Rev. Erudite Redneck, B.S., B.S., M.A., M.Div.

I love our State flag. I think it might be one of the most meaningful and beautiful flags around.
But we have watered down some of its power by submerging what it originally meant.
Political Correctness impinges to some degree on the current official description of our State flag.
First the Shield is an Osage "War" Shield, not just a warrior's shield but the shield used in war. There were other "warriors" shields, for dance (made of buckshin or canvas) and shields (covers actually) used for display (made of buckskin).
The number of stars (four point equal arm crosses)once was two crosses, sometimes five (for the five tribes, like the great seal star) and sometimes and now officially six. Why six? Because it isn't five?
The eagle feathers are a powerful medicine awards given to warriors for brave actions, almost always in battle. Only a tribal group could give the feather. A warrior couldn't just claim he had 12 or 14 or what ever without the tribe giving them to him.
Think about the ribbons and medals on the chest of a marine or soldier when you see the feathers.
Why seven eagle feathers, does anyone remember?
So the shield of the flag is a representation of the wars of the Indians, superceeded by the peace symbols between the two peoples of the State.
Is it accidental that the olive branch overlays all of the Inidan symbols?
Also are the six (sometimes eight) buffalo hoof prints around the edge of the war shield superfluous or do they have meaning?
 

I'm glad you pointed that out about war feathers. They weren't there just to be pretty.

Didn't they add a sixth star to represent the other, non-Five-Civilized Tribes tribes?

I'd say the olive branch was placed over the calumet because whites imposed peace on the tribes -- at least the Cherokee-Osage, Pawnee-and-everybody, and "subdued" the "wild" tribes.
I don't know why there are seven eagle feathers -- and I never noticed the hoof prints!
 

I don't think Oregon's flag has a pledge to it. That whole 'The Union' thing on the front is interesting, considering that we were created as a Non-Slave state specifically, which was codified into state law as being Non-Black. That statute was only officially removed in 2004, or so.

And our state song, "Land of the Empire Builders", certainly doesn't get any of us Manifest Destiny questioners feeling any better.

The motto, though, 'She flies with her own wings'; that's a winner.

Looka here:
http://www.50states.com/oregon.htm
 

ER said: "Didn't they add a sixth star to represent the other, non-Five-Civilized Tribes tribes?"

I can not find anything about it anywhere. All I have found are different visual example of the flag with 2-5-6 stars and that the official description says 6.

RB:'She flies with her own wings'.
Can you explain that one a bit?
 

Depending on how parochial and/or antagonistic I’m feeling, it’s either “Dieu et mon droit” (“God, and my right”, French, adopted c. 1413) which is the motto of both England and the United Kingdom, or the motto of Scotland “Nemo me impune lacessit” (“No one provokes me with impunity” aka ”No-one messes with me and gets away with it!” Latin, origin uncertain).

The flag of the union is a superimposition of the flags of its three constituent members; the St. George’s cross of England on the St. Patrick’s cross of (Northern) Ireland on the St. Andrew’s cross of Scotland but this is not what we pledge our allegiance to; we swear loyalty to the Crown.
 

From the great state of Texas:
"Honor the Texas flag; I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state under God, one and indivisible."

Motto:
Be it Resolved, By the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring, that the word "Friendship" be and is hereby adopted and declared to be the motto of the State of Texas.

The Texas State Bird: Mockingbird

Mr. BBS
 

The state flower of Missouri (where I live now) is the Hawthorne.

The state flower of Kansas (my native state) is the sunflower.
 

The personal flower of Teditor (who is my friend) is a pansy.

"Hee hee," ER said manily. :-)
 

Here's a link to the Louise Fluke Plaza which is in the works as our Centennial project: Louise Fluke Plaza You should plan a trip up to see the Standing Bear Museum, which will be dedicated Sept. 29.
 

Here are some more interesting tidbits from a couple of years ago when Fluke was recognized:
More on the flag
 

And a few more tidbits from a couple of years ago when Fluke's flag was honored:
Flag
 

Doggone it! Bad connection. Here's the right link:
More details
 

Pansy? Isn't that the official flower of Arklahoma?

Dadgummit, I can't come up with a good comeback. Pansy I am.

:-)
 

Dr. Lobo: I suspect what my statesmen of were referencing, even then, was that Oregon could very well be cut off from the world, and still be self sustaining. But then, I only suppose.

Nice too how no one to this day has any idea what 'Oregon' actually means. The theoretical explanation on that stoopid site I directed you to lacks veracity, for sure.

As a person who spent his childhood following around the Oregon Geographic Names Board (largely a bunch of retired academics getting drunk and discussing nomenclature; I had a wonderful childhood), I always held that it had more to do with the vast amounts of what looked like oregano growing around here, to early Spanish explorers.

'Oregano'. Heh. Right.
 

The BC motto on the provincial coat of arms is "Splendor Sine Occasu",or "Splendor without diminishment" and the flower is the Dogwood, which is a tree - one of the most glorious sights you'll ever see is a dogwood in bloom in the spring - it's absolutely stunning.

As I write, I'm actually in Alberta, the "other " province wanting to separate,
and it has the lovely wild rose as its flower - and a more powerful motto with "Fortis et Libere" AND its own song (I'd be surprised if there were many others with a song...).
 

Checked out the State of Washington's History site and came up with this for origin of the Oregon name:
"How this area became known as "Oregon" is murky at best. Some have suggested that the word originated in the Mississippi Valley; others surmise that it stems from the French word for storm, ouragan, or the Spanish words oye agua, meaning "hear the water." Most historical accounts agree that English Army Major Robert Rogers first wrote the term "Ouragon" in an unsuccessful 1765 petition to explore the American West. American Captain Jonathan Carver used "Oregon" to refer to the fabled "River of the West" in his 1778 book, Travels Through the Interior Parts of North America.

In 1803, Thomas Jefferson referred to "Oregon" in his instructions to Meriwether Lewis for the Lewis and Clark expedition. The name gained wide exposure and an almost mythical aura when William Cullen Bryant used the name Oregon in his poem "Thanatopsis," published in 1817."

The oregano thesis sounds better.
 

Good stuff above! I especially like Liam's contribution, since so many Southrons have that Scots-Irish thing going'.
 

And then there's this:

Salute to the Confederate Flag.

"I Salute the Confederate Flag with Affection, Reverence, and Undying Devotion to the Cause for which it Stands."
 

Dang, Dang, Dang, you had to go there.
 

I'll echo what others have said; that I didn't know that Kentucky even had a state pledge (although only as of the year 2000).

I pledge allegiance to the Kentucky flag,
And to the Sovereign State for which it stands,
One Commonwealth, blessed with diversity, natural wealth, beauty,
And grace from on High.

Being anabaptist, I don't take part in pledges to any nation or state.

In my kid's public school, where reciting the pledge is sort of mandatory, my lovely daughter used to recite this pledge (I don't think she does anymore):

I pledge allegiance to my God
And not some war-stained flag;
And to the people of this Earth
One People, under God,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
 

JUST FOR YOU, DRLOBOJO! Bwa-ahahahaa.

We will come rejoicing, pickin' goober peas!

Sorry. Got carried away. LOL.


Dan, nice words in that Kentuck flag pledge, though.