To: The Virginia State House, The Virginia State Senate, and Governor Ralph Northam
Remove the Confederate flag from Virginia license plates
Virginia should no longer issue license plates that bear the image of the Confederate flag, which symbolizes racism and the defense of slavery and segregation.
Why is this important?
The Confederate flag has rightfully come under scrutiny in the wake of the racially-motivated murder of nine Black people at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Recent photos of the murderer showed him posing next to his car with Confederate flag license plates. Virginia should stop issuing license plates that bear this image.
Virginia is one of only nine states that still permit this hateful symbol on government-issued plates. The Supreme Court recently ruled that license plates represent government speech, not private speech, and that states may constitutionally refuse to issue such plates.
While some may have displayed the Confederate flag for other reasons, it has overwhelmingly come to symbolize racism, and the defense of slavery and segregation. We should send a clear message that Virginia does not stand for these things.
Virginia is one of only nine states that still permit this hateful symbol on government-issued plates. The Supreme Court recently ruled that license plates represent government speech, not private speech, and that states may constitutionally refuse to issue such plates.
While some may have displayed the Confederate flag for other reasons, it has overwhelmingly come to symbolize racism, and the defense of slavery and segregation. We should send a clear message that Virginia does not stand for these things.