The issue of the Confederate flag and whether or not it is offensive remains contentious. The recent decision by Texas legislators to block the creation of a specialty license plate featuring the Confederate flag reignited the debate. The group that proposed the license plate, the Sons of Confederate Veterans, has successfully brought its case to the Supreme Court. The justices now face an uncomfortable question. What images are acceptable to display and on what basis?

This court case could set a landmark legal precedent to severely limit freedom of speech. As an unabashed advocate for freedom of speech, I think that a ban on the display of the Confederate flag on an item as small as a license plate will result in larger legal ramifications.

The potential court decision to ban the license plate design raises the question of who can determine what constitutes an offensive image. Since America is a multicultural nation in which no one culture should supersede others, the creation of a fair system to regulate potentially offensive acts of speech would be impossible.

In recent years, “being offended” has become a national pastime. Any symbol can be labeled as offensive. The possible floodgate of complaints and accusations over what is offensive or what should be banned would create a logistical nightmare that no government agency could properly handle.

For instance, the American flag could potentially be seen as offensive, as shown in the recent attempt by University of California, Irvine students to ban it. The students argued that the American flag is a symbol of imperialism and homogenization. If the students’ platform is approved, all images or representations of the flag would be removed. But in the students’ quest to make sure nobody feels offended, they are limiting the rights of others for the sake of political correctness. Flag banning and other symbol-related regulations limit the ways people can express their own ideals. The ban homogenizes acceptable methods of expression, which contradicts the UC Irvine students’ apparent agenda.

Although the UC Irvine group constitutes an extreme minority of people in the United States, if the Supreme Court rules against free speech, the government would need to fairly consider the students’ concerns along with any other fringe group complaints. Although I agree that the Confederate flag is an oppressive symbol for many, it is also an image of pride for others. I nor anyone else should have the right to judge what is an appropriate symbol. The real right to freedom of speech should not give way to the imaginary right to be offended.