parts, to be designed with both sizes of license tags in mind. There's no question the backsides of cars would look better if there was a global uniform license plate size.

I believe very strongly that abortion should be safe and legal. Yet I can't really say I disagree with the statement "Choose life." To me that implies living healthily and enjoying what comes.

Yes, I know that "life" has come to mean "anti-abortion." OTOH, "choice" has come to mean "keep abortion legal." So, in the context of abortion, "choose life" can only mean "Don't get an abortion, but be glad that you have that option." :-)

Lincoln

Oh, come on, what else are these "choose life" license plates talking about? Are we supposed to think they are anti-suicide? Give me a break. The Georgia plate has a cartoon of two children on it.

I wish Georgia would approve a "Pro-choice" plate because I'd like to buy it...except that some wingnut would probably trash my car. (Several friends with Obama bumper stickers had nasty notes left on their cars before the election) But, no, Georgia never will approve a pro-choice plate, which is, of course, limiting free speech. Either you have to give voice to both sides or neither.

Why are our license plates so silly, anyway?

Why can't we have European-style license plates? No messages or graphics of any kind, just the license number big and legible. Elegant, functional, and minimalist despite the larger size. -- Magic_Al

Here in America we expect our government to be beholden to money. The idea that for some extra cash the government should bend over backwards to conform to our needs rather than vice-versa is considered corruption elsewhere, and business as usual in the U.S.A..

There is a smallish, finite set of specialty license plates. While there is some, small individual expression in selecting one, at that scale it is still mostly a government speech, and as such cannot be forced to be open as a function of free speech.

I agree that it is mostly government speech, but wonder where that gets us. What gives the DMV the right to promote political positions?

Surely the head of the DMV would be prohibited from giving a speech supporting a political cause or candidate in his official capacity.

So while plates couldn't be forced open as free individual speech, it seems they could be forced closed if they were judged political.

What gives the DMV the right to promote political positions?

The situation under discussion is a private party attempting to force the DMV to provide a specialty plate for their particular political position. As the DMV in question, as a matter of policy, is not providing such, I see no particular reason to question them on such grounds.

Well, right, no point in bothering this DMV. But if we label specialty plates government speech, then doesn't that suggest a litmus test for the future? Specialty plates could not be political, because the DMV has no business espousing political views.

It is worthwhile to anticipate this possibility, because it may lead to multiple lawsuits that end up being resolved by crafting specious or flimsy distinctions between "political" and "non-political." We can already witness an earlier poster who thinks this plate non-political.

Can anyone even argue that it's anti-choice?

Yes, because "choose life" is code for anti-abortion. If you want proof, just ask a conservative what he/she thinks "choose life" means. Do you imagine "choose life" implies quality of life and covers contraception too? No, it doesn't.

Groups use code words to obfuscate the meaning to the general public, while getting the message across those "in the know." This is just one example. Here in Georgia, talking about the "stars and bars" is a coded reference to the Confederate battle flag.

Note to anyone offended by the Confederate battle flag: If you think Georgia did good a few years ago by dropping the Stars and Bars from the state flag, think again. The new Georgia flag simply traded the Confederate battle flag for the less well known Confederate national flag. It's still a pseudo Confederate flag.

On the Democrats-For-Life e-list several years ago, Louis Shapiro asked: Why do supporters of abortion rights, who dislike being labeled "pro-abortion" and prefer to call themselves "pro-choice," object to "Choose Life" license plate frames as well, when the slogan capitulates to the other side by inferring "Choice" ?!

"Georgia already has a "choose life" tag available. The real question is, will Georgia approve a pro-abortion tag too? You can bet the answer is "No," and that is the crux of the problem."

More than likely, there isn't a "pro-abortion" tag because there wasn't a "pro-abortion" group in the state willing to sponsor one.

There are plenty of other groups that get "free advertising" on license plates--where I live, you can get your college logo on your plate, or one of a plethora of other "causes"--wildlife protection, children's hospitals and the like.

There's no reason why some pro-choice group couldn't do the same. Actually, I'd bet that if some pro-choice group tried to get their own plate and the state blocked it, that would make a more substantial court case than the one in question here.

So, personally, I don't see this as a big deal. I live in Indiana where most of the plates have "In God We Trust" on them, and I opted not to get one for the same reason that I don't have a fish on my car. Getting a plain blue license plate wasn't that hard.