Controversy Rages over Political Plates

For the past eight years, North Carolina politician, Mitch Gillespie, has championed the cause of 'Choose Life' number plates. The special registration marks, which bear cartoon children's faces in support of the powerful anti-abortion lobby, can be displayed in 24 states - but not North Carolina.

The plan is that $15 from every plate registration would go to the Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship charity. But the necessary legislation permitting the design is still dragging its way through the parliamentary process. Objectors say that existing guidelines forbid political viewpoints of any kind to be aired in this way.

State representative Ty Harrell agrees: "The way it's laid out here, you don't see any controversial plates, any political plates anywhere in the state. You see the Great Smoky Mountains, First in Flight. You see sea turtles - causes without controversy."

Gillespie is adamant, however, that his proposals are not going to offend anyone. And North Carolina Pro-Life Democrat president, Eva Ritcheys, goes further: "It's very hard to understand why, when we have 130 specialized license plates, the leadership of the Legislature won't allow us to have a 'Choose Life' plate."

Leader of the House, Paul Stam considers that the very fundamentals of freedom of speech are at stake here. He claims that, if the assembly does not get a vote on the matter it will become a legal issue. And he believes that the state will "spend hundreds of thousands in legal fees and lose."

Elsewhere in the United States, anti-abortion pressure groups have taken similar action. In New Jersey, a federal appeals court is about to rule in the case of The Children First Foundation, who claim violation of free speech, versus the New Jersey authorities, arguing that 'Choose Life' plates exceed their guidelines.

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