STATE’S PRO-ABORTIONISTS LOSE AGAIN: CHOOSE LIFE PLATES ARE BACK
July 10th, 2006 by Peter
Connecticut’s pro-abortion activists launched several new attacks on human life and free speech this year…and failed at every one. The restoration of the Choose Life plates marks their latest and much-deserved defeat:
A pro-adoption foundation won reinstatement Friday of its right to sponsor special “Choose Life” license plates on Connecticut cars, ending a six-week suspension that had prompted the group to threaten a federal lawsuit against the state.
“I am very grateful that the `Constitution State’ has reinstated our organization’s plate,” said Elizabeth Rex, president of The Children First Foundation, a New York-based pro-adoption group opposed to abortion…
Rex had said her group was considering a lawsuit based on First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution if the DMV did not relent. The foundation has pending lawsuits in New York and New Jersey, which have not authorized “Choose Life” plates. “Choose Life” tags originated in Florida and have sparked litigation in various states in a national First Amendment controversy. Critics in Connecticut and elsewhere, including “pro-choice” supporters of abortion, have claimed that the “Choose Life” slogan used by the adoption groups is intended to oppose abortion.
Rex said adoption is one “common ground” for both sides of the abortion debate. Her group’s lawyer, Raymond W. Belair, said Friday’s resolution shows “no elected official is ever above the law.”
Following their failure to force Catholic hospitals to provide chemical abortions, their failure to financially penalize those hospitals and their failed attack on Victim Advocate James Papillo, local pro-abortionists were desperate to score a victory this year. They thought they found an easy target with an innocuous pro-adoption license plate. But they were wrong.
While we are thrilled that the state’s pro-abortion establishment is batting zero for 2006, we should not forget the tremendous influence that they still wield. If anti-family forces win their legislative races on Nov. 7th pro-abortion attacks on Catholic hospitals and full same-sex “marriage” will be at the top of their agenda. We must remain vigilant and be sure to vote our values on Election Day.
Another notable thing about this victory is the still-influential role of the mainstream media. The Courant has given us many occasions to criticize its pro same-sex “marriage” slant. But Jon Lender’s reporting on the license plate story was remarkably fair. Other Courant items seemed to acknowledge that the Children First Foundation had been wrongly targeted. However much one may celebrate or mourn the decline of the MSM, the fact is that it remains, even now, very influential. When the MSM puts the bias aside and does straight reporting it can make a world of difference. We are grateful to Jon Lender and the Courant for their balanced coverage of the license plate story.
Finally, why not take advantage of the heightened attention around the Choose Life plates to do something good for women and children? Click here and follow the links to order your plates and to do your part to fund adoption. Then forward the information to a friend and ask them to do likewise.
