PHOENIX, AZ — Ed Ableser (D-Tempe) was just trying to think about the children when he proposed a ban on automobile truck guards containing words or images deemed “obscene or hateful.” Nonetheless, the state House didn’t think much of the idea and rejected the Democratic amendment last Thursday.Ableser had been rattled into action after he saw a splash guard that he says made use of degrading terminology about African-American children. The experience bothered him enough that he decided no one else should have to go through it.

Rep. Theresa Ulmer (D-Yuma) agreed that such hateful sentiments shouldn’t be so easily expressed on the state’s roadways and that Ableser’s proposed amendment fit well with the state’s attempts to put pornography and sexual predators in their proper places.

Additionally, Ulmer confessed to the Associated Press that she is “tired of explaining to my 11-year-old son why they are depicted on mudflaps, but not all women are 36Ds. He’s very confused by that.”

Mudflap boob size vs. real world boob size confusion aside, Ulmer sees the issue as being “about family values — what are we going to send out as a message to our children.”

Family values aside, the House rejected the amendment during a 31 – 19 roll call vote, keeping the morals legislation off of HB2316, which the Arizona Trucking Association supports in its efforts to change rear fender splash guard height requirements. The bill, sans the amendment that Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Gilbert) believes would have violated the First Amendment and didn’t define “hateful,” now waits for a formal House vote.