By M.H. Cavanaugh
Christian Action League
December 17, 2018
Former lawmaker, Rep. Paul “Skip” Stam, sent out an email blast this week, urging friends and colleagues to purchase a North Carolina specialty license plate that touts the pro-life message, “Choose Life.” In his days as House Speaker Pro-Tempore, Stam was a staunch advocate for the unborn – a cause he continues to champion while out of office.
Stam’s email said:
“Christmas is coming, and if you don’t know what to give your spouse, your friend, your child, your boss, and your coworkers? I have an idea. It only costs $25.00. Buy a ‘Choose Life’ license plate. During 2018, I presented this opportunity to you on Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving. I conclude with Christmas.
“There are now 2, 370 vehicles in North Carolina with these ‘Choose Life’ plates, proudly displayed, giving hope and comfort to mothers-to-be, fathers-to-be, old mothers, old fathers, babysitters, and especially retirees who know where their future Social Security benefits will be earned.
What is more appropriate at the season of Christmas, a time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus, whose mother was pregnant with him before marriage, and a poor teenage girl living in Nazareth? Magnificat.
“You can order your plate for your friend online.
Let’s do it. Please forward this message to all your electronic friends.
“With best wishes for a Merry Christmas.
“Sincerely,
“Paul ‘Skip’ Stam”
The Choose Life license plate movement started in Ocala, Florida, in 1996.
Proposed legislation for the plate had little traction in North Carolina until June of 2011, when the North Carolina General Assembly approved the tag.
In 2012, abortion forces challenged the plates in court and U.S. District Court Judge James Fox ordered an injunction against their production. Fox’s ruling was appealed to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and a three-judge panel of the court unanimously ruled in February of the same year that offering the pro-life plate without also offering a pro-abortion one was unconstitutional.
The Fourth Circuit, however, reversed their ruling in March of 2016 after the U.S. Supreme Court ordered Justices on the Fourth Circuit to take another look at the case in light of the High Court’s 2015 decision in a Texas license plate case. The Supreme Court ruled in that case the specialty plates constitutionally represented government speech, which also allowed Texas to refuse plates that featured the Confederate flag.
Dr. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League said the plates are definitely constitutional. “The encouragement of childbirth is a legitimate governmental objective,” said Creech, “The state is perfectly within the boundaries of the Constitution because the state has a right to a future citizenry. Therefore, it has a right, even an obligation, to adopt it as government speech.”
Creech added that he agrees with Stam that the plates would make a great Christmas gift.
“I hope that thousands of more pro-life North Carolinians will purchase this specialty plate. Who knows, God might use the plate’s message to change a mother’s mind about abortion and save an unborn child’s life,” Creech said.
To purchase a ‘Choose Life’ license plate, go to the link below:
https://payments.ncdot.gov/#term=
