Georgia officials approve Confederate flag specialty license plates
Georgia officials have approved a license plate featuring the Confederate flag, angering civil rights advocates.
The Georgia division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans requested the new plate design.
Spokesman Ray McBerry said the group meant no offense and views the plates as a way for people to honor their heritage. “We believe that everyone has the right to preserve their heritage,” he said. “Southerners have as much right to be proud of their heritage as anybody else.”
Southern Christian Leadership Conference spokesman Maynard Eaton told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the state shouldn’t have sanctioned the move.
“To display this is reprehensible,” Eaton said. “We don’t have license plates saying `Black Power.'”
Gov. Nathan Deal said Tuesday that he wasn’t aware of the plate, and plans to speak with officials about it.
North Carolina, Alabama and Mississippi have specialty plates that include the battle flag, while Texas rejected an application to issue one of the ground that it could offend someone.
Thoughts on the plates?
How much weight does the Confederate flag still hold when it comes to racism?
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