As Minnesota prepares to unveil a new state flag and seal this spring, Republican lawmakers are pushing back, calling for the decision to be given to the public via a vote, according to KARE 11. Rep. Bjorn Olson (R-Fairmont) has been reported as stating, "We are advocating for nothing more than the right of Minnesotans to vote on what represents them." The proposed legislature by the GOP outlines multiple routes to achieve this, including possible constitutional amendments and legislative approvals.
Controversy stirred when the State Emblems Redesign Commission announced the new designs in December. The switch, set for May 11, aims to replace the old emblems that some say evoke Minnesota's darker history of Native American displacement, details unveiled by KARE 11. The new flag, featuring a nod to Minnesota as the North Star State, and a seal with a loon amid wild rice, were picked from over 2,600 public submissions and designed to reflect Minnesota's natural beauty and Native heritage; nevertheless GOP lawmakers like Olson and Urdahl are advocating for a reevaluation of the designs or at least for the designs to be ratified by a two-thirds vote of both houses of the Minnesota legislature if a public vote isn't possible.
While Democratic leaders and some Native Americans praise the updated flag and seal as a step toward inclusivity and away from a past marred by colonialism, opponents from the GOP have cited displeasure with the lack of public input and specific components of the designs. Aaron Wittnebel, a commission member, called for the removal of a Dakota language phrase from the state seal design, arguing it favored one community over others. Republican state Rep. Dean Urdahl echoed the sentiment for broader representation: "If we can't get the vote of the people, at least the voices of the people can be heard through their elected representatives," he told KARE 11.
The redesign, which selects a loon, the state bird, against a background meant to represent Minnesota's abundant water resources, hasn't been without its detractors on both sides of the aisle. Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan urged acceptance of the new flag as representing all Minnesotans, while GOP critics falsley likened it to flags of Somalia, according to a news release from the state Democratic Party. Despite the push for a public vote, Steve Simon, Minnesota Secretary of State, has expressed doubts about its constitutionality given that Minnesota doesn't conduct state-wide referendums like other states, all of which adds to the ideological skirmish surrounding what a flag—and indeed, symbols at large—ought to communicate and who gets to decide its final form.
