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Resident urges Rockville to retire 1979 city flag, citing divisive symbolism
Summary
At the council's community forum a lifelong area resident urged Rockville to retire the 1979 city flag, arguing its use of the red botony cross on a white field carries historical ties to secession-era symbolism and asking the council to design a new flag that reflects the citys 'Rise Together' motto.
During the community forum that opened the Nov. 10 Rockville City Council meeting, resident Glenn Feldman urged the city to retire the 1979 Rockville flag and commission a new design.
Feldman told the council the current flag "contains three wavy blue stripes, two white stripes and six red emblems known as botony crosses" and argued the way the red botony cross appears on Rockvilles flag carries a divisive historical context in Maryland. He said that, in the Civil War era, the red botony cross was used by Marylanders who joined the Confederacy and that Rockvilles flag is unique in featuring the red botony cross on a white field without the balancing Calvert pallet elements.
Feldman asked the council to "retire its official flag and to commission a new design, one that truly reflects our motto, Rise Together." He pointed to Howard County, which he said replaced its flag for similar reasons.
The mayor thanked Feldman for his remarks. The council did not take action on the request that night; the comment was entered into the public record.
