US Supreme Court Permits Texas to Reject Confederate Flag License Plate

In a 5-4 ruling on Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas’ refusal to issue a license plate with the Confederate flag, the Associated Press reports. Suggested Reading 5 Little Known Facts About Spike Lee & Denzel Washington’s Films Over the Years New Development in Miss Jamaica Health Status After Scary Fall at Miss Universe…

In a 5-4 ruling on Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Texas’ refusal to issue a license plate with the Confederate flag, the Associated Press reports.

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Justice Clarence Thomas joined the more liberal justices to form a majority. They overturned an appeals court ruling that barring the plates was a violation of free speech rights.

The high court sided with Texas officials who argued that license plates are not like bumper stickers. Unlike a bumper sticker, a license plate is government property and therefore represents government speech—not individual speech.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans filed the lawsuit when Texas refused to issue a license plate bearing its battle-flag logo. Officials believe the Confederate flag would be offensive to many other Texans.

Read more at the Associated Press

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