License Plate Bill Withdrawn
by Delegate Black
By Michael F. Flach
HERALD Editor
RICHMOND — The "tortured path" of the "Choose
Life" license plate bill finally came to an end Feb. 22 as the bill’s sponsor,
Delegate Richard Black (32nd District), asked the Senate to strike
it from consideration.
Black had compromised on the wording of the bill as it made its way through the General Assembly. The original "Choose Life" slogan was changed to "Choose Adoption." By the time Black decided to end his effort, the wording had changed again to "Friends of Adoption."
"I am not unwilling to compromise," Black said, "but we had reached a point where they were taking out a message of hope for expectant mothers."
The bill received strong grassroots support
from pro-life groups. Over 7,000 signatures were produced from Virginians
who signed petitions requesting the plate. The Office for Family Life of
the Arlington Diocese was among several groups endorsing Black's effort.
Support also came from the American Life League, the Knights of Columbus,
the Christian Coalition and the Virginia
Society for Human Life.
The bill received fierce opposition from the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood. "Planned Parenthood couldn’t stomach the word ‘choice,’" Black said.
Sen. Patricia Spicer from Alexandria objected to having a verb in the slogan, he said.
Despite the setback, Black was encouraged by the support, especially from the Catholic Church. "The Knights of Columbus were wonderful in helping with the petition drive. As a convert, it made me feel good to see Catholics rise up in support of this. I feel very good about what we’ve done. We’ve mobilized and re-energized the pro-life movement across the state."
Black, who is a member of St. Catherine of
Siena Parish in Great Falls, heard that some Catholic priests had held
up the license plate in their churches and asked their parishioners to
support the
effort.
Black was optimistic last week when the bill passed the House Transportation Committee. It later was defeated in the House by a narrow margin.
"Clearly there is a demand for these plates,"
Black said at the time. "These signatures were collected in less than three
weeks. If we make this plate available to the public, it is obvious this
will become the most popular plate in Virginia’s
history."
If approved in its initial form, the bill would
have enabled the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles to produce license
plates with a crayon drawing of two children and the logo "Choose
Life" written at the bottom of the plate.
The annual fee for the proposed plates was $25. After the first 1,000 purchased, $15 of each fee would go into a special Adoption Fund. The fund would be paid annually to the locality where the vehicle was registered. Funds generated by the plates would help non-profit, pregnancy help centers that assist expectant mothers who have chosen adoption.
Black did not rule out the possibility that he would re-introduce the bill again next year. By that time, other states may approve similar pro-life plates. Florida legislators are expected to approve a bill this year. Governor Jeb Bush has promised to sign it into law.
"Setbacks are the history of the Christian
faith," Black said. "We can’t be discouraged."
Copyright ©1999 Arlington Catholic Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
This article was published in the Arlington
Catholic Herald,
200 N. Glebe Rd., Suite 607, Arlington, VA 22203; Vol. 24, No 8;
page 28, dated Feb 25, 1999.
E-mail:
letters@catholicherald.com
Fax: 703/524-2782;
Editorial: 703/841-2590;
Advertising: 703/841-2594;
Circulation: 703/841-2565
A note from the Web Master:
It is noteworthy and honorable that some folks are willing to stand up for a ban on Partial-Birth Abortion. Let us not forget that ordinary everyday Abortion is also murder. We must understand that murder is murder no matter the method. Because one method of abortion seems to be horrible does not justify the other methods. We should be horrified and sickened by any Abortion regardless of the method. The Fifth Commandment spells it out clearly: "Thou shalt not kill." A fetus is a person, a human being with a God given soul. Imagine the pain the Lord must feel when any Abortion occurs. Please contact both of your Senators and Representative, via letter or phone, to let them know how horrified you are that Abortions are legal and to stop Partial-Birth Abortions and all other Abortions as soon as possible. (It has become apparent that they do not respond to email therefore you will have more of an impact by writing or telephoning.)
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