Vanity plates at least announce to others that they have a particular historical fetishism as well as a desire to offend a certain number of people without risking bodily injury. "In a free society, offensive speech should not just be tolerated, its regular presence should be celebrated as a symbol of democratic health -- however odorous the products of a democracy may be," This of course differs from the threat to public safety that yahoos with loaded firearms pose by arguing the same principles in public spaces. July 2015 will give us a final decision on this in
Walker v. Sons of Confederate Veterans, 14-144. Like truck nutz, it is just a lot easier when the 'bagger Lofos let us know who they are.
Texas commemorates the Confederacy in many ways, from an annual celebration of Confederate Heroes Day each January to monuments on the grounds of the state Capitol in Austin. Among the memorials is one that has stood for more than a century, bearing an image of the Confederate battle flag etched in marble.
But you're out of luck if you want to put that flag on your license plate. Texas says that would be offensive.
Now the Supreme Court will decide whether the state can refuse to issue a license plate featuring the battle flag without violating the free-speech rights of Texans who want one. The justices hear arguments Monday in a challenge brought by the Texas division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.
The group sued over the state's decision not to authorize its proposed license plate with its logo bearing the battle flag, similar to plates issued by eight other states that were members of the Confederacy and Maryland.