(RALEIGH) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina filed a lawsuit challenging a specialty license plate that supports the pro-life stance on abortion.  State lawmakers authorized the “Choose Life” plate, although a pro-choice plate was voted down.

ACLU legal director Katy Parker says the state cannot allow only one side of the argument to be heard. "This would be discrimination regardless of which side was being supported by the state," said Parker.  The ACLU claims the State is engaging in unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination.

House Majority Leader Paul Stam said the term pro-choice is too vague.  "They can't have 'respect choice' because the word 'choice' is completely ambiguous of the abortion question," said Stam. "People are in favor of school choice, investment choices or Social Security and they just can't cease a word of common language."

The federal lawsuit by the ACLU is seeking a temporary restraining order blocking the manufacture of the plates until the federal lawsuit is decided.