Posts from — February 2011
Utah State Legislator is Hard at Work to Correct and Honor the Utah State Flag
Representative Julie Fisher—Republican from Fruit Heights who represents District 17—believes we need to be reminded of our rich history as Utahns. She is one legislator who puts her beliefs into action. When historical researcher Ron Fox told her of an error in the design of the Utah State flag, she resolved to do something about it. The error had been discovered some twenty years earlier by flag historian John Hartvigsen, but when he had told others about the error, they only thought it an interesting bit of Utah trivia. Fox, who thought otherwise, brought it to Representative Fisher’s attention.
The error, admittedly, is small. Four numerals, “1847,” had been moved from their correct position on the flag’s central emblem. With Fox’s help Representative Fisher drafted a Resolution, Utah House Concurrent Resolution 2, which would not only correct the error but also highlight the importance and significance of the Utah State flag.
Since Utah fourth graders study Utah History, Representative Fisher involved them in the resolution’s passage. A fourth grade student from Burton Elementary School, Logan Jeppson, attended the Committee Hearing and gave testimony in support of the resolution. Then on February 16th, his fourth grade classmates joined him at the State Capitol to watch the legislature pass the resolution. These excited students next joined Representative Fisher at a meeting with Governor Gary Herbert in the Capitol’s ornate reception room, the Gold Room, for a ceremonial signing. Representative Fisher’s resolution not only corrected the error in the flag’s design, it made Utah school children first hand observers of the legislative process.
With the passage of House Concurrent Resolution 2, Utah not only gets a correct state flag, but it is also a beautiful new flag. In creating the new correct pattern for the Utah State Flag, Colonial Flag Company was asked to return to the 1913 pattern. This dramatic new design copies colors and elements from the prototype color flag made for presentation to the Battleship USS Utah. This flag was the first color version of the flag’s design.
To follow-up on the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 2, Representative Fisher has also proposed a bill to establish March 9th each year as Utah State Flag Day. House Bill 490 has now passed committee and moves on to the whole house for consideration.
Julie Fisher’s constituents have already awarded her the title Representative, but she has also earned the added appellation “Advocate of the Utah State Flag.” Congratulations Representative Fisher, Colonial Flag salutes you.
February 25, 2011 No Comments
This Monday is Presidents Day
Since April 30, 1789, this country has had a President. Washington to Obama makes 44 individuals. And then there was Grover Cleveland our 22nd & 24th President. At the end of Cleveland’s first term in 1889, Mrs. Cleveland turned to the servants at the White House, as she was leaving and said “we will be back,” she was right.
Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th President of the United States.
Their lives were hard in the early years of the Presidency as the seat of Government was moved from New York to Philadelphia to something that was to be called the District of Columbia. A piece of ground between Virginia and Maryland, we now call Washington, D.C., the District or many other things when we get angry. The District was named to honor Columbus, but re-named Washington City for George Washington after his death.
President’s for the first 150 years were plagued by office seekers and members of Congress seeking some favor for an individual or their states. Not much has changed but access to get to the President has become nearly impossible. People in the 19th Century could walk right into the White House (The Executive Mansion as it was known before 1901) and ask to meet with the President. Limits on their powers and flexibility on what they can do has also been limited by Congress in an effort to place some checks and balances in our system of government.
We use to honor President’s such as Washington and Lincoln on their birthday’s February 12th & 22nd but Congress felt we should honor all former President’s with one day in February.
George Washington, 1st President of the United States.
Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States.
Four President’s have surrender their lives in performing their duties, all died by assassin’s bullets. Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy. Others have die in office like William H. Harrison who only served 31 days to Franklin D. Roosevelt who served longer than any other man.
Presidents have the burden of organizing a government after they are elected. The former President takes all their papers and files with them, the new President come to an empty desk and always a large list of problems. He only has ideas that he wishes to develop into policy and supporters who will help him achieve his goals.
Presidents George H. W. Bush, Obama, George W. Bush, Clinton, and Carter in Oval Office.
It has been an honor to have worked for 5 President’s; I have enjoyed it, but still don’t understand why an individual would want such a job with the problems and dangers that the job comes with.
Once a year we honor these men, showing them the respect they deserve, honor them, fly the Flag!
February 20, 2011 No Comments
O Canada, Happy Flag Day
Beautiful and distinctive, Canada’s national flag is a relatively young emblem dating to the 15th day of February in 1965. Before that, versions of the British Red Ensign found use in Canada. Although these flags displayed the French fleur-de-lis on the Canadian shield, the symbolism appeared clearly British. French speaking Canada wanted a new flag while the English speaking majority remained staunchly attached to the Red Ensign. After several decades of debate, the current flag found approval as a standard that could unite the British and French segments along with the many diverse groups that now make up Canadian society. Maurice Bourget, a former Speaker of the Canadian Senate, explained it this way, “The flag is the symbol of the nation’s unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction of race, language, belief or opinion.”
February 18, 2011 No Comments