A Minnesota commission set up to redesign the state’s flag has unveiled its new design. The replacement flag is minimalistic, featuring a plain white star against a dark blue stripe and a light blue stripe. Some have compared it to the Somali flags for the Puntland and Jubaland regions, particularly as Minnesota is home to the largest community of Somalis in the United States, including Rep. Ilhan Omar.
“Minnesota’s new flag captures the imagination while standing apart from all other state flags with its unique design that depicts the shape of our state. Minnesotans have so much to be proud of from the beauty of our land, to our rivers and lakes, to our recognition as the North Star State – all of which are reflected in this flag,” claimed Secretary of State Steve Simon, a Democrat.
“I hope Minnesotans will find commonality in this flag and unite around it for generations to come,” he added.
This is the new state flag of Minnesota.
Turns out resettling 86,000 Somalis in Minnesota has cultural ramifications. pic.twitter.com/dzJGEWkkaO
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) December 19, 2023
Minnesota’s current state flag, which is well over a hundred years old, is far more intricate, featuring the full state seal on a blue background. The state seal depicts a white farmer plowing a field, with a rifle propped against a tree stump nearby and a Native American riding on horseback in the background.
Deemed offensive by woke activists and politicians, the commission to replace the flag took four months and spent $35,000 sifting through thousands of possible replacements.
Pushback from the two Republicans on the commission, who did not have the power to vote on the redesign, was mealy-mouthed.
“I’m not saying the flag that was chosen is a bad flag. What I’m saying is this process should have taken a lot longer,” said Rep. Bjorn Olson, (R-Fairmont). “We should have taken more public testimony. We should have heard from more Minnesotans. And on top of that, I hope that in the commission’s report we will include… that we advise the state Legislature to put this to a vote of the people.”
Minnesota memory holed their 130 year old state flag because it had an Indian in it. pic.twitter.com/HJhST3D5Sk
— PittsburghEd (@pittsburghed) December 19, 2023