CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Drivers in North and South Carolina can already get vanity license plates for just about any organization they want, in return for paying a bit more out of pocket.
In both states, drivers can choose from dozens of designs including the Confederate flag.
The Confederate flag design is also available in other states but not in Texas, and that refusal by Texas led to a Supreme Court case.
The justices heard oral arguments Monday in a case brought by a group called the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The group says Texas is violating drivers' rights to free speech by banning the Confederate flag plates.
Here in Charlotte, opinions of the Confederate flag plates differ wildly.
"I mean the Confederate flag does have a lot of tradition," said Roger Shoemaker, who was walking near the Park Road Shopping Center.
He says having the Confederate flag on a license plate is not an endorsement of what brought about the Civil War. He says it is just part of the country's history.
He said, "I can understand why in some states it will be considered an extreme vanity plate but we have freedom of speech for a reason."
But Conswellia Burris, who is African American, said the Confederate flag falls into a different category.
"I don't think we need to put that on there," she said.
She agreed that there should be freedom of speech but not when it comes to the Confederate flag.
Shannon Burgett stopped to talk about the case and said he felt those on both sides of the question need to be tolerant.
"If someone is not personally harming me and they want to share their perspective on something, then so be it," Burgett said.
The justices are not expected to rule on the question until early summer.
