Bluestem Prairie had been seeing social media posts promoting a rally today to defend Minnesota's old state flag, like the image below on the Rocks and Cows of Minnesota Facebook page:
Several lawmakers--including representatives Krista Knudsen, R-Lake Shore and Isaac Schultz, R-Ellendale Township. and Senator Torrey Westrom, R-Alexandria--sent out messages urging constituents to attend the rally.
As the screenshot of the Peter Callaghan tweet on X at the top of this post illustrates, that planned exhibition of popular distress at the changing of Minnesota's state flag didn't go so well.
MinnPost's Peter Callaghan's post has gotten 129 replies by the time I wrote this post, which must be at least 100 more people than attended the rally. 340 people shared the post. 460 viewers liked it.
He wasn't the only one to share a photo on X:
I missed most of the rally, were they able to save the old Minnesota flag? #mnleg pic.twitter.com/cLOGoSbPYk
— Brian Evans (@BriInMN) March 5, 2024
their cause is flagging https://t.co/XjrjNdoHhO
— Max Nesterak (@maxnesterak) March 5, 2024
The press conference didn't compensate for the public's apathy, as the reportage in Minnesota media noticed the low numbers at the rally, though none posted a photo of the slim audience.
At the Star Tribune, Briana Bierschbach and Jenny Berg reported in Minnesota Republicans push to put new state flag up to a statewide vote:
Republican legislators want to put the new Minnesota flag on the ballot this fall.
Frustrated by the process used to redesign the state's official state flag, the lawmakers want to give voters the chance to say yea or nay in an election.
The proposed constitutional amendment was part of a suite of bills Republicans rolled out on Tuesday as the flag redesign shifts to a more partisan issue in 2024. A group of less than two dozen conservative activists also rallied on the Capitol steps in the afternoon, waving the state's old flag design while criticizing the 13-member commission that debated and settled on a new design for both the flag and the seal.
"Thirteen unelected members spoke for 5.7 million people," said Sen. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, who sat on the commission as a nonvoting member. "Thirteen members designed what is before us and about to become the next flag and seal of Minnesota if the Legislature doesn't act."
The DFL-led House and Senate passed legislation last session to create the commission to redesign the flag and the seal after decades of criticism that the imagery on both was problematic and too similar to more than a dozen other state flags. The state seal, which is at the center of the flag, shows a white settler plowing a field in the foreground while a Native American man on horseback rides into the sunset.
After months of debate and thousands of public submissions, the commission approved a new flag design that features the shape of Minnesota, cast in a deep blue and topped with an eight-point star. . . .
Sen. Mary Kunesh, DFL-New Brighton, who sponsored the legislation to create the commission and sat on it as a nonvoting member, said the poorly attended rally shows "this controversy is manufactured by Republicans."
"From what I could see, it looked like there were more Republican legislators at the press conference than there were Minnesotans gathered outside. By comparison, the commission to consider changes to the flag and seal received thousands of submissions and almost 22,000 public comments," she said in a statement. "I am proud of that process, and the result, and look forward to seeing the new flag fly over the Capitol." . . .
Minnesota Public Radio's Dana Ferguson reported in Republicans rally in an effort to put new Minnesota flag to a vote:
Minnesota Republicans rallied at the Capitol on Tuesday in an effort to put a new state flag design before voters this fall.
About two dozen people met on the Capitol steps to call for keeping Minnesota’s current state flag that features the state seal at the center of a dark blue background. Several held up or waved the flags as GOP lawmakers and others voiced frustration about the process that generated new state flag and seal designs. . . .
After taking in more than 2,000 submissions, the panel late last year approved new state flag and seal designs that will take effect on May 11 — Minnesota’s Statehood Day — barring legislative intervention.
A trio of GOP lawmakers said the commission’s process didn’t take in enough feedback from the public and Minnesotans should have a chance to put the designs to an up or down vote before they replace the current flag and seal.
“The goal is not to go back to this flag or to go to the new flag, the goal remains that Minnesotans deserve the right to vote for what represents them,” Rep. Bjorn Olson, R-Fairmont, told the group on the Capitol steps. . . .
Flag design experts say the change could propel Minnesota from one of the worst-designed flags in the state to the top 10.
Radio man Matt McNeil captured the gist of the CBS News/WCCO Report:
I want to point out how much the news media is trying to make 20 Republicans into something other than what it was, a joke. Three news outlets downplayed the turnout.
— The Matt McNeil Show (@MattMcNeilShow) March 6, 2024
If saying "pathetic turnout" is too tough for you, then just don't report on it at all! https://t.co/2RP2NsVZG3
UPDATE: A report on Fargo's WDAY Talk Radio, Minnesota state senator leads effort aimed at keeping current state flag design, positions Westrom as a leader in this hot mess:
.... Westrom held a rally and press conference outside the state capitol this afternoon aimed at building public support for keeping the existing flag design. . . .
Westrom says it would take one DFL state senator to join republicans in voting in favor of keeping the current design to prevent the adoption of the new one.
The state senator appeared on WDAY Mid Day. [end update]
As to Senator Mary Kunesh's observation in the Strib article, "From what I could see, it looked like there were more Republican l legislators at the press conference than there were Minnesotans gathered outside," here's the press conference by Republican lawmakers, who ignore the fact that the commission was created by legislative action and thousands of Minnesotans commented on the proposed designs for the flag.
From Senate Media Services' YouTube channel:
As noted in Allen Henry's reportage for CBS WCCO:
However, considering that any of those bills would need support from Democrats, they could all be considered longshots.
Gov. Tim Walz himself said as much during a recent appearance on WCCO Sunday Morning.
"Our current flag is problematic. I think we all know that. We've evolved into a more diverse state and I think it's more reflective of that," Walz said. "Look, while Republicans are going to be talking about this, I'm going to be building roads, bridges and water treatment plants. While Republicans are talking about this, I am going to be making sure our kids are eating and we're creating job creation. So they can debate it in the legislature, we will see where it goes, but I think any time change comes, I think, a lot of Minnesotans, when they look, our flag looks like 19 other states."
Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives Melissa Hortman has also released a statement pouring cold water on any action on the new flag saying, "We changed the flag for a reason. In addition to it being a poor design, it was offensive to a large number of people. There will not be the votes to delay, reverse or put the flag to a referendum."
Bluestem will keep an eye on this development. As for Representative Bjorn Olson, it's been hard for me to take him seriously on this issue ever since he whined about never seeing loons in Southern Minnesota. They certainly visit the lake in Le Sueur County where I was raised.
Screengrab: A photo of the rally by MinnPost's Peter Callaghan. posted on X.
Related posts
- MinnPost commentary from flag redesign committee member: MNGOP claims are historically wrong and needlessly divisive
- Commission finalizes new Minnesota state fla
- ‘Let it speak for us’: state senator Reynold Nesiba plans to pursue SD flag redesign
- Selection of loon state seal makes Minnesotans wonder: why not just use it on new state flag?
- LTE of the day: loons visit everywhere in Minnesota though not on finalist flags
- Formal effort begins to replace ‘cluttered genocidal mess’ on Minnesota state flag and seal
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