Counterpoint | Stop fanning the flames of Minnesota’s flag culture war

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It is gratifying to see Minnesota’s new flag flying everywhere — from city halls to farmsteads — not just in the Twin Cities but across greater Minnesota.

Despite what Minnesota Star Tribune contributing columnist Andy Brehm may think (“Minnesota’s new flag is ugly and divisive. It deserves another do-over,” July 14), Minnesotans in every part of the state are embracing the new flag. Basing claims about the flag’s popularity on one county’s response to it is an inaccurate overgeneralization. Transitions to new things — whether that be new technologies, new programs, new shoes or new flags — naturally take time.

Change is a gradual process. When the new flag was adopted, sales of the old flag initially outstripped sales of the new flag at Herold Flags, Lee Herold’s flag store in Rochester. Herold now reports that sales are currently 50-50. As people grow accustomed to the change, one can foresee that the new flag will soon outsell the old flag.

Many Minnesotans have adjusted to the new flag and seek to move forward, but there are those who allege that the new flag is a source of controversy and division. These naysayers continue to fan the flames of the culture war fire over the state flag with their incendiary articles and social-media posts, and then complain that there’s a fire.

The sad truth is that most of these claims about the new flag and its redesign process are either misleading or outright false. Perhaps this is done intentionally to continue fueling division, or perhaps these claims are made out of ignorance. Either way, it is important to set the record straight.

The new flag was the product of an independent, nonpartisan commission created by the Minnesota Legislature and composed of members representing diverse constituencies and regions within the state. The commission accepted designs from the public, then provided multiple opportunities for Minnesotans to comment. Over 2,000 flag designs were received and more than 20,000 Minnesotans provided feedback on those designs in three separate rounds of public comment. These written comments were followed up with public testimony from design advisers as well as additional members of the public. From the initial call for submissions to the final selection, every step was guided by a commitment to inclusivity, clarity and meaning.

Indeed, the new flag is rich with meaning and connections to Minnesota’s history. The eight-point star is a replica of the North Star embedded in the rotunda floor of the State Capitol. The dark blue “K” shape represents the shape of our state, and its color represents the night sky. The bright blue field symbolizes water. We are the Land of 10,000 Lakes. We are home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Water is instrumental to the history, the economy, the development and the identity of our state. The new flag also visually represents the very name of our state, Mni Sota Makoce, Dakota for “land where the waters reflect the sky.” To claim that the new flag is “divorced from anything in Minnesota’s past” is so far from the truth, it‘s laughable.

As to Brehm’s claims that the new flag is “mediocre,” flag experts and vexillologists would beg to differ. The North American Vexillological Association, the largest organization of flag enthusiasts and scholars in the world, gives our new flag an A+ rating for its beauty, simplicity and distinctiveness. Place our new flag in a lineup of all 50 state flags and one can immediately pick it out, unlike our previous flag, which was nearly indistinguishable from the 20 other states whose flags display the old “seal on a bedsheet” design.

It is unfortunate that Brehm cannot recognize or accept the rich meaning and beauty of our new flag, choosing instead to decry it as “ugly.” Perhaps if he would stop fanning the flames of this culture war fire, he could clear the smoke from his eyes and see the fine new emblem that future generations will proudly stand behind. We invite all Minnesotans — regardless of political party or area of the state they live in — to join us in celebrating a flag designed to bring us together.

Luis Fitch is chair of the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission. Anita Gaul is the commission’s vice-chair.