U.S. Supreme Court Denies Freedom of Speech by Refusing to Hear "Choose Life Illinois" Appeal

U.S. Supreme Court Denies Freedom of Speech by Refusing to Hear "Choose Life
Illinois" Appeal

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Supreme Court has
refused to hear an appeal in Choose Life Illinois v. White, upholding a
Seventh Circuit ruling that the Illinois system for approving specialty plates
was not discriminatory.

The case was filed in 2004 after citizens had collected more than the
requisite number of signatures, but were denied a "Choose Life" license plate.

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, President and CEO of Americans United for Life, observed,
"Ever-increasing numbers of pro-life Americans want to proudly display the
'Choose Life' message on their vehicles -- as evidenced by the fact that 22
states now offer such plates. Illinois is unfairly censoring the freedom of
speech of its citizens by not allowing them to obtain a plate with a
life-affirming message."

Mailee Smith, AUL Staff Counsel, noted, "Pro-life citizens in Illinois
followed the rules in applying for a 'Choose Life' license plate, but were
prohibited from obtaining the plate because the Illinois Secretary of State
did not like its pro-life message. As the last defense for constitutional
rights, the U.S. Supreme Court should have stepped in to correct the State's
clearly unconstitutional action."

As in other states, the proceeds from the proposed "Choose Life" license
plates would have gone to organizations such as pregnancy care centers that
provide adoption counseling and referrals.

Americans United for Life filed an amicus brief in the Seventh Circuit on
behalf of a large coalition of Illinois pregnancy care centers. That brief is
available at
http://www.aul.org/xm_client/client_documents/briefs/ChooseLifeILvWhite.pdf.
However, that court refused to accept amicus briefs filed by pro-life
organizations.

About Americans United for Life
Americans United for Life (AUL) is a nonprofit, public-interest law and policy
organization whose vision is a nation in which everyone is welcomed in life
and protected in law. The first national pro-life organization in America,
AUL has been committed to defending human life through vigorous judicial,
legislative, and educational efforts at both the federal and state levels
since 1971. The Wall Street Journal has profiled AUL, and PBS' Frontline
program chronicled AUL's successful efforts in Mississippi.

SOURCE Americans United for Life

Heather Smith of Americans United for Life, +1-202-270-9962,
Heather.Smith@AUL.org