Controversy

There is nothing on which a disagreement can't be reached.

Take the folks in Utah who are divided over their new state flag. Utah is one of the western states in my road Atlas that has no dog-eared corners. The pages are pristine and are as clean as Salt Lake City itself. We have never been to Utah, and probably never will be. This of course doesn't prevent commentary about the kerfuffle.

In fact, I like the word "controversy." Since retiring in 2011 I have continued my habit of reading at least two newspapers every day. If someone were to ask me (which they haven't) "what strikes you about the times we're in now?" I'd quickly say, "controversy." There is always controversy. There is barely a story in the paper that you can't attach that one word summary to.

Change. Change for the better? Change for the sake of change? I think it might be safe to say most people don't know what their state flag looks like. "We have one?' But there are those who do have entrenched opinions on what it should look like. Should it be changed so that it doesn't so closely resemble other western states, showing an eagle, spears, a bee hive,, and flags, looking like 1890s political bunting?

And why wouldn't it look like 1890s bunting draped over a reviewing stand or a bandshell gazebo on July 4th? Utah was admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Other western states made it into the club around the same time. So it shouldn't be surprising that their state flags have a similar appearance.

Too similar for the governor of Utah The WSJ reports in yesterday's edition in its A-Hed piece that Governor Spencer Cox who attended a National Finals Rodeo and was taken how Utah's flag didn't stand out. It blended in too well with other states that were using the state seal as their flag.  

"We jokingly call these SOB flags—that's a seal on a bedsheet," a vexillologist—flag scholar—Ted Kaye explains, who has compiled a booklet called "Good Flag, Bed Flag." I kid you not.

I've become a rather steady viewer of Jeopardy and there are words and clues that I think would make great questions/answers, if they haven't already used. One would be something that makes someone say and spell vexillologist. Another would be making someone give answer as to why Utah uses a beehive in its state seal and state flag. It is after all The Beehive State.

Turns out the Mormons used the beehive symbol to honor the pioneers who arrived (Mormons) in the Salt Lake /Valley on July 24, 1847.  Google tells : "Mormons believe the beehive is a symbol of harmony. cooperation and work for the early pioneers of the Church. Brigham Young used the symbol to inspire Church members to work together to transform the barren Salt Lake Valley into a beautiful and thriving community."

And so the new flag is being introduced. The must-have beehive, along with a border design that is evocative of the mountains in Utah. Agreement Hardly. It's a "woke" flag. Culture cancel. Easy for kid's to draw? "It's a dumbing down."

Maybe it is a little avant-garde. It does have an uncluttered look. If I were to look at the flag quickly, knowing nothing about it, I might think Pennsylvania put an Andy Warhol Liberty Bell on its flag. Everyone's a critic when it comes to art.

And what do their license plates look like? It's a good chance I'm never going to see one here in New York, so off to the web we go.

The latest plate, issued in 2016, carries an In God We Trust motto with an American flag and no beehive. Of course there are those who think religion is being introduced by the DMV, but the governor tells anyone who complains that 19 states use that motto, and it's all over our currency.

The missing beehive would annoy me. If I grew up in the state and learned about the beehive in grammar school, got old enough to drive and own a car, and the beehive were missing from my plate I might be a little crestfallen too, especially if I was a Mormon.

Prior plates used the landscape as a backdrop for their artwork. Utah is full of those red rock forms, and seeing one on a license plate does set the plate off and immediately inform others where you're from.

There is a lot of white space on a map of Utah. It is one of three states spelled with the fewest letters. (Another Jeopardy clue) It already looks abbreviated for the post office.

All I can say is that I don't have a dog in this controversy. My atlas page will probably stay forever unspoiled.

http://onofframp.blogspot.com