North Carolina Pro-Life Advocates Rally for Choose Life License Plates
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 25, 2010
Raleigh, NC (LifeNews.com) — More than 100 pro-life advocates turned up for a rally in front of the state legislature in North Carolina to promote Choose Life license plates. The plates are designed to allow state residents to support adoption and crisis pregnancy programs to help women find better solutions than abortion.
The Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship, a collection of pro-life groups, is behind the plate.
Bobbie Meyer, the state director of the group, told LifeNews.com, "North Carolina is the only state in the southeast that refuses to let its citizens purchase the choose life license plate. For eight years the legislation for the choose life plate has been denied a vote even though more than 130 other plates have been approved."
"The choose life license plate has already raised over 12 million dollars in the states that allow them thereby helping mothers and their families," she added."Here in NC there are 85 pregnancy care centers who last year saw over 46,000 women and children."
The group of about 150 pro-life people criticized Democratic state legislators for blocking a bill that would allow approval of the plates.
They heard from supportive lawmakers such as Rep. Pat McElraft, a Carteret County Republican.
"When does it make more sense to have a license plate for animals than a license plate for humans," she said, according to the News Observer.
Catholic Bishop Peter Jugis of Charlotte also attended and said it is an "injustice" that Democrats left the bill to create the plates in a committee without a proper hearing and vote.
Last year, House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman told the Asheville Citizen Times, "We try to stay away from political messages on license plates."
In addition to Rep. Mitch Gillespie, sponsor of HB 165 Choose Life plate, NC Right to Life, the Roman Catholic Dioceses of Charlotte and Raleigh, NC Baptist Association, Russ Amerling, National Director of Choose Life license plates, The Family Policy Council of NC, Civitas NC, The Christian Action League, and NC Pro-Life Democrats helped sponsor the rally.
There are currently 80 pregnancy centers across the Tar Heel State that served more than 46,000 women, men and families last year.
Brevard graphic artist Deborah Vernon Scott designed the proposed North Carolina plate, which depicts mountains and waves separated by two children’s faces on a yellow background. The phrase "Choose Life" is emblazoned in red at top.
Related web sites:
Carolina Pregnancy Care Fellowship – https://www.cpcf.org
North Carolina Right to Life – https://www.ncrtl.org
North Carolina legislature – https://www.ncleg.net
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