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Minnesotans aren’t happy about the six finalists for the new state flag [1]

['Nafi Soumare', 'More From Author', '- November']

Date: 2023-11-22  

The six flags that are finalists to become the new Minnesota state flag are receiving reviews to rival “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked,” panned by Minnesotans on social media, who are calling them “trash” and harshly critiquing the work of the commission tasked with selecting Minnesota’s new state flag and seal.

Members of the State Emblem Redesign Commission pared down over 2600 submissions for the Minnesota state flag and seal at a public hearing Tuesday, leaving six flags and five seals left to be picked apart by the public before they make their final vote.

Before Tuesday’s meeting, each person on the 13-member commission was tasked with selecting their 20 favorite submissions. Over 200 selections were printed out and tacked to foam boards lining the upstairs hallway of the State Senate building.

Many social media posts bemoaned the committee-selection process, suggesting that public comment or voting be used to select the final flags.

The commission did not take public comments on Tuesday, but Lee Herold, creator of the North Star flag, gave a presentation and provided suggestions for possible flag strategies.

To Herold, the best state flags are minimalistic, but distinctive, and have three colors or fewer. He said the current Minnesota flag is so convoluted that he has seen it flown upside down multiple times, including at the state Capitol.

“The average person actually doesn’t think much about flags. It’s like electricity, when you turn the switch, the flag is there, so you won’t think about it. A good flag gets used a lot,” Herold said.

The commission was able to come to a consensus on the flag redesign after six hours of deliberation, but they resolved to pare the flags down to six instead of five. Elements of the six selections may still be tweaked by the commission.

The seal selection process was more expedited, and the seals are not getting the same negative attention as the flag picks.

After voting, the commission resolved to make the top five seal selections those which garnered the top five votes, skipping the lengthy deliberation process. Submission #224 became a top contender, as every single commissioner voted for it.

All of the flags selected as finalists for the redesign feature the North Star in some capacity. Gone are the fan-favorite loons, hockey sticks and the iconic labrador retriever.

To non-voting member Rep. Bjorn Olsen, R-Fairmont, the purported “joke submissions” caused him inner turmoil.

“I have some inner heartfelt feelings regarding our original flag and the idea that we’re going to be changing it kind of made me sad. We undertook what I thought to be a very serious task here of identifying a new flag for our state. I was very disappointed last night and was unable to sleep thinking about some of the flags that have been submitted by this committee,” Olsen said.

While the simplicity and “soulless” nature of the new flag selections have caused an uproar on Twitter, many elected officials were more sanguine. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Gov. Tim Walz praised the work of the commission. Walz said he thinks the final flag designs capture Minnesota, and he said he’s “pretty hooked” on the North Star designs.

“I think the committee was tasked with a pretty tough job in a short amount of time to try and capture Minnesota,” Walz said. “It’s interesting to me that people are paying attention.”

The commission will be holding one more in-person hearing on December 12, when they will be allowing the public to voice their opinions and concerns.

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[1] Url: https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/11/22/minnesotans-arent-happy-about-the-six-finalists-for-the-new-state-flag/

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