Massachusetts is getting a new state flag. Will it erase Native American history?
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TODAY'S STARTING POINT
A jovial drawing of a Cod fish. A puppy sporting a tag that reads 'small state, big heart.' And lots (and we mean LOTS) of drawings of pine trees.
Residents across Massachusetts tapped into their creativity when they submitted ideas for a new state flag, which comes after a multi-year push to replace Massachusetts' current controversial state seal that depicts an Algonquin warrior with a bow and arrow standing beneath a raised broadsword held by a disembodied arm. Around the figure, a Latin motto roughly translates to: 'By the sword we seek peace, but peace under liberty.'
But the state's decision to replace the flag has sparked a heated debate about the erasure and sanitization of history. On one side, critics say the placement of the broadsword above the Native American figure valorizes the violence inflicted on Native American populations. But others, including some from Massachusetts' indigenous communities, call it a true depiction of what happened to Native Americans in the state and said that removing the seal allows the Commonwealth to forget about past atrocities committed against this group.
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Some of the submissions show the current Massachusetts seal — with the broadsword removed.
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'Please do not erase my ancestors from the flag/seal. Doing so would be disrespectful and racist,' one submitter wrote, in lieu of submitting a design.
Some submissions deviate from the current state flag's depiction of relations between Native Americans and early European settlers in what would later become Massachusetts.
Mass.gov
In addition to replacing the flag and seal, the state invited the public to submit ideas for new state mottos.
This is the Commonwealth's second try in five years to replace the emblems. The state first established a special commission to look into replacing the state's seal and motto in 2021, but the group
In a report the commission submitted to lawmakers, it said the new seal and motto should be 'aspirational and inclusive of the diverse perspectives, histories, and experiences of Massachusetts residents.' It did not offer concrete ideas on how to represent this inclusivity. The group said the decision should be left in the hands of a working group under the Secretary of State.
The legislature proposed a new commission, and in
commission solicited submissions from the public. At the end of the submission period, which closed in June, it had received about 1,000 flags, 300 seals, and 400 mottos. The commission has since pared the numbers down to about 50 flags, 20 seals, and 30 mottos.
It needs to submit a final recommendation by Dec. 15.
Several redesigned flag proposals, like the one on the left, feature lighthouses. Others feature mayflowers, the official state flower, like the proposed redesign for the state seal and motto on the right.
Mass.gov
Some submitted designs are minimalist, with just a star or flower against a blue background. Others get more complicated, with a lighthouse or flock of birds adorning the middle of the flag.
As the commission moves forward, combing through the submissions, it is scoring each submission in categories on a scale of 1 to 5. For seal submissions, the categories include aesthetics, symbolism, reproducibility, size, and cultural sensitivity, officials said
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After narrowing the submissions down to three flags, seals, and mottos, the commission will hold public hearings, starting next month, to receive public feedback before submitting its final recommendations.
The submissions reflect a wide range of artistic styles, media, colors, and designs.
Mass.gov
'It's an opportunity to ensure that every community sees itself in our story,' said Kate Fox, the Co-Chair of the Seal, Flag, and Motto Advisory Commission, in a
You can see all the submissions — including a few tongue-in-cheek ones, like a flag with a dinosaur holding a Dunkin' coffee and a redesigned state seal that includes the phrase 'Wicked Smaht' —
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POINTS OF INTEREST
Rhode Island Special Assistant Attorney General Devon Flanagan is seen on police body camera video in Newport last week.
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Boston mayor's race:
Josh Kraft, Mayor Michelle Wu's main challenger, accused her of violating campaign finance laws by
Blue Line woes:
The MBTA closed part of the line for 'critical revitalization work' this month. It reopened yesterday — only to run into signal problems
Lawsuit:
A former child resident of the Community of Jesus Inc.
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Pulling rank:
A Rhode Island special assistant attorney general
Karen Read:
Her lawyers formally asked a court to
Hurricane Erin:
The storm will bring
What's in a name?
The liberal cable network MSNBC is rebranding to MS NOW (short for 'My Source for News, Opinion, and the World') as part of a corporate spinoff. (
'Ketamine Queen':
The dealer who sold the drugs that killed 'Friends' star Matthew Perry will plead guilty. She faces up to 45 years in prison. (
Newsmax settlement:
The right-wing news network will pay $67 million to settle a defamation suit from Dominion Voting Systems, which accused Newsmax of falsely claiming that its voting machines were rigged to help Joe Biden win in 2020. (
Texas:
Republicans had law enforcement shadow returning Democrats, aiming to stop them from fleeing the state again over a GOP redistricting plan that would benefit its congressional candidates. (
BESIDE THE POINT
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Massive transit fans:
These local teens made a
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Boston's best pizza:
Santarpio's, Pizzeria Regina, and Picco are fixtures. Kara Baskin explains why Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center's Young Family Café
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Back in vogue:
Two elder millennials' high school clothes — denim miniskirts, lettered sweatpants — have become cool again. It sent them into a midlife crisis. (
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The Big Day:
His marriage proposal began
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Fourth Estate:
Kids largely get their news from social media and memes. But when these Massachusetts high schoolers created their own student newspaper,
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A Miss Conduct classic:
She was pregnant. Her friend had a miscarriage.
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Made to order:
In a town known for black iced coffee, Boston baristas may raise an eyebrow at your triple-shot iced mocha latte with extra chocolate powder. Still,
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Even if legal challenges to Alligator Alcatraz are successful and a judge blocks the facility from operating, Kennedy says, it's clear authorities intend to use this approach elsewhere. 'It's a scary model,' he says. CNN's Devon M. Sayers, Allison Gordon and Isabel Rosales contributed to this report.
