South Carolinians Mock Redesigned Palmetto Tree on Proposed State Flag

[TexasTowelie]

A proposed new look for the beloved state tree has drawn complaints that it looks like a toilet brush or like one of the palmettos battered by Hurricane Hugo in 1989.


The goal was to come up with a standard design for the South Carolina state flag, one that residents could rally around, fly from their porches or proudly display on T-shirts, mugs and hats. But a proposed redesign of the beloved palmetto tree on the flag hasn’t exactly made hearts swell with state pride.

One person said it resembled a toilet bowl brush. Others said it looked like one of the palmettos battered by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Still others compared it to the forlorn little Christmas tree from the 1965 television classic “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Scott Malyerck, a political consultant who helped create the design as a member of the South Carolina State Flag Study Committee, said with some understatement that the tree had “not been uniformly loved by all South Carolinians.”

“I’ve read hundreds of comments,” he said, adding that everyone seemed to have an opinion. “It’s hard to come up with a quintessential palmetto tree that everyone will be in favor of.”

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/us/new-sc-flag.html