It’s Just Getting Insane Renewed Calls to Change the Massachusetts State Flag (Boston: condo, design)

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

That's the one flown by New England Revolution Soccer fans at games. I guess I could get on board switching back to that one.


https://newengland-mp7static.mlsdigi.../fort_DLsm.jpg

There was a funny event in the late 90's with this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_New_England

How do you copyright something and then tell governors they should consider it historical and use it

Having weapons raised up with hands is more associated with hezbollah

[simplexsimon]

Being from California, I always thought it was weird that nobody here knew what MA's flag looked like, or that it wasn't proudly flown anywhere (like it is everywhere in CA). Actually, any New England state flags for that matter. Now I see why.

[Lampert]

Originally Posted by GeoffD

Massachusetts had Indian slaves back in the 1600s. Generally, they were sold/traded to the West Indies. The Pequot War and King Philip’s War produced a lot of slaves. And then there’s the notorious Lord Jeffrey Amherst smallpox blankets during the French & Indian War. I’d be fine with a less tone deaf state seal and flag.

400 years have passed though, none in MA is in favor of enslaving people today and the flag is not used by extremists to promote their ideas(this happens with the confederate flag) and the flag was not in use 400 years ago.

[robr2]

I'd go for the "sacred cod" on a white field.

[Shrewsburried]

Originally Posted by simplexsimon

Being from California, I always thought it was weird that nobody here knew what MA's flag looked like, or that it wasn't proudly flown anywhere (like it is everywhere in CA). Actually, any New England state flags for that matter. Now I see why.

Indeed. As a 'creative' working within 'creative teams', this subject has become a rather tired rant ... often triggered by a designer on staff who wears CO and MD themed gear. The west definitely has superior iconography and, as a result, I see it more often in eastern MA than our own flag.

I'm up for something new on the basis that our flag sucks graphically. I don't need a deeper ethical reason.

[BostonBornMassMade]

its ugly. change it just because it's ugly, and boring.

[in_newengland]

Leave it alone. I always liked that flag and if we take the Native American off that's one more step in forgetting the indigenous people who were already here when white people arrived. Do we want to wipe out every memory of them? This is getting so crazy. Are they going around looking for things they can change, like our state's name? How about Connecticut? How about eradicating all memory of Native Americans? Ridiculous. There are more important things to do.

[btownboss4]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

its ugly. change it just because it's ugly, and boring.

“Seal on a sheet” is the standard for city/state flags in New England barring the New England flag. They all stink.

Ohio, Texas, Maryland all have cool flags. We can too.

[OutdoorLover]

I've never really looked at it before, but it's hard for me to make heads or tails of. The indian is in the blue field while the arm holding the sword is sort of levitating in another part of the image. Even the state motto: "By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty"...leaves me thinking - what does that mean? It seems to me that the way you create peace by the sword is by impaling and hacking people to death... which seems a pretty savage motto for the state.

[in_newengland]

It's been our state flag for a long time and I think there are better things to do than to change it because we want a "cool flag." The native Americans were here first and were really important and helpful to the first settlers. We wouldn't be here without them. So why not have one on our state flag.

The motto doesn't align with the picture on the flag, I will grant you that. But I suspect they wanted to honor the native Americans and somehow honor the fact that we believe in fighting for liberty. Somebody did a strange job of trying to make the flag say what they meant it to say, that's all. If you have to replace it, I hope you keep the native American; unlike a cod or some other replacements, he would represent the entire state, not just the coast.