Bans on confederate flags can be absurd in certain circumstances. While the purpose of California’s ban of the confederate flag was to prevent state sponsored displays of bigotry, its effects were much more far reaching. For example, in an art fair in Fresno, one man’s historic painting regarding the Civil War was rejected because it contained a confederate flag.
Key Takeaways:
- California legislators passed a law two years ago banning state government from selling or displaying Confederate flags
- fair officials barred Desmond’s work from being displayed because one of the soldiers in the picture carries a Confederate flag.
- extending that ban to individuals’ creative expressions is an ill-considered — and possibly unconstitutional — leap
“The state has every right to decide not to hang up Confederate flags in its own house. But extending that ban to individuals’ creative expressions is an ill-considered — and possibly unconstitutional — leap.”
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