Downwind“New State Flag?”
A flag is an important symbol. Flags can be fought for and died for. Saluted. Cried over. Rallied upon. A flag can be used to display national pride. The swell in the number of Mexico flag car hood covers I saw in September related to Mexican Independence Day is a good example.
A flag can also be used to demonstrate anger such as burning a flag during a riot. Or hate through the Nazi swastika flag.
The Illinois legislature recently created a commission to consider a new Illinois state flag.
While creating a new flag design may be viewed as an opportunity to showcase an evolving Illinois, it also sounds to me like another reason for people in Illinois to argue. The advocates for change may be excited. Traditionalists will probably not be happy for a new design. I'm sure some designs submitted will excite some and rub others the wrong way. Anger which seems to be the public default emotion lately, will result. Until I started writing this, I had never examined the state flag in detail. I knew it was white with an eagle and the words Illinois on it but had not really paid attention to the rest.
When I was working for Carroll County Farm Bureau back in the late 1980s, we had a Farm Bureau leader who created an "agriculture" flag to recognize and celebrate the importance of farming in the region. There was a period of time, at the office in Mount Carroll, that each day I would raise the US flag followed by that agriculture flag to proudly show to the world.
Agriculture, as the number one industry in Illinois, should have a place on a new flag version, right? Agricultural images of corn,soybeans,greenhouses,or livestock (cannabis?) could be featured.
Rural Illinois is home to alternative energy solutions. Images of up-andcoming alternative energy structures (I can't call them "farms") multiplying across the state in the form of solar panels, wind turbines, and ethanol plants could be added.
Sometimes, it is easier to describe what we don't want on a flag. I started making a list but that seemed negative. We do not need "negativity" flying over the Springfield capitol. Perhaps a new flag will help us regain some of the pride I perceive we have lost in the great state of Illinois. However, I can't help thinking there might be a few other more important items that require the attention of the state leadership. Figure out a sound state budget. Remove barriers that cause inflation. Solve the growing state funded pension issue. Address spending so that taxes don't need to escalate. Limit regulation for the business economy to thrive. Reduce crime.
Yep, bigger fish to fry ... maybe an image of a catfish?