Federal Court Rules Texas Must Issue Confederate Flag License Plates

This photo provided by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles shows the design of a proposed Sons of the Confederacy license plate. The state Department of Motor Vehicles considers the proposal Thursday, Nov. 10, 201... This photo provided by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles shows the design of a proposed Sons of the Confederacy license plate. The state Department of Motor Vehicles considers the proposal Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011. The board was a single vote away from approving the plate earlier this year. (AP Photo/Texas Department of Motor Vehicles) MORE LESS
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A Federal Appeals Court on Monday ruled that the state of Texas must issue specialty license plates with Confederate flags, ruling that denying them violated the First Amendment.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicle rejected a specialty plate from the Sons of Confederate Veterans in 2011, which the court argued violated the free speech rights of the Confederate group. The judges ruled that the DMV engaged in “viewpoint discrimination” by not allowing certain specialty plates to be issued.

John McConnell, an attorney for the Sons of Confederate Veterans said the ruling confirms that “the government cannot step into an issue and silence one side while endorsing the viewpoint of the other side,” according to the Dallas Morning News.

The NAACP condemned the ruling.

“This is a sad day for African-Americans and others victimized by hate groups in this state,” said Gary Bledsoe, president of the Texas NAACP.

The three-judge appeals court panel overturned a decision by a U.S. District Court judge, who ruled that the First Amendment doesn’t require Texas to print a group’s flag on property controlled by the government.

Nine other states issue Confederate flag license plates, including Georgia, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Read the ruling:
Texas Division, Sons of Confederate Veterans v. Victor Vandergriff et al

[H/t Think Progress]

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