North Carolina Bans The Use Of The Confederate Flag Emblem On License Plates

Illustration. (Nicholas Byrne / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - The North Carolina State Authority Motor Vehicles Division, United States of America has officially stopped issuing vehicle number plates bearing the Confederate flag. This was stated in a statement on Monday, February 1 local time.

The reason was that the use of the plates could convey the wrong message and so it was decided to stop issuing them on January 1. North Carolina is one of the few states that allows the use of the Confederate battle flag on vehicle license plates for descendants of Confederate War veterans.

"The Motor Vehicles Division has determined that the license plate bearing the Confederate battle flag could potentially offend anyone who saw it. We still acknowledge the Sons of Confederate War Veterans. However, we conclude that the Confederate battle flag display is not appropriate to be displayed on special license plates," explained the authority in a statement launched by The New York Times.

The changes take effect at a time when other states are also addressing the issue. Last year, Mississippi changed its flag, which prominently features the Confederate symbol, an image espoused by white supremacists. The new flag features magnolias.

Confederation Veterans Boys and Girls Leader Larry McCluney Jr., said their license plate was no different from those of other civilian organizations. He also accused North Carolina officials of wanting to erase history.

“What we see here is only an attack on American history. We live in an era where it takes one or several people to say, 'I was offended by him,' but the majority have to bow to him, ”he criticized.

McCluney said the Confederate battle flag did not represent slavery and was an important part of the Southern identity shared by the 30,000 active members of it.

"It's an army flag. If you don't like it, go the other way. You don't have to look," he said.

It was not immediately clear what would happen to existing plate holders when they renewed their registrations, but The Wilmington StarNews reported 3,015 plates with the Confederate flag on February 1.

To note, a number of states in the United States have also revoked permits to use vehicle plates with the Confederate flag. Like Texas, Maryland, Virginia to South Carolina.