Two stories in Friday’s Register drive home the point that diversity has reached the point where almost nothing can be done or displayed without being offensive to someone. Mix in government to that cauldron of diversity and you have an almost unresolvable conundrum.
First, there is a story that the Plaza of the Flags in Santa Ana, next to the County Courthouse where the flag of all 50 states is displayed, is now a focus of political correctness. The issue is that the Orange County Chapter of the Bar Association wants the flag of the State of the state of Mississippi removed as that flag contains a representation of the Confederate flag.
According to the article, the Bar Association feels that display conflicts with the spirit of justice that should exist at the courthouse. Never mind that it is the lawful flag of one of our states, it has to go, especially since it is on public property.
The City of Santa Ana apparently has jurisdiction of the plaza, as the article reports that a city spokesman says that the city is considering removing all the flags. The supposed reason is to make more space for recreation. If you buy that reason, I have some swamp land in Florida to show you. The real reason for such a move by the city is most likely to make the controversy about the flag of Mississippi being on government property go away.
The original, controversial seal of Los Angeles.
The same newspaper reports that two members of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors are proposing that a Cross be returned to the seal of the County of Los Angeles. It seems that the seal used to contain a cross, but a few years back the Supervisors voted 3-2 to remove it under threat of lawsuit from the ACLU for what the ACCLU saw as an improper endorsement of religion by government through the inclusion of the Cross. Well, the composition of the LA County Board is about to change, thanks to term limits, so this Cross restoration idea is being floated in hopes there will be a 3rd vote this time.
If a majority of the LA Supervisors vote to restore the Cross to the County seal, then you can bet there will be a lawsuit by the ACLU and the County will lose. But as with John Moorlach’s push here a few years ago for the lawsuit against the Sheriff’s Deputies over pension benefits, a legal action that Orange County was advised by its legal counsel would be unsuccessful, it is about making the good fight and not about winning (or losing). Another chance to try to cater to a part of our population which comprises our diversity and, at times our divisions.
Let’s hope the American Society for the Preservation of Citrus Trees does not spot the County of Orange Seal and come after us for the exploitation of the orange, or the rape of the trees by separating the oranges from the trees. Government needs to show impartiality on that one too.
Would you feel any different if the Mississippi state flag had a swastika or a hammer and sickle? Or if the LA County seal had, instead of a cross, an Islamic crescent moon and star or a Scientologist symbol or a Flying Spaghetti Monster?
If those would offend you, are you being “politically correct”?
Really, it’s unclear what the writer’s position is on either “controversy,” or even what he means by the title.
I’m not sure that the city does have jurisdiction over that plaza. It is part of the Civic Center, a legal entity governed by agreements between the County and Santa Ana for maintenance, parking, etc. I believe the city does park its vehicles underneath so maybe it is theirs.
The plaza in question is a death zone for interesting use. People cross it to get from the State and Fed Buildings, parking to the Superior Court and that’s it. The concrete and railings are falling apart. There is a god-awful ugly monument to fallen cops on the west side, if it hasn’t already been removed.
The flags serve no useful purpose. Getting rid of them would offend nobody.
My intent was to suggest that a byproduct of diversity is fragmentation and divisiveness, and that government increasingly is unable to deal with it. Not to condemn diversity, but to provide an illustration that demonstrates that it has its complications, especially for publicly funded properties. As for the Plaza of the Flags, since parking is underneath perhaps the plaza itself could be converted to another parking lot. That seems to be an equal opportunity use, or offender, depending on one’s pespective.
What IS next? Digging up the CSA’s from the Santa Ana cemetery? How about removing the swastika from the Bowers museum permanent exhibits?
I’m glad to see you defending the hammer and sickle, cook!
The hammer and sickle, as a workers union like the Teamsters, etc, I have no problem with.
COMMIE!!!