Call for alteration of the United States flag

It has flown grandly in triumph and been raised defiantly in the face of defeat.
For centuries it has instilled in schoolchildren their first sense of something
larger than themselves, and it has accompanied countless men and women to
their final resting place.

In American life, it is the closest thing we have to a holy symbol. And it needs to
be changed as soon as possible.

Respect for the United States abroad stands at an all-time low. Once revered as
a bastion of freedom and self-expression, America is increasingly viewed abroad
as a ruthless bully, imposing its will on others not through persuasive ideas but
superior firepower.

Nor is this discontent confined to foreign shores; in recent polls, over 70% of
the American people stated that they believed their country to be headed in the
wrong direction. The collective perspective is calling for positive change. For the
sake of this nation, a new beginning is desperately needed. What better way to
symbolize a new course of action than to alter the very embodiment of that country: the American flag?

We propose changing two of the banner’s white stripes to balanced stripes of
yellow. This is not merely a cosmetic switch. Yellow has powerful connotations
that represent the ideals to which the United States wish to rededicate itself:
wisdom, intelligence, optimism, joy, energy and creativity. To some the idea of
altering the flag’s appearance borders on the heretical. But why is this? The fact
is that the Star-Spangled Banner has worn many faces since it was first
introduced in 1776. The map is not the territory: it is not the cloth or the
design that is sacred but the principles for which they stand.

By adding a new color to the flag, we are announcing to the world that we are
serious about moving in a healthy and sustainable direction. The yellow stripes
will represent a host of new ideas. America is a nation forged from diversity, yet
only two of the primary colors are present in its standard. With the addition of
yellow, all colors of the rainbow will be manifested.

Yellow and blue together create green, which could represent America’s new
commitment to the world environment. The yellow also symbolizes an honoring
of America’s Indigenous population. Our Native brothers and sisters are of
Earth-honoring traditions whose wisdom and knowledge have been tragically
ignored for far too long.

Adding yellow on behalf of America’s Native family would serve to heal the
ancestral wound and balance life perspective as we seek to thrive in peace and
oneness. We also propose that a professional class of environmental stewards be
created, composed primarily of American Indians, whose unemployment levels
are presently catastrophic. Such a step will move the color change beyond the
realm of symbolism and into meaningful real-world change.

The yellow of the rising sun announces the dawn of a new day. The yellow
stripes of a new American flag will similarly make an announcement: that we
are sincere about ushering in an era of respect, determination and reverence as
we address the many and serious problems that know no borders but affect the
entire planet.