Laguna Beach’s police department has found itself embroiled in a controversy over its new logo. The logo depicts the word “police” with a design that shows the American flag. However, some of the residents of Laguna Beach feel that the design is too “aggressive” and have also described it as “racist, intimidating, and threatening”.
Others have raised complaints about the presence of the flag as a part of the logo claiming that they did not understand what it meant. While others felt that the design itself is poorly done.
The city has defended the logo while stating that they will be examining the logo to see if a compromise can be reached. The logo was chosen after polling the police department after two possible logos were shown to the officers.
The American Flag consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red and white with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white five-pointed stars. The history of Old Glory includes:
1777 – The Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act, which stated that “the flag be 13 stripes alternate red and white” and that “the Union be 13 stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation.”
1814 – Francis Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner,” which is now the national anthem.
1912 – President Taft signed an Executive Order specifying that on Flag Day (June 14) each year, Americans should fly the U.S. flag for 24 hours to celebrate the birthday of the U.S. and to honor their flag.
1949 – President Truman signed an Executive Order, which stated that any citizen of the United States who is “properly wearing a badge identifying his status as a veteran of the armed forces of the United States” should be entitled to full honours when he or she is present at any ceremony of hoisting or of lowering the flag. These Americans are entitled to honour during the ceremony, but not to place their hands over their hearts as others do.
1954 – The Federal Flag Code was written by the National Flag Conference, which was attended by representatives from the Army and Navy Departments, various government agencies, the American Legion, the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), and the National Council on Uniforms. It was voted that this code become “uniform” with all laws or parts of laws which are related to flags, ensigns, colors, or coat-of-arms.
1959 – Hawaii became our fiftieth state, so now there are fifty stars on the U.S. flag.
1960 – The President of the United States approved adding one star for each state of the Union after Alaska became a state in January 1959 . This is why today there are 50 white stars against the blue field with 13 red and white stripes.
