Awesome: Pro-Life License Plates Raise $19 Million Nationally
By Cortney O’Brien
Editor’s note. This appeared at townhall.com.
Although pro-choice organizations have fought to keep them off the road, as of now 29 states give drivers the option to ‘Choose Life’ on their license plates.
Russell Amerling, the National Publicity Coordinator for Choose Life America, realizes the vast potential of having pro-life license plates on our nation’s highways as an inexpensive way to promote a culture of life. He once spoke with a billboard salesman about the significance of miniature advertisements on the road, especially considering the costly expense of renting billboard space. Amerling shared some of their conversation with Townhall:
“An advertising executive told us once that the advertising value of having thousands of citizens driving around with that little 6” by 12” pro-life license plate on the back of their cars would be tremendous.”
And tremendous it has been. Drivers have ordered the pro-life specialty plates in droves, ordering nearly 900,000 and raising $19,101,157 nationwide since their inception in 2000, according to figures Amerling provided. Some of the proceeds, Amerling explains, have been distributed to pro-life organizations and crisis pregnancy centers.
One of the pro-life organizations benefiting from the ‘Choose Life’ program is Heartbeat International. Debora Myles, who works in communications for Heartbeat, shared some encouraging figures with Townhall in regards to the funds they’ve already received from Virginia’s ‘Choose Life’ program:
“Heartbeat continues to be grateful for all contributions over the past few years. Naturally, the program began with great enthusiasm and the interest in the program has continued to grow. The fund experienced a 27 percent increase in contributions in 2012 over the previous year and in 2013, the increase was a 13 percent increase over 2012.”
But, it’s been a bumpy road. In ten states that were approved for the plates, pro-abortion organizations such as NARAL or NOW have filed lawsuits to have the pro-life option removed. Some of these activists claim states should not inject themselves into the abortion debate. Yet, what they fail to realize is a little item called “free speech” and they are more than welcome to introduce their own specialty license plates. But who wants to drive around with an “I Love Abortion” sign?
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