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Florida put on sale a new design of its license plates for private cars displaying the Gadsden flag, a symbol of freedom designed in 1775, in the midst of the American Revolution, to raise funds for the benefit of veterans.
The state’s governor, Republican Ron DeSantis, endorsed the initiative through his social media last week.
“The free state of Florida has a new license plate for pre-order that benefits the Florida Veterans Foundation and sends a clear message to out-of-state cars, ‘Don’t Tread on Me,'” DeSantis tweeted, then posted a referential image of the new design.
— Ron DeSantis (@GovRonDeSantis) July 30, 2022
Florida promotes freedom
As described by DeSantis, the license plate includes the phrase “Don’t Tread On Me,” part of the flag designed by soldier and politician Christopher Gadsden in 1775. Gadsden was the principal leader of the South Carolina Patriot movement during the American Revolution.
Along with the Moultrie Flag, the Gadsden design is a symbol of freedom and rebellion against the state, usually appropriated by libertarian movements.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles will put the plate into production once the first 3,000 copies are sold, and it will be distributed to the various county tax collection offices.
Special plates cost a flat annual fee above the state’s standard plate and vary by license plate type. The additional funds go to support the cause of the Florida Veterans Foundation.
