Flag won’t be on plate
As a retired veteran, Civil War re-enactor and former San Antonian, I was deeply saddened by your myopic editorial, which revealed an apparent lack of historical and legal acumen.
Historically, there is nothing that occurred under the Confederate flag — good or bad — that hasn’t occurred under “Old Glory.” Before the 1950s, the Confederate flag was simply known as a soldiers’ flag and a time-honored symbol of the South.
It was not the flag of the Ku Klux Klan, as the media portrayed it. Unfortunately, during the struggle for civil rights, those who had no claim to the flag utilized it for their own vile purposes. Given this fact, it is apparent that only those who have limited knowledge of history seek its eradication.
Moreover, the Confederate flag won’t appear on the plate. What will is the organization symbol of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, which contains the square battle flag of the Army of Northern Virginia. If other organizations are allowed specialty plates, the SCV should be allowed the same right.
If Texas forbids these plates, the courts will surely overturn this as viewpoint discrimination.
The SCV saves Texas thousands of dollars picking up trash along the state’s highways. They should be allowed to drive on these same roads with a license plate featuring their organization.
Dr. Arnold M. Huskins
Major, U.S. Air Force (retired)
Grovetown, Ga.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/article/Your-Turn-Tuesday-Aug-30-2011-2146381.php
