Dennis Byrne (of the Chicago Tribune) writes about a pro-life sign displayed on a Chicago street newsstand that appeared and suddenly disappeared -- along with the newsstand itself -- last week:
One could say that it was just a coincidence that the offending sign was in the 43rd Ward, which Vi Daley happens to represent, and who happened to sponsor the bubble ordinance, and who happened to be honored by Planned Parenthood, which happens to run the clinic.
[Executive Director of the nearby prolife Women's Aid office Susan] Barrett said she has received no response from Vi Daley's office or the Chicago Department of Transportation to her inquiries about who ordered the sign removed. No surprise there. But as this is being written, the Thomas More Society, a Chicago-based pro-life law center, is preparing a request under the Freedom of Information Act to smoke out who issued the order.
The Constitution protects political and commercial speech of all sorts. JCDecaux signs have advertised booze and featured a bikini-clad woman, but a tasteful sign that offends political correctness may not have made the cut.
If the City of Chicago ordered censorship based on content, they may have a serious constitutional issue on their hands, Byrne writes.
The question from us is, will there be a paper trail to prove what took place? Very unlikely when things are done the Chicago Way.
Also read...
City Hall Denies Newstand Moved over Pro-Life Ad
The Daley administration on Tuesday emphatically denied snatching up a newsstand outside a North Side abortion clinic because it carried a controversial ad counseling pregnant women against abortion. The newsstand that mysteriously disappeared was located on the northwest corner of LaSalle and Division, roughly 30 feet outside the door of an abortion clinic operated by Planned Parenthood. On Feb. 9, Aid For Women purchased an ad on the newsstand with the picture of an attractive young woman with a concerned look on her face. Above the picture were the words, "Unplanned Pregnancy? What Now?" Below was the address and phone number of Aid for Women, a 30-year-old organization that counsels young women against abortion. The ad was supposed to run for twelve weeks. Instead, the entire newsstand disappeared after just ten days. Click here for more from the Suntimes.
Contact: Dennis Byrne
Source: Illinois Review
Publish Date: March 10, 2010
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