What’s the purpose of a license plate? Mainly, it is to provide ready identification of a vehicle in case of accidents, traffic violations and so forth. But many states provide specialty plates to promote various causes. That has created a host of differently designed plates, leading, at times, to less clarity about what state a particular plate even comes from.
Recently, the Texas branch of the Tennessee-based Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a lawsuit against Texas’ Department of Motor Vehicles over the department’s refusal to approve a plate featuring a Confederate flag. The organization pointed out other controversial plates that had been approved.
But whatever your view of the Confederate flag, wouldn’t it be wise for states to avoid getting into these disputes simply by holding to the original, identifying purpose of license plates?