Aaron Wittnebel

While I knew that the minority caucus in each legislative chamber disapproved of the new official state flag because of shared concerns about process, the claims in a recent press release from Minnesota Republican Party Chairman David Hann and Deputy Chairwoman Donna Bergstrom are troubling. More to the point, they are, as reported, factually incorrect. When Hann was a state senator, I found him to be quite knowledgeable and agreeable on a variety of policy positions; this week’s statements are a concern for me.
Hann stated, “The flag the DFL eliminated was a version of the historic flag our regiments fought under during the Civil War.” As a member of the flag redesign commission, I know that there was no state flag for Minnesota prior to and during the U.S. Civil War. The original version was from the late 1800s, decades after the Civil War and it was the Great Seal on a white flag.
I respect Mr. Hann, but I find it unbelievable that he would make this claim, when Minnesota Civil War battle flags from the volunteer regiments are displayed in places across the state, which includes a well preserved one right across from the entrance to G-15 Senate Hearing Room in the State Capitol. There is also one on display in my hometown of Lake Park. The Minnesota Volunteer Army Regiments fought under a U.S. flag with gold fabric letters of “M” and N” sewn onto them.
Though we are both Red Lakers, I haven’t had the pleasure of formally meeting with Ms. Bergstrom. She stated: “Keeping the current flag would have been a powerful acknowledgment from the Walz Administration and the DFL that our Native contributions are valued. The new flag erases every trace of our contributions and every trace of us.”
Bergstrom seems to not have read up on the historical facts. Henry Sibley, who unilaterally took it upon himself to create the old Great Seal without legislative approval, was noted for saying that it was a memorial to “Manifest Destiny.” This was a bloody, genocidal part of the U.S. government policy at the time. It is nothing to be celebrated, and its depiction in the Great Seal is offensive, bar none.
The Great Seal does not belong on a flag. A flag is an emblem used to identify a nation, state, group or other subdivision from a distance, in this case Minnesotans. The Great Seal is a functional tool that represents the authority of state government. While the seal has some ceremonial uses, those are not the official purpose. It is for authenticating, certifying, recording, and officiating governmental documents. It should not include depictions or caricatures of peoples or things that are not official state symbols.
It was hard for me being the only moderate, with mixed ethnicity (half Germanic/half Ojibwe) and the only member with a disability, to sit on the State Emblems Redesign Commission (SERC), which contained liberals, far-left liberals and no conservatives; it made for a very frustrating time at attempting to carry out the duties as delegated by the Legislature, duties that were  unclear in certain parts. Another fact that continues to be misreported, though it is clear in the enabling legislation, is the power of adoption. Simply stated: If SERC completed its directive to adopt a new Official State Flag and new Great Seal on or prior to January 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m., there is nothing further to be done.
The new flag and seal as adopted by State Emblems Redesign Committee go into effect on May 11, 2024, with no further action required. Officials who hold duties with the Great Seal (like me in my work as a notary) will have time to replace our seals by January 2025. I was hoping to get a legislator from each caucus and chamber to correct the new Great Seal for errors in its design. But, with partisans going at each other, that doesn’t seem likely and it’s very distressing to me. We have a short bonding session this winter/spring, and I don’t think many policy bills will be considered based on history of the Legislature.
This story or pressure by the party leaders appears to be less of a genuine concern about process, input or our new state flag. It appears more like an under-the-radar attempt to have people sign petitions, which in turn ask for donations to a political party burdened by debt. Either way, it is only sowing further division among Minnesotans.
Aaron Wittnebel lives in Lake Park, Minn. He is a former legislative aide with the Minnesota House to both parties, a political party leader and a mayor. He has worked on matters to improve the quality of life for those living in the rural and tribal communities throughout greater Minnesota.
This column was published last week in the Community Voices section of Minnpost.com.