Who cares, nobody even knows what the flag is!
Yes, it is too bad that New Yorkers don’t know their city flag. Certainly raising its profile on the city and global stage underlies this whole effort.
This is woke! You are erasing history!
History is both messy and still ongoing. What New York City means to those who live here and raise families here changes with time, and what symbols might collectively unite them too, can change. There are also ways to still highlight Dutch or Lenape heritage in ways that are both less reductive and more visually appealing than we currently do. The flag of the city of Amsterdam, with its three X's, is iconic and beloved by its citizens, while flags of different Lenape groups often feature a turtle symbol, among others.
Additionally, the Manhattan Borough flag is nearly identical to the current New York City flag, while the Bronx Borough flag shares many elements. Manhattan’s flag merely has the addition of the text “Borough of Manhattan” and the date November 1, 1683 to differentiate it. While Manhattan and Bronx residents should strongly consider whether their borough flags still represent them and their boroughs, this effort is focused on the overall city flag.
This will cost time and money, what about crime, poverty, and hunger?
Step one, simply removing the seal, is intended to be at no cost to New Yorkers. City agencies typically replace outdoor flags every year as they wear out in our four seasons of aggressive weather. The suggestion is that these replacements would simply omit the seal, which should save a small amount in the printing and manufacturing of said flags. Step two would be run through a non-profit to bring to the city council vetted and popular proposals for what the future New York City flag could look like.
Beyond that, there is a sense in which, raising civic pride and the pride New Yorkers have for their city, is beneficial in reducing anti-social crime and behavior. Sociology researcher Robert J. Sampson has demonstrated in his work that when residents feel a strong attachment to their city and trust their neighbors, they are far more likely to intervene in physical disorder and anti-social behavior, which directly correlates to a drop in violent crime.
So what should the flag be?
Glad you asked, there have been plenty of proposals over the years. We have a library of those collected, and would love your input. Ultimately, we want a widely supported design that makes New Yorkers proud to stand behind.
I think the flag should have a pizza rat!
Super, send your thoughts and designs to ideas@changetheflag.nyc.