Howard county wants to change the county flag

[Anonymous]

https://wtop.com/howard-county/2024/01/for-first-time-in-over-50-years-howard-co-to-hold-contest-for-new-flag-design/

I’m trying to understand this article. Are they saying they are changing the flag because the county is more diverse now than when the flag was designed? Or is the issue with the flag designer possibly being white?

[Anonymous]

It sounds like they want a more modern representation of the county that reflects that it’s no longer mostly farmland. But…I’m trying to imagine how the “diversity” of the county will be represented without being dumb and pandering.

[Anonymous]

Do you live in Howard County, OP? If not, why would you possibly care? I don't live in Howard County, I wouldn't be able to recognize the Howard County flag if my life depended on it.

[Anonymous]

I think the issue is a sheaf of wheat and "gateway to the Eastern Seaboard" are irrelevant in Howard County as it is today. And considering the current flag is from the 1960s, not colonial days or something, it's not really something with a long history to be preserved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like they want a more modern representation of the county that reflects that it’s no longer mostly farmland. But…I’m trying to imagine how the “diversity” of the county will be represented without being dumb and pandering.

I hope that means the commission will reflect the diversity of the county, not that there needs to be a literal symbol of diversity on the flag.

[Anonymous]

Howard County government is out of things to do?

[Anonymous]

The current flag was designed by a white man. That’s why it’s being redesigned. Why can’t HoCo just be honest about it? That’s a very progressive thing to do, in a county that skews very progressive. Why pretend it’s for some other reason? The truth is reason enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current flag was designed by a white man. That’s why it’s being redesigned. Why can’t HoCo just be honest about it? That’s a very progressive thing to do, in a county that skews very progressive. Why pretend it’s for some other reason? The truth is reason enough.

Sorry, but my guess is they want to forever shake the hick, rural farming industry since there is so much more there now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current flag was designed by a white man. That’s why it’s being redesigned. Why can’t HoCo just be honest about it? That’s a very progressive thing to do, in a county that skews very progressive. Why pretend it’s for some other reason? The truth is reason enough.

Uh, no. The flag was designed by a woman. Did you even read the article?

[Anonymous]

How else would the DEI consultants make a living unless they contrived grievances?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current flag was designed by a white man. That’s why it’s being redesigned. Why can’t HoCo just be honest about it? That’s a very progressive thing to do, in a county that skews very progressive. Why pretend it’s for some other reason? The truth is reason enough.

Well, actually it was designed by a white woman. Jean O. Hannon was a preservationist who believed in looking back and honoring the past and the roots.

The new county council wants to be more forward thinking and look to the future of Howard County, and have a flag that represents that future and the diversity that is now resident. When Mrs. Hannon created the flag, the county had largely white rural farming roots. The history of Howard County includes plantations and farms that were predominantly white owned.

Howard County is now suburban, progressive and diverse rather than homogenously white and rural.

https://www.baltimoresun.com/2008/11/03/jean-o-hannon-preservationist-who-played-key-role-in-revitalization-of-historic-ellicott-city/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current flag was designed by a white man. That’s why it’s being redesigned. Why can’t HoCo just be honest about it? That’s a very progressive thing to do, in a county that skews very progressive. Why pretend it’s for some other reason? The truth is reason enough.

And by "truth", the PP means "this thing I made up to further my grievances".

[Anonymous]

I kno y'all want to blame this on DEI, but there is no grievance listed.

The county just wants a flag that is more representative of HoCo's diverse economies and communities. In other words, HoCO ain't not just for wheat no more.

(and probably what they're not saying out of respect is that it is kind of an ugly, cartoonish flag!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It sounds like they want a more modern representation of the county that reflects that it’s no longer mostly farmland. But…I’m trying to imagine how the “diversity” of the county will be represented without being dumb and pandering.

I hope that means the commission will reflect the diversity of the county, not that there needs to be a literal symbol of diversity on the flag.

I think they mean both, after reading the article. I’m trying to picture some sort of design that will achieve this without essentially being a Benetton ad with people holding hands, but I’m coming up empty

[Anonymous]

It's a hideous flag. I didn't realize that was supposed to be wheat. I thought it was a dress with the top part of it shredded.