Washington: The US Supreme Court ruled Thursday that states can refuse to print images on vehicle license plates to prevent symbols, such as the Confederate flag seen by some as racist, from appearing to be government-sponsored.
The top court's nine justices voted five-to-four against a request by a group in Texas to print a Confederate flag emblem on their license plates.
The Confederate flag, which was flown over the southern states as they attempted to secede from the country during the Civil War, is considered a symbol of racism and slavery by many Americans.
In Texas and other US states, drivers are allowed to customize their license plates with letter and number combinations that spell out words or with a custom image or decal, for a fee.
"The Sons of Confederate Veterans cannot force Texas to convey on its license plates a message with which the state does not agree" Justice Stephen Breyer said, writing for the majority.
"A driver could just as easily express his message through a bumper sticker next to the license plate. Why would that driver want to place, say a flag, on the license plate rather than on the bumper?" Breyer said.
The four other justices sided with the Confederate organization, which had argued that it was trying to honor the country's history.
Chief Justice John Roberts sided with Alito.
Putting a message on a license plate "doesn't mean you endorse it, Texas puts its name on everything," he said.
The top court's nine justices voted five-to-four against a request by a group in Texas to print a Confederate flag emblem on their license plates.
The Confederate flag, which was flown over the southern states as they attempted to secede from the country during the Civil War, is considered a symbol of racism and slavery by many Americans.
In Texas and other US states, drivers are allowed to customize their license plates with letter and number combinations that spell out words or with a custom image or decal, for a fee.
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"The Sons of Confederate Veterans cannot force Texas to convey on its license plates a message with which the state does not agree" Justice Stephen Breyer said, writing for the majority.
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"A driver could just as easily express his message through a bumper sticker next to the license plate. Why would that driver want to place, say a flag, on the license plate rather than on the bumper?" Breyer said.
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The four other justices sided with the Confederate organization, which had argued that it was trying to honor the country's history.
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Chief Justice John Roberts sided with Alito.
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Putting a message on a license plate "doesn't mean you endorse it, Texas puts its name on everything," he said.
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