Confederate Flag License Plate May Become A Thing Of The Past
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (WJZ) -- As South Carolina grapples with its Confederate flag debate, lawmakers in other states---including Maryland---are calling for changes to eliminate Confederate flags and symbols here.
Derek Valcourt explains that could include changes for some state-issued license plates.
Maryland is one of nine states that offer Confederate license plates but a recent Supreme Court ruling opens the door to their possible elimination.
States like Maryland and Virginia were forced to allow plates with Confederate battle flag designs after a 2002 federal court ruling---but last week, the Supreme Court ruled states do have the right to restrict license plate designs.
Now Virginia's governor says the Confederate flag has got to go.
"Even its display on state-issued license plates, in my view, is unnecessarily divisive and hurtful to too many of our people," said Governor Terry McAuliffe.
Maryland began issuing Confederate plates for the group Sons of Confederate Veterans in 1996. So far, 409 plates have been issued but only 178 currently remain active.
Some are now calling for Maryland to do away with Confederate plates, calling them offensive and divisive.
"This is a slippery slope," said Jay Barringer.
Barringer is Maryland Commander of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. They oppose banning the plates and insist the flag is a symbol of their ancestors.
"Men fought under that flag and they died for that flag and that's what we're here to preserve. We're not here to promote racism; that's not what we're about. We reject that completely," Barringer said.
For now, Maryland's MVA says they're reviewing the Supreme Court's decision and its impact on how they issue special plates.
But efforts to remove Confederate references aren't limited to license plates. Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz is now calling for the park named after Confederate General Robert E. Lee to be renamed Lake Roland Park.
"We've been talking to this for the last several months because we were recognizing that it was a name that was not inclusive," he said.
The park is owned by the city; Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has said she favors renaming it.
Several retailers including Wal-Mart, Sears and eBay are now vowing to stop selling Confederate flag merchandise.
Amazon says sales of Confederate flags have soared more than 3,000% within the last 24 hours.