Regarding the changing of racist images in society

In my opinion, our society has been so immersed in some of the images our governments have used for so long that we are numb; thus, we are unable to discern whether some of these icons, flags, and state seals are indeed meshed with pieces of racist imagery.

To begin the discussion, the word racism immediately stops some people from listening. The far-right has used the term cancel culture to be a sort of hammer, mashing down on social justice actions.

It is a challenge to undertake the evolutionary process of peeling back the layers of historical background from each image to arrive at the point of seeing the truth. Now, adding that some of our society self-identifies as resistant to any social justice change makes achieving the goal extraordinary.

On May 6, the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors in Montezuma discussed the request to change the county's Native American icon and decided to keep the current icon.

Several Brooklyn citizens objected to two state flags in the Brooklyn Flag Park. Excitingly, in the City of Brooklyn, the Brooklyn Flag Committee has replaced the unofficial (racist) flag of Mississippi with the official flag of a flower blooming, a symbol of growth and unity.

Regrettably, the committee decided not to replace the Minnesota flag, which features a racist image of a Native American horse rider and a settler plowing with a gun at ready.

However, we can look forward to Minnesota's new flag — a two-tone blue with a white star — becoming official May 11, marking a significant step toward a more inclusive representation, but now it will be a year or two before that official Minnesota flag flies in Brooklyn's flag park — the old Minnesota flag was just replaced with a new flag of the same design.

Unfortunately, the Flag Committee waits to replace it after it's worn out.

John Clayton, Brooklyn