Today at breakfast I got the placemat with all the state flags on it. First of all, I felt that was an improvement over Elmo's shapes and colors. But it's also interesting to see them all side by side. You realize that there are some really good state flag designs, and there are also some dogs in there. You can check them all out at 50states.com or just try 'state flags' at Google images.
I'll give you my best and worst below the wispy orange thing, and I'd like to hear your opinions, too.
So I'll do my best ones first. There are a lot of good state flags, but I narrowed it down to my top 5, not necessarily in this order. Let's just do them alphabetically.
ALASKA
I think we all wish our state flag could be this cool. The northernmost state calls on the North Star and the constellation that points to it. It also brings to mind Alaska's wilderness, from which you could easily see all of these stars. There's something otherworldly and spiritual about it, evoking timelessness and steadfastness in a way that earthly symbols can't quite match. It gets all of this across in a simple, elegant design. This flag has it all. I love it.
CALIFORNIA
Welcome to the West. This evokes the Frontier days, with the big bear and the "Republic" being left there, even though California became a state over 150 years ago. I think we still look at California that way. It's the place we all pine for a bit in the back of our minds. If you were going to escape somewhere and start all over, California is the place you would do it.
INDIANA
I don't know about the symbolism, but this thing just looks good fluttering in the breeze. I like the simplicity and symmetry. There's something about the sparse arrangement of stars around that central torch that just works.
NEW MEXICO
This is a flag that doesn't try too hard but still gets the essence of the state across. It's an artistic Native American symbol for the Sun. That tells you a lot about New Mexico in a few simple strokes. It's distinctive, and it's nice to look at.
OHIO
This one takes a bit to sort out and get used to, and maybe everyone won't reach the same conclusion on it, but in the end I come down in favor. This is a flag that Huck Finn might have flown off the back of his river raft. It's proud, it's enthusiastic, and it's fun. I dig it.
OK, I guess we should get to the worst also. I don't hate your state if your flag winds up here, OK? I just think it might be time for an update....
HAWAII
Yeah, where to begin here? So, let's get the ugly thing out of the way first. Um, it's ugly. OK, so moving beyond that, what's with the Union Jack anyway? Britain sort of tried to take over the islands at one point there, and now in 2014 the whole British thing is really a very distant memory. And really, if you have migraine or seizure triggers, this is a flag you may not want to look at. Just not well thought out.
MISSISSIPPI
I mean, the Union Jack is one thing, but you guys have the Confederate flag right in your state flag! Come on, man! Why not a hammer and sickle? Why not a swastika and a middle finger? Helpful hint: when designing your flag, make a list of the top 10 existential threats to America, and omit those from your flag design.
TENNESSEE
I just don't know what to make of this thing. I don't get anything about Tennessee here. The three stars are supposed to represent that Tennessee has a West, a middle, and an East. Sort of like every other state. I just would have to ask the design committee, "So, after all your deliberations, this is what you came up with? Hmm."
All right, I'm sure I'll get some disagreement here, but that's what comments are for. And there are certainly other state flags that I like but couldn't quite list them all.
So what do you think?