No rebel flags on license plates

Fort Worth Star Telegram: The fight over the Confederate battle flag and whether it can be included on a Texas specialty license plate has made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments in the case Monday.

The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, finding the symbol offensive to others, denied an application by the state division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans to place its logo contain- ing the flag on a specialty plate.

A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the state should not discriminate against the expression of the group’s point of view, a free speech right.

The high court should reject that argument. Texas should have the right to determine what goes on a state-issued license plate bearing its name. Otherwise, practically any image or language must be allowed.

As the Star-Telegram Editorial Board has previously stated, if the Supreme Court says Texas can’t keep the Confederate flag off its license plates, the state should get out of the specialty plate business.