Back in 2002, a group called the Arizona Life Coalition asked the Arizona License Plate Commission (ALPC) to create a speciality plate that contained the phrase "Choose Life". The ALPC didn't want to get involved in the politically-sensitive abortion fight, and denied the request.
But the anti-abortion group wasn't happy with that decision, so they took the matter to court. On Monday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in their favor.
The judicial panel said, "Nowhere does the statute create objective criteria for limiting 'controversial' material, and nowhere does the statute prohibit speech related to abortion. The commission ignored its statutory mandate and acted unreasonably in violation of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution."
But now that the anti-abortion folks get to put their phrase on the plates, doesn't that mean that a pro-choice organization could do the same? Since "abortion" speech is permitted, wouldn't it have to be permitted for both sides?
