so I guess I should not be surprised when I find myself agreeing with an editorial in the Omaha World-Herald. But I am, for the paper's editorial policies tend to remind me more of Attila the Hun than of reasoned discourse.
Anyway, the subject of my astonishment is the choice of the design for the upcoming Nebraska state quarter (to be released approximately this time next year). The four final choices are: a Conestoga wagon crossing the plains, with Chimney Rock in the distance; the state capitol building in Lincoln; the Sower (the statue atop the capitol building); and Chief Standing Bear, a Nebraska denizen and the catalyst for the US Supreme Court ruling that "Indians are people too."
The World-Herald's editorialist favors the Chief Standing Bear design over the others, and so do I. The Conestoga wagon and Chimney Rock have become passe cliches--Nebraska can do better than that! Besides, Chimney Rock has deterioriated so much over just the past 36 years that I doubt any Oregon Trail travellers of the 1800's would recognize it today.
The state capitol building is a marvelous and unique bit of architecture, but its nickname (which I won't repeat here) is rather off-putting. And the Sower, while a graceful statue, seems too esoteric and limited a design to represent Nebraska to the rest of the country as the best thing we have to offer.
But Standing Bear is of great significance--after all, Nebraska's state motto is "Equality Before The Law" (honored more in the breach than in the keeping, but that's a subject for another day)--and Standing Bear's Supreme Court suit proved it. Plus, none of the other state quarters that have so far been released have had a Native American as their subject matter. Thus, the Standing Bear quarter would be a standout from several perspectives.
Still, the final decision is up to the US Mint. Let's hope the people there want to do more than perpetuate cliches.
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