The Confederate flag has always been controversial, but lately its symbolism is under more scrutiny than ever. Stores are pulling flag-bearing merch and South Carolina officially voted to remove the flag from its capitol following hate-fueled shootings in Charleston, but a handful of holdout supporters are still advocating fiercely for the right to display the flag.
One of those sad, misguided souls is Kevin Collier of Suffolk, Va., who refuses to remove his flag-bearing license plates even though they were outlawed by the Supreme Court in June. He says his decision is based on principle—his great-great-great grandfather fought with the Confederacy during the Civil War, and Collier said he wants to memorialize his death "in the name of that flag."
Following the court's decision, Virginia sent out 1,600 new flag-free license plates and asked recipients to change out their plates within 30 days. After that time period, the old plates were considered inactive—driving with those plates is a class two misdemeanor. Collier is clearly not the only one to take issue with his new plates; so far only 163 people have sent their old plates back.
Coiller doesn't seem concerned with breaking the law. During his interview with WCNC he said point-blank, "I will go to jail before I change those tags." The rest of his car is also littered with Confederate bumper stickers, one of which reads, "Heritage, not hate." Someone give this man a history lesson, stat.
