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Woke alert!

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Illinois

* I’ve seen a lot of excitement since yesterday’s announcement. However, Illinois Freedom Caucus member Rep. Adam Niemerg isn’t too keen on a new state flag…

* Here is part of the video’s transcript…

There’s an issue that I’m coming to you tonight about that I didn’t want to be missed, something that’s really important to me. There was a bill that passed last year, and it was to have a commission to change the Illinois state flag. And, you know, I put some press out about this, talked about it at the time.

But the reason that it kind of came back to me was last month when Kamala Harris chose the Minnesota Governor to be her running mate. I noticed that he had a commission to change the Minnesota State Flag. And as much as the liberal media and everybody want to say it doesn’t look like the Somali flag, it went from a very beautiful flag, to a flag that somewhat resembles the Somali flag, given the influence in Minnesota and what the radical left is doing in that state.

So it got me thinking, what is this going to look like in the state of Illinois? Because those two governors, the governors that run Illinois and Minnesota, they think alike.

So here in Illinois, there’s going to be a commission. This commission has met already, and they’re drafting, are going to draft, or have folks draft, a new Illinois state flag that will come to the General Assembly this December, to be discussed, worked on, approved, denied. [I] don’t know exactly where it’s going, but if you look at the makeup of this commission that the governor has ran this bill and who’s chosen to be on this commission, I’m very worried that our new Illinois State Flag could be very, very woke. And you should be worried too. Because the folks on these commissions that put these together, and I’ve heard some rumblings already about what’s going on in this commission, are radical leftists that are looking for equity, inclusion, DEI, all the key words that throw up very red flags to everybody outside and some folks also inside the city of Chicago.

So I’m coming to you tonight to discuss that with you. We need to preserve our state flag, at the very least. We need to make our voices known that we don’t want a woke ideology changing the Illinois state flag to make it something it shouldn’t be.

We should be talking about our history. I love history. You folks know that about me, but to change the flag into what the woke left want it to be is unacceptable.

* I added a bit more context to some of the members of Illinois’ flag commission…

Senate Republican Appointees

House Republican Appointees

Senate Democratic Appointees

House Democratic Appointees

Appointed by the Governor

and veteran

Appointed by statute

For more on how these members were picked, click here.

* This Somali flag stuff comes from posts like this…

* Reuters…

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s selection as the Democratic vice-presidential contender spurred false suggestions on social media, that he changed the state’s flag to resemble that of Somalia.

The new Minnesota flag, adopted in May, includes symbols specific to Minnesota and was not inspired by Somalia, the flag’s designer and a flag expert adviser on the redesign told Reuters.

Students, raised concerns about Minnesota’s previous flag design in 2017. The concerns were shared by vexillologistswho advised on the new design. The Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission (SERC), established in 2023 by a state house bill, presented its design for a new state flag in December 2023. […]

During a committee hearing about the flag’s redesign, a co-author of the bill pointed to the seal, which is displayed on the flag, depicting a white settler displacing a Native American. […]

Minnesota resident Andrew Prekker’s submission to the SERC’s design contest inspired the final flag design. In an email, Prekker said his design drew inspiration from the state’s history and culture. […]

The dark blue field is the shape of Minnesota, and the light blue field represents the significance of water to the state. The eight-point star represents the North Star, which is also the state motto “L’etoile Du Nord,” and is seen on the floor of the state Capitol’s Rotunda.

I mean… Minnesota’s flag is blue and has a star?…

* Somalia’s flag for reference…

posted by Isabel Miller
Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:47 am

Comments

My like of enthusiasm for a new flag is well known to readers of this blog. However, wokeness is not an issue. MAGA GOP goofs always want to divide.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:55 am
Don’t have anything yet but Mr. Wizard here is already saying it is woke. These people are absolutely unbelievable. They are a monumental joke.

Comment by Demoralized Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:56 am
Dave Vella switched parties?

Comment by walker Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:57 am
There should be some sort of disclaimer on the video. I want my 4 minutes and 35 seconds back.

Comment by So_Ill Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:57 am
How many man/hours did the whacks spend searching for some new grievance to whine about? It is amazing. But it does distract from their boy creating an incident at Arlington National Cemetary

Comment by Annonin' Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 11:58 am
Illinois Freedom Caucus member Rep. Adam Niemerg is not a serious person.
Do these Freedom Caucus members possess an ounce of self awareness?

Comment by don the legend Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:00 pm
This is what happens swallowing the bilge of a real estate grifter for close to a decade.

You see boogeymen around every corner.

Comment by Flyin'Elvis'-Utah Chapter Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:01 pm
A star and colors on a flag… the horror.

Comment by Parlay Player Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:03 pm
An entire political party with an undiagnosed head injury.

Comment by Roadrager Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:04 pm
Oh, for the love of Pete. Are there no actual problems in his district that he should be addressing?

Comment by JoanP Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:07 pm
Not even a tempest in a teapot.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:11 pm
Oops. “Lack of enthusiasm” not “like”.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:14 pm
“And you should be worried too.”

And yet I’m not, and never will be.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:14 pm
I don’t want to alarm anyone but I just realized the US of A shares red, white, and blue in the flag with COMMIE CUBA.

Is America under siege? Hopefully this brave State Rep can get to the bottom of this. Salute

Comment by Beep booop Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:18 pm
Nice to see Niemerg’s embracing diversity by electing a non native English speaker (or writer) like Niemerg to office. At least I hope English isn’t his first language because wow, is command is brutal.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:21 pm
Are there people gullible enough who can’t see through the performative nonsense?

Comment by Sox Fan Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:24 pm
I about mentioned this in yesterdays flag post about Minnesota’s flag going “woke”.

As Maine chooses a possible new flag - some are causing trouble because the new design is too close to the Appeal to Heaven flag that was flown by some who stormed the Capitol and was outside of Justice Alito’s home.

The kicker about the “new” Maine flag is that it actually harkens back to state flag in 1909.

So some new flags are woke, some are far right. People are nuts.

I still want a new state flag.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:24 pm
For reference, there are no more than about 80,000 Somalis in all of Minnesota, or about 1.4% of the state’s population (and not all of whom are necessarily eligible to vote). If Walz is trying to replace the 4.4 million white residents of the state, he really needs to pick up the pace.

Comment by Benjamin Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:26 pm
New day, new grievance. For me the flag choice is obvious. Abe with his axe and law book on one side, Paul Powell with cigar and an overflowing shoe box of cash on the other. We should own our history.

Comment by Anotheretiree Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:27 pm
(Cue Pink Floyd “The Wall” Marching Hammers sequence)

The woke flags are coming! The woke flags are coming!

Comment by George Ryan Reynolds Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:28 pm
It’s amazing how these folks need to twist themselves to find something to complain about. It’s so tiring.

Comment by Just Me 2 Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:31 pm
One aspect I always liked about the current Illinois flag is the motto, “state sovereignty, national union.” This reminds the population that there was once a compact of states, before the current federalized administrative state. I predict that motto will be removed in any new flag.

I also like the eagle, which was used as a standard in Rome. I predict that will be removed also in order to separate us from our history. This process will be about erasing history, the same reason that Lori Lightfoot removed the Columbus statues.

Comment by Payback Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:33 pm
It’s been weird. Just realized what I did there and it was not on purpose. Some of the far right in Minnesota have lost their mind about the new flag. One can be against it or not like it, but it’s not based on the Somali flag.

It’s an issue in right wing think tanks and talk radio, but everyone else a) likes it or b) doesn’t care. As with many things too many in the b category. Designing a new flag is tough because it’s a design decision by a committee and while I don’t agree some of the decisions, it came out as a good flag and something I’m likely to fly unlike the old one.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:34 pm
=== Rep. Adam Niemerg ===

This guy is a red flag.

If this guy wants to keep the current design, he can submit it.

We already voted for the legislators and the Governor who enacted the law.

Comment by Candy Dogood Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:38 pm
Exhibit A on why the IL GOP will stay irrelevant for the foreseeable future.

Comment by Neef Jr. Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:42 pm
You know who else’s flag is blue and has a star?

Comment by Oklahoma Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 12:57 pm
===Nice to see Niemerg’s embracing diversity by electing a non native English speaker (or writer) like Niemerg to office. At least I hope English isn’t his first language because wow, is command is brutal.

I thought it was just me. He said everything in the most difficult way possible.

Comment by ArchPundit Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 1:08 pm
My favorite part of the whole thing is it starts off with him saying hello to the entire state of Illinois, then breaking it down into 3 different parts of Illinois, only to then reference himself as our local state rep. He’s specifically NOT most people’s local state rep. I guess that’s the kind of thing you need to be in the state house for at least 5 years before you can learn it.

Comment by Blitz Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 1:12 pm
@Payback: it’s considered poor design to include words of any sort on a flag. Illinois violates that rule twice. Same with overly detailed elements like a full-color eagle.

But you’re more than welcome to submit a design yourself that includes those elements if you’re worried about erasing history that dates from *checks notes* 1970.

Comment by Benjamin Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 1:13 pm
=before the current federalized administrative state.=

You may want to do a bit of reading. The articles of confederation were superseded by something most Americans cherish called the Constitution. Madison, Jay, and Hamilton thought the new constitution was pretty important and you can read about that in the Federalist Papers.

The “administrative state” exists only in your fever dreams and is among the most absurd right wing fantasms along with the “deep state”. I suppose you think laws will just work? Tanks will just get built? Armies will just appear?

Or would you prefer to return to what Thomas Hobbes referred to as the “state of nature” which he aptly described as “a state of lawlessness, chaos, and constant violent competition”.

Pick a lane patriot.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 1:32 pm
A vertical flag would be unique and could highlight the length of the state, Abe’s stovepipe hat, and/or Willis/Sears Tower.

Comment by thechampaignlife Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 1:52 pm
I should submit a design with Obama on it to give them something to actually be upset about.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:02 pm
Where is this Ellenoy he keeps referencing?

Comment by H-W Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:02 pm
== once a compact of states, ==

So being the great Patriot you claim to be, you may wish to read what the Founding Fathers said about the Articles of Confederation and why they replaced it with the Constitution.

Comment by low level Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:05 pm
Rep. Niemerg is obviously triggered by three specific members: one with racial equity in their title, one with hispanic in their title, and one with a middle eastern sounding last name. I just can’t with these people anymore.

Comment by Near Westside Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:13 pm
As the meme says, “Anything I don’t like is woke!”

Comment by Northsider Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:16 pm
It may be poor design but I like it. I am not opposed to a new flag.i
I am very happy this guy is not my rep. Really the race to the bottom I see no way my old party will ever be relevant and if he is the type of candidate I hope we are never relevant

Comment by DuPage Saint Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 2:22 pm
===I also like the eagle, which was used as a standard in Rome. I predict that will be removed also in order to separate us from our history.===

Wait, how is Rome part of Illinois’s specific history, other than in the sense that it’s part of all Western history?

Do we get to include every foundational Western symbol on the Illinois flag? What’s the year cutoff, 500? 1000? This is going to be a hoot.

Comment by Suburban Mom Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 3:05 pm
Literally at the GOP knows how to do nowadays is to try to stoke anger. It doesn’t matter how dumb or farfetched it is, they’re casting a wide net and trying to make people mad about everything.

Go ahead and show me how many private citizens fly the Illinois flag. You could maybe fit them all into a mid-sized high school gym.

Comment by TJ Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 3:12 pm
Very sneaky of our nation’s founders to sneak in all of those white five-pointed stars on a blue background. Even back then they were in cahoots with the Somalis.

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 4:20 pm
https://www.bbc.com/news/stories-53438112

Maybe this story will help the representative appreciate the values of Somalia more. It even mentions stars.

Comment by Apple Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 4:26 pm
Also, nobody tell him about the Dallas Cowboys if he’s afraid of a blue-and-white themed star design.

Comment by TJ Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 4:57 pm
=This reminds the population that there was once a compact of states, before the current federalized administrative state.=

Also, that “compact” (actually it was a confederation) ended in September of 1787. The “current” federalized administrative state has been around for almost 237 years give or take a few weeks.

So current.

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Aug 29, 24 @ 5:29 pm