Des Flag Needs to Go
By Jared Waller
Saying
that studying and appreciating flags is one of the most nerdy things imaginable
is an understatement. But I wholeheartedly believe that everyone needs to
understand why flags are so important. Flags are the most significant symbol of
any place. A flag represents all the people under it regardless of race,
religion, gender, values, or whatever else. With such an important job, a flag
needs to look the part. The city of Des Plaines has an atrociously designed
flag, and the people of Des Plaines need to rally together to have a new flag
designed and adopted.
To
create a good, powerful flag, the banner needs to live by the motto “Simple yet
symbolic,” but sadly almost no flag does. Luckily, Des Plaines’ much more famous
brother, Chicago, does. The flag of Chicago is arguably the best flag in
America, with the North American Vexillological Association ranking it second
of one hundred fifty North American city flags. Chicago’s flag only contains
three design elements, yet it manages to symbolize nine different parts of
Chicago. By doing so, the flag of Chicago creates a shared bond in all of the
citizens of Chicago, which other cities lack. These cities, like Milwaukee,
have less than great flag designs. Someone driving through Chicago, whether it
be the outskirts or downtown, will see the flag of Chicago flying gracefully
simply because it is a beautiful, symbolic work of art. A good flag will unite
people; a bad flag will not.
Sadly,
bad flags are a dime a dozen. A good rule to follow is that an unseen flag is a
bad flag. The flag of Des Plaines is an unseen flag. Firehouses do not fly the
flag of Des Plaines, nor do police stations, libraries, or any other free
standing structure within cities limits. Look up the flag, as I doubt you know
what it looks like, and you will find, an actual insulting flag. To describe it
in words, the flag of Des Plaines is a white bedsheet with green splatter on
the bottom, two stars shoehorned in the corners, the seal of Des Plaines plastered
in the center, and the words “DES PLAINES” written across the bottom. With
around nine distinct design elements, any symbolism that the city of Des
Plaines was hoping to invoke gets lost in the sea of features. But my biggest
issue is the number of words on the flag. The flag contains eleven words. If
there is a need to spell out the symbolism, the symbolism has failed. Of the
eleven words, four of them are “DES PLAINES,” as if to remind the citizens
where they live not once, but twice. The flag of Des Plaines is abhorrent.
This
doesn’t have to stay a problem. Politicians are always looking for a way to
look better in the people's eyes, and if the people of Des Plaines cause enough
stir, their voices will be heard. The residents of Des Plaines should not have
the dishonor of being represented by such a tragic flag, the people deserve
better.
Engene,
Jon Oskar. “Chicago, Illinois.” Chicago, Illinois (U.S.), Flags of the World,
16
Mar. 1996, www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-il-ch.html.
Kaye,
Edward. “The American City Flag Survey of 2004.” nava,
11 September 2016
Knorr,
Ken. “Des Plaines, Illinois.” Des Plaines, Illinois (U.S.), Flags of the World,
28
May 2007, www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-il-dp.html.
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