There has been a lot of flag flap in Georgia lately. I lived in Georgia when Governor Barnes changed the flag, and I didn't really understand what the big deal was. My biggest complaint was that while the old flag was ugly, the new flag was even uglier. In fact, it was voted the most ugly flag in North America, by the North American Vexillological Association.

There seem to be a lot of states out there with ugly flags. Virginia's is quite ugly, but it's so old, you have to figure why change it. Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas on the other hand have beautiful flags. If Georgia is going through the expense of changing theirs two or three times in as many years, why don't they come up with something that at least looks good. Even the current proposal (above left) has the state seal on there, which is hideous. They need to dump it, and as the NAVA puts it, come up with something that a kid could easily draw from memory.

Most of the current hubub is being made over the Confederate battle emblem, which race mongers try to portray as an image of racism. Unfortunately racist idiots like the KKK parade around with confederate flags and give the thing a bad name. You might say that they are doing for the confederate flag what Hitler did for Chaplin-style mustaches. However, they also use the cross and other religious symbols while spreading their hate, yet no one wants to ban them. (Except for the ACLU, of course.)

What really strikes me as odd though, is that people that are offended by the Confederate battle emblem are appeased by the current Georgia flag, yet oppose the proposed new flag. The new flag wouldn't have the battle emblem, but opponents say that it opens the door to put it back on there. They don't seem to mind that it is reminiscent of the 1861 Stars and Bars Confederate Flag. Ironically, the current 'Barnes' flag DOES have the battle emblem, but nobody seems to care. I don't see where having a tiny battle emblem is less offensive to the offendees than having no battle emblem at all.

Whatever Georgia decides do, they need to do it quickly and put the issue to rest. As Neal points out, the state legislature only has two days left in session, and they haven't even passed a budget yet. Talk about having your priorities out of whack!