Utah Has a New State Flag!

Three weeks ago, Utah officially adopted a new state flag and I LOVE it!

The colors, the symbolism, the simplicity.... it's perfect. And so much better than the current flag, which will henceforth be known as the historic flag. The two will fly as a set on state holidays, which is an interesting choice. 

Technically, the new flag goes into effect by March 9, 2024, so you won't necessarily see it flying if you're in Utah between now and then. Also, there is a group working to get the new flag law repealed. No reason is given in the articles I've seen and they're keeping their Facebook page private. I have some suspicions of motive. It certainly can't be based on aesthetics, legibility, uniqueness, or the other principles of good flag design, so what does that leave? 

I just checked Amazon and found that the new flag (affiliate link) is already for sale. Someone left a 1-star review with the comment, "...Stop changing history." My suspicion is confirmed. And when you click on reviews, you get this message: 

A private Facebook page and "unusual reviewing activity." Yep. It all checks out. 

The last time a state updated their flag was Mississippi in 2020. There were people opposed to that, too. From the article: 

Defenders of the flag have mobilized, viewing the challenge to the flag as a renewed assault mounted against their history. “I don’t think we’re really talking about flags anymore,” Chris McDaniel, a Republican State Senator, said in a Facebook live video for his supporters. "It’s more important than that: I think we’re talking about a structural and cultural revolution being pushed by the radical left, the intolerant left."

There's so much to say about that statement, but I think it speaks for itself. I updated the Mississippi state flag on my US Travel landing page immediately, before it even passed through the legislature, in order to remove the Confederate emblem from my website. All this to say I have no hesitation in updating my graphics with Utah's new state flag. If need be, I'll (reluctantly) change them back. 

Reluctantly. This design is so much better than the historic flag. And yet both will be flown together on state holidays. Sounds to me like honoring history (not changing it) AND moving forward in the 21st century.