Will our glorious state flag fade away?

Some folks in Jefferson City are, once again, proving how little effort it takes to run a state like Missouri.

These folks, elected by registered voters, can't find enough to do. They are, apparently, ashamed to take their paychecks and per diems without looking busy to the folks back home.

So, these legislators swarm around the Capitol like crazy bees in a patch of clover laced with wild Mary Jane, looking for a cause.

One group has come up with the idea that the Missouri state flag, one of Cape Girardeau's claims to historical fame, needs to be rejiggered.

Why? Well, no one really knows for sure, but these elected do-gooders in the Big House are willing to hold hearings to find out.

(Once upon a time Jeff City had two Big Houses: the Capitol and the penitentiary. Even then it was sometimes difficult to distinguish between them in crowd and the inmates.)

The plain fact is that Missouri has a perfectly good state flag. It was designed by one Mrs. Oliver, a God-fearing and patriotic Cape Girardeau woman whose name belongs in the same company with Ms. Ross, who stitched together some red and white stripes and sewed stars on a piece of bright blue cloth.

Cape Girardeans have always been proud of Mrs. Oliver and her contribution to the various state symbols that set Missouri apart from ordinary commonwealths. But her efforts have been little celebrated hereabout, until the centennial of the flag rolled around. Now we have a plaque and everything, which can be seen if you know where to look and are willing to trespass into someone's front yard.

I have expounded before in this space that Cape Girardeau needs to let the entire state, if not the world, know of our fair city's distinguished prominence in this flag business. Among my suggestions has been one to mount the largest state flag imaginable to wave with such prominence that it would be visible from just about everywhere in this River City of Roses.

Alas, our flagging modesty is about to do us in. Instead, a band of ne'er-do-wells in Jeff City, who obviously have little regard for our pride or our feelings, will bungle its way into a tizzy over the portrayal of bears, or some such, on the flag that stands for the honor and glory of the Show Me State.

I say: Hogwash.

If we let these flag renegades go on their merry way, we will have no one to blame but ourselves when a new, revised, updated or otherwise regurgitated state banner is run up the flagpole. Then we will have to suffer through the chorus of glory-grabbing claims as the home of the new state flag from someplace like Bolivar, or Marceline, or Skidmore, or goodness knows where.

Cape Girardeau, awake!

There is work to be done, battles to be fought and a war to be won.

If you haven't acted already -- and I know most of you haven't -- act now. Let your elected officials know how you feel about this first volley from the snipers who would shoot down the glorious handiwork of our own dear Mrs. Oliver.

This is a crusade, noble readers, and I beg you to volunteer for service. A counterattack led by our very own mayor is in order. This should be cause No. 1 for our Convention and Visitors Bureau. Our state legislators should be reporting for duty, not waiting to be drafted or shanghaied.

The shining jewel in our crown of history has been attacked for no good reason. Stand up, Cape Girardeau! Stand up for what is right and decent and good.

Preserve our state flag, and God bless Missouri.

Joe Sullivan is the retired editor of the Southeast Missourian.