Jersey flags "not so pretty", experts say

[Kire]

Jersey flags lag experts' list of banner styles
They see a 'seal on a bedsheet'

Monday, December 20, 2004
BY TOM HESTER
Star-Ledger Staff

You won't find many New Jersey officials raising this story up the flagpole.

That's because a review of city, state and territorial flags in the United States and Canada rated four flags from the Garden State mainly as clunkers.

For example, the New Jersey state flag was derided as an SOB: "seal on a bedsheet." And the official flags of Newark, Jersey City and Trenton all placed well behind those judged the prettiest.

The contests were part of two reviews conducted by the North American Vexillological Association, an organization of 450 flag scholars and enthusiasts who rated official banners of 150 U.S. cities and 72 flags from states, U.S. territories and Canadian provinces.

Ted Kaye, of Portland, Ore., a flag scholar and the association's treasurer, said the New Jersey flags "do not follow the simple principles of flag design.

More: http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey/index.ssf?/base/news-8/1103560208145610.xml

[Historic NY]

1. Nothing like trying to change an American original.........

New Jersey, like many of the original 13 colonies have flags seeped in tradition. They date back to the days of transition from royal or provincial colonies to states. Convenience should not dictate flag design. New Yorks state flag while changed a bit dates to the original flag carried by the 3rd NY Regiment during the Revolution. An original of that flag is on display at the Albany Institute.

My NY towns flag & seal portray a soldier from the Revolution, the war ended here and a peace was declared here in 1783. My county flag well its one of those screwed up ones an orange tree, when the county was actually named after William of Orange.

It best to leave the old ones alone.