Georgians can now purchase custom Confederate flag license plates (Update)
‘This specialty tag is the most attractive license tag that the State of Georgia has to offer’
- Sons of Confederate Veterans
Yes, you read that headline correctly. Georgia residents now have the option to buy their very own Confederate-themed custom license plates for some bizarre reason.
On February 1, the Sons of Confederate Veterans gained approval from the Georgia Department of Revenue for a custom license plate that boasts the Dixie Flag. The decision comes 12 years after state officials removed the stars and bars from Georgia’s flag in what was widely considered a long overdue move.
In a press release, Georgia’s Sons of Confederate Veterans write:
The Sons of Confederate Veterans have a totally new Special License Plate available to all Georgians. The new design has already been approved and is now available as part of the state’s new format which allows for digital images for license plates instead of the traditional raised letter format.
The new design of the SCV’s special license plate features a much more prominent logo of the organization with larger stars and a beautiful Confederate battle flag image in the background and covering the entire size of the plate. Additionally, the plate features a gold frame with the words “Sons of Confederate Veterans” displayed where the county name was previously featured on the plates.
For every purchased tag, $10 will help fund educational activities, historical preservation, and other projects with Confederate ties.
“This specialty tag is the most attractive license tag that the State of Georgia has to offer,” Georgia SCV Division Adjutant Tim Pilgrim says. “The new design will be available starting in February, and I would encourage members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and all Citizens of Georgia to ask for the newly designed Sons of Confederate Veterans specialty tag when it is time to renew your tags. It is a truly beautiful and honorable tag to display to all that travel our highways and roads.”
Earlier today, Gov. Nathan Deal said that he didn’t know anything about the custom plate design. When CL this afternoon asked the governor’s office to elaborate on whether he would oppose the idea, Spokesman Brian Robinson succinctly replied: “The governor’s quote is the governor’s quote.”
We’ve reached out to the Department of Revenue for comment about the approval of the custom license plate design. If we hear back, we’ll post an update.
UPDATE, Thursday, February 20, 2:51 p.m.: Two days after Deal’s initial remarks, he’s elaborated further on the topic of Confederate plates. “I think it is an acknowledgment of the history of our state and our culture,” he said. “It’s been there. It’s just a little bit different format.”