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62 °F Forecast | Road Cams Sunday, May 8, 2005 Today's News | Shop Our Valley | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery | Contact Us SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Health Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley SHOP OUR VALLEY AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Classified Place an ad TOP JOBS EXTRA Ashland News NIE Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Moving here? eSouthernOregon CUSTOMER SERVICE FAQ's Advertise with us Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend May 8, 2005 Since WE Asked: ‘Choose’ License Plates? It might be OK for Crater Lake, Ducks or Beavers, salmon and the Oregon Trail, but the majority of respondents this week drew the line at making political statements on license plates. The issue arose when Legislators began discussion of allowing the phrase "Choose Life" to become a new optional tag in Oregon. Similar efforts are under way in many other states. Supporters said the plates encourage adoption; opponents saw a clear anti-abortion message. We wanted to know what you thought. Your answers follow. After cruising through them, take a moment and answer to this week’s question. Yup, we’re choosing another sticky political issue once again. We asked: Should the state expand its license plate options to include slogans expressing social or political viewpoints, such as "Choose Life?" Advertisement NO. Buy and/or make a bumper sticker, magnet, whatever if you must make your vehicle a political/social billboard! Enough already with change the rules for a few!!!!! — C. Johansson, Medford License plate options ? I think there are much deeper issues this "state" should be focusing on other than expanding license plate slogans. This just sounds like another way for the "state" to get MORE money from us instead of correctly allocating what they already get. — Bruce, Medford I don’t think license plates should go that far. It is one thing to have freedom to have your own thoughts and beliefs in such social and political views. I can just see the violence that could and would erupt from having such things on license plates. I think for the safely of all, it is a very, very bad idea. I would never support such a thing. — Lisa, Medford Absolutely not!! The "state" is already way too bureaucratic without getting its grubby hands and mind into slogans. Buy a bumper sticker if you want to express your opinion. — Cathy J., Central Point Sure the right-wing wackos can have a "Choose Life" slogan, if I can have a slogan that says "Nuke a married gay baby seal for Jesus" slogan. I mean, come on, do we have to have religion forced down our throats 24/7 just because some clown with those glazed over "Stepford-Christian" eyes thinks their viewpoint is the only one that matters? — Tom H. Medford No. We get enough of people’s opinions from bumper stickers. We don’t need it on license plates too. — Lisa, Medford No, I don’t believe the state should consider expanding license plate options. A license plate should only be used for keeping a record of who owns it, so on and so forth. If you want to express your opinion on what you believe or how you feel, then get a bumper sticker. There are plenty of those to go around, and the cost would be considerably cheaper then a custom registration. If they do allow it, then the cost should be so high as to reflect how ridiculous an idea it really is. — C.T., Ashland Sure, why not! We have bumper stickers. And this way the state makes money too. Just as long as they don’t allow any bad language. — JLD, Central Point Sure, let people put whatever slogan they want. Just remember, what is completely reasonable to one person might be completely offensive to someone else. So if one person can’t have "Pro Polygamy" because its illegal and offensive to many, then at what point would we draw the line? You might not see anything wrong with a "WWJD" license plate but many people would. Forgo the whole mess and leave the plates as they are. The DMV could spend a little time, thought and money on developing ways to bring down the cost of gas. — Andre M., Cyberspace NO! That’s what bumper stickers, key chains, & T-shirts are for. Although I like vanity plates, sometimes I really think they should be limited to just the numbers & letters. It’s not always about us and our opinions, sometimes we just need to simplify and get over ourselves. Drive your car and express your view over dinner! — L. Lawrence-Bottjer, Eagle Point Bumper stickers are enough expression for a vehicle. Personal viewpoints don’t belong on license plates. — Liz B., Talent I don’t believe our license plates should reflect political or social viewpoints. They should show something special about our state and leave bumper stickers to reflect viewpoints. — June, Medford Putting together the displaying on cars of highly emotionally charged social opinions, with existing road rage, is a very bad idea. — L. Callahan, Medford Absolutely not. Let’s stick with positive statements about our lovely State and not moralize. — DJ O’Haley, Jacksonville No, on the vanity plates, but, yes on the image for Southern Oregon and Northern California. "State Of Jefferson." — Chris G., Medford If the state approves the social and political "Choose Life" plate, then should we expect to see one that says "Choose Republican" or "Choose LDS?" — Bruce & Allison, Cyberspace Absolutely not. Our country and our communities are already becoming too divisive, thanks to extremists. We need to work together, not fight each other. — Sandy, Applegate Valley This Week’s Question A group of parents concerned with the county’s drug problem approached the Medford school board last week with a petition asking for an examination into testing students for the use of illegal substances. It’s a sticky issue, particularly when it comes to privacy and the rights of an individual, and we’re sure glad we don’t have to make that decision. That’s why we have you! We ask: Should schools be allowed to randomly drug test students? Please keep your answers brief and on the issue at hand. Responses received without your name and town can not be considered for publication. All responses will appear on the Web site a week from today. You may submit your answer by using the form here on the Web site, or you may respond directly to [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback Free Music Downloads Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers home equity loans helzberg diamonds Distance Education Diamonds Paris Hilton Online Poker Auto Insurance Mesothelioma Slippers Student Loans Tatoo tcg student loan consolidation teleconferencing Website Design & Marketing Memory Foam Mattress w2 forms Tatoos Mortgage Calculator Free Home-Loan Referrals Payday Loans Advertisement s