ST. PAUL, Minn. – Although the Minnesota Republican Party doesn’t have a platform position on revising the state flag, the party bosses don’t seem to like the idea of a proposed update much. The official Minnesota GOP Shop has rolled out a line of opposition T-shirts. The message is clear: The old flag was plenty good enough. The 2023 Legislature created a commission to revise the state seal and flag to get rid of racist, sexist and xenophobic undertones. That’s been done. A proposed new seal features the state’s natural beauty. A loon, the state bird, is the centerpiece. Gone is the old seal’s dejected Indian riding in defeat into the sunset. The north star reigns in brilliant white. And the seal has been stricken from a proposed new tri-tone state flag in bold blue, gray and white with, yes, the north star.
Earlier: Final state seal proposal: Loon’s eye is red
Clever. Catchy. Also mean? The messages: “Don’t PC our flag,” “Erasing history never ends well,” “Historic Minnesota: Fighting for freedom since 1861.”
400% mark-up
The GOP Shop didn’t respond to a query about how well the shirts are selling. At $20, the mark-up is in the vicinity $15 each, which goes into the party treasury.