Posted on 07/04/2015 10:56:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
It, too, may fail to reflect current sensibilities.
The current interest in the removal of the Confederate battle flag from public displays and store shelves provides an excellent opportunity to examine what the Minnesota state flag represents. The images on the flag are interpreted by state documents as innocuous symbols of the state’s history. A critical examination of what the flag is saying, however, should make Minnesotans reconsider what their state flag projects about their state.
The state flag of Minnesota is often something that is taken for granted. Thousands of people see the flag flying without giving it a second thought. First unfurled in 1893 (a date found on the flag), it has the state seal featured prominently in its center. The seal was based on a painting by Seth Eastman and was promoted by Gov. Henry Sibley; it did engender criticism when first used in 1858, but was not changed.
The “great symbolism” of the figures on the seal, as described by the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State, include an American “Indian on horseback … riding due south and [representing] the Indian heritage of Minnesota. The Indian’s horse and spear and pioneer’s ax, rifle, and plow represent tools that were used for hunting and labor” (Minnesota Legislative Manual).
A close examination shows the central figure to be a white pioneer dressed in work clothes, wearing a wide-brim hat and pushing a plow. He is an iconic image of a hardworking, rugged individualist who works alone to chop the trees, plow the land and protect his home. He is looking over his shoulder at the Indian, who is riding a horse and holding a spear.
The contrast in the images of the figures is interesting: The image of the his
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Looks like he escaped from the ‘Song of Hiawatha’ pageant without a canoe. I miss the three maidens.
Or a Berdache.
Yes, I didn’t see a loincloth. Actually, it looks like he is wearing a white spandex bodysuit.
Good post. Thanks for you recollections.
Good post. Thanks for you recollections.
Not an aesthetic triumph, and the French motto doesn't help, but an honest and workmanlike effort. Whatever replaces it is sure to be an abomination and inane.
Its a throwback from when it was part of the Michigan territory. There were a bunch of Michigan territory flags in the scramble to divide into states.
Michigan’s flag has a man with a gun......but no indians.
Just another example of weenies looking for something to whine about. Why is that Injun riding his horse through that mans garden?
Apparently flags aren’t supposed to represent anything now.
If we used a smiley face the grumps would complain about that. ;-)
Every state flag is racist unless it shows tri-racial homos, lezbos, and trannies having sex.
How come the dorkie white farmer doesn’t know he should have a horse (ox?) pulling the plow? Idiot.
“Why is that Injun riding his horse through that mans garden?”
More important than that, where did the Injun get the horse? ;-)
Oh so you assume an indian riding a nice horse must have stolen it. LOL
They need to lose the French.
I suppose the new flag of Minnesota would have a small depiction the ISIS flag somewhere in it.
19 stars - 19th state admitted after original 13.
the circles represent all of MN counties. Now that is different.
Look again. He’s completely white except for his face. I think he’s wearing long johns.
The guy with the plow is a stereotype too. Not everyone farmed. Not everyone wore a hat like that...
We ALL use stereotypes. Its what makes symbolic communication like this possible.
These complaints by whiney leftists are beyond stupid and are in the realm of blithering idiot.
No,wait...is that a stereotype?
That’s pushing the race card off the table. We should ban the cotton ball in Tylonol bottles because you have to “pick the Cotten ball out first”... “Picken’ cotton” is far more raciest than the MN flag
Like most state flags, it’s simply a banner displaying a state seal. It should be redesigned.
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