The license plate of a vehicle should be that, showing that the vehicle is duly registered in the state. To have team names, flowers, birds etc. or political slogans on same is opening a Pandora’s box, to anything and everything.
I agree, and have no problem with any state banning political messages from license plates, or vanity plates altogether. As I said, the state (or federal) government doesn't have to subsidize your free speech, it just can't interfere with it.
However, when the state says that certain political messages on plates are OK and others are not, this is effectively a subsidy of one group's freedom of expression over another's. So the state should either allow the Confederate plates if it's in the business of supporting other people's political slogans, or be consistent and stop the use of plates for political or personal reasons period. Instead, as politicians usually do, they want to have it both ways and side with political correctness.
Texas has over 400 specialty plates. Since they're granting them to everything under the sun then they should hold the SCV to no higher and no lower standard on approving their plates too.
Curious, what is your stand on “Disabled Vet” license plates, or license plates that have combat medals noted on the plates? (Speaking as a guy in Texas, we have those)
I imagine, come to think of it, there are many Rats out there that find any reference to the military to be offensive, doubly so if the license indicates combat, therefore killing all those poor peaceful muslimes. . .