Why did Minnesota change the state flag?
“I had no idea,” voiced sophomore Brooke Siwek when asked about the new state flag.
Siwek along with students have been surprised when informed that our flag will soon wear a new face.
With the installment of Minnesota’s new flag and seal on May 11, many citizens have rallied to discuss this new identity. The opinions have been widely diverse with activists who think this change will erase history, and varied members from the Dakota tribe who feel the past flag carried negative connotations about racism.
Despite the subtle dislike in the flag’s simplicity, the meaning of the new design has seemed to quiet any further criticism. The flag displays a lighter blue on the left-hand side of the flag in a “K” shape, echoing Minnesota’s state shape. Overlapping that is a white star, which connects to the state’s motto of being the North Star state. In addition, on the right-hand side the flag is colored a dark blue which symbolizes Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes.
Students like junior Sam Streed, have raised that this new design might be too similar to the well-known Somalian flag, “The star and color makes it look too much like Somalia,” said Streed.
Native American tribes have spoken out that change is necessary in order to move past the painful reminders of relocation, and abuse that the old flag displayed. In addition, DFL lawmakers have agreed that the existing flag is inconsiderate as it pictured a native American fleeing the same land that a white farmer is working on.
with over 2,600 submissions, many people seem to care about the identity of their state, and how they are portrayed as citizens.
In an article from PBS, Democratic state Sen. Mary Kunesh voiced that Minnesotans actually care for the future of their state, “It was an incredible experience to see our community’s energy and passion captured in the beautiful designs they submitted,” Kunesh said. “From loons and wild rice to water and the North Star, we have captured the essence of our state in the new flag and seal. These designs honor our history and celebrate the future of Minnesota.”
On the contrary, the media raises the argument that this change could end up erasing the basic history of the state.
In an article from MPR News, Minnesota Republican Party Deputy Chair Donna Bergstrom voiced. “As a Native American and tribal member, it’s exhausting to see Native Americans once again bearing the brunt of the short-sighted eradication of our shared history.”
Many think that education on the painful past of Minnesota is needed to honor how far the state and people groups have come.
Ted Kaye, secretary of the North American Vexillological Association, and author of “’Good’ Flag, ‘Bad’ Flag,” Feels that everyone will come to be proud of the flag, as it carries a simple yet positive meaning.
In an article from CBS News, Kaye states, “Through familiarity and understanding the symbolism, people come to love the flag that represents the state they love. And that’s my prediction for Minnesota.”
Kaye has even gone as far as giving the state’s new design an A+ as he feels the design is unifying and unique.
Similarly, MA art teacher Nate Stromberg has shown great interest in the flag, “I really like it, and I’m sort of amused by the fact that people don’t,” said Stromberg.
Although historic seals can be bold and abstract, they can also be difficult to identify from afar, “When a flag is billowing in the wind, the simpler it is the better it looks,” said Stromberg.
In addition, states like Mississippi have also chosen to redesign their flag. What used to be a Confederate symbol is now a flourishing magnolia plant. Replacing old negative displays with more positive symbols is something the public thinks will overall lead to a more uplifting and enthusiastic national image.
What MA students think:
“It’s a lot more simple than the old flag, I probably like the old one more”
“my little brother who is eight could make that”
“I see the vision, I just feel like it was represented really poorly because they’re trying to make it more minimalistic and modern for the current century except it’s gonna be around for a long time after this, so it’s not gonna be applicable later on”
“There’s a lot less detail, some of the other designs had more color, this is just sad”
“It’s so boring, it looks like the flag of Somalia”
“Personally, I like the original flag, I believe it’s quite iconic for the state of Minnesota.”
“I believe they could’ve designed it around the lakes of Minnesota a little more”
“I like the design ideas with more colors in it”
“I get how they were trying to put the shape of Minnesota in the flag, but it doesn’t look like it at all”
“It’s terrible, I don’t like it”
“Why does it only have two shades of blue”
“I have never heard of the north star, and don’t think it is a symbol of Minnesota”