Sons of Confederate Veterans leader decries call to end NC license plate

Given the often ill-tempered discussion about the display of Confederate symbols in North Carolina, in particular the formally approved Sons of the Confederate Veterans custom license plate, it is important to address certain misapprehensions.

In recent days, our cemeteries have been desecrated (Durham’s Maplewood Cemetery) and our monuments defaced (in Asheville). Gov. Pat McCrory has called for in effect punishing thousands of Tar Heels who have no connection whatsoever to the dastardly event that occurred in Charleston, South Carolina. Their only “sin” is to have had Southern ancestors who fought for the Confederacy, whom they memorialize with a custom license tag.

The Sons of Confederate Veterans is like other civic groups with customized plates. We were founded in 1896 by the descendants of those Tar Heel soldiers who left their homes and families to go fight in a long, brutal and bloody war between the states. We are a civic, not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to conserving the heritage of our state. We do considerable work to preserve North Carolina’s history, including historic restoration, by participating in the activities of our historic sites and by contributing to artifact preservation. We have contributed more than $100,000 and countless man hours for these projects. Paramount for the SCV is our mission to commemorate our ancestor soldiers. We believe that by our civic activities, we honor our ancestors.

Fifteen years ago, after a long court case and a favorable decision by the Court of Appeals, the SCV legally won the right to have the NCDMV issue custom license plates for our members. The SCV’s specialized license plates bear the exact registered seal of the organization, as is normal for civic groups with the right to custom plates. Until recently, there has been no controversy about our plates.

The registered emblem of the SCV is the square battle flag, with the historic Cross of St. Andrew (the cross of the Scots who settled in the Southern colonies prior to the American Revolution) emblazoned and surrounded by our name. The battle flag was carried by soldiers 1861-65. Of course, it regrettably has been misused and abused during the past 150 years by a very few deranged individuals and hate groups. The SCV has repeatedly condemned in the strongest terms this misuse by groups such as the KKK. It dishonors our ancestors and the flag they carried.

The United States flag has been misused even more so. From 1788 to 1866, the U.S. flag flew over slavery – even worse, over the legal buying, selling and brutal importation of slaves. Do we ban it because of that history? The U.S. flag flew over the concentration camps where our government imprisoned the Nisei Japanese civilians during World War II, and it flew at the Sand Creek massacre of peaceful Indians in 1864 and at Wounded Knee. Are we ready to say the U.S. flag represents “hate” and “racism” because it was badly misused on those occasions?

We believe that Americans of good will can distinguish between a few misguided and hateful individuals and the symbols of what is true and good and honorable in our nation. It is so with the SCV emblem, which is as American as the Maryland flag with the historic arms of Lord Baltimore, the California Republic Bear in the California flag or the Algonquian Native American in the Massachusetts banner.

In North Carolina, there are license plates that commemorate the NRA, that honor tobacco, that declare “In God We Trust.” And as with the NRA and other organizations, our custom North Carolina tags in no way indicate an endorsement by the state.

These symbols are for some people controversial and perhaps objectionable. Which license plate is next on the chopping block? Are we going to deny N.C. State grads a license plate because UNC grads hate the Wolfpack? Just how far into political correctness are we willing to go? Does dishonoring our ancestors who had absolutely nothing to do with the very sad events in Charleston do anything to prevent a misguided young loner truly intent on killing innocent people?

We ask our political leaders and our fellow citizens not to react unreasonably to the hateful actions of one crazed gunman by punishing thousands of law-abiding Tar Heel residents who only wish to honor the bravery of their ancestors. Attempts to ban our symbols could well become a slippery slope for banning other symbols and incriminating other portions of our nation’s diverse population when what is sorely needed today is mutual respect and toleration.

This story was originally published July 7, 2015 at 5:21 PM with the headline "Sons of Confederate Veterans leader decries call to end NC license plate."