The Flag of the Holy Land of Silence: 沈黙の聖地

The Holy Land of Silence(沈黙の聖地) is a fictional planet in the Japanese animation series Galaxy Express 999.  This story takes place on an intergalactic train that travels in between the Milky Way Galaxy and Andromeda Galaxy.   Along the way the space-train stops at various planets that the passengers can visit.  On one planet the flag of the Holy Land is Silence is shown. 

The flag has white filed with blue centered disc.  On the disc is an I-cross with black inner cross line.


This planet is not so holy, as the people have become paranoid of speaking loudly, due to people have inappropriate conversations.

A dictator arose on this planet the resultant oppressive atmosphere become unbearable for the locals.  

Flags on Ghost Planet Filament: Galaxy Express 999 幽霊世界のフィラメントの旗

On the Ghost Planet Filament, a whitish flag can be seen in a flash back about the people who once lived there. The shape of the flags were rectangular and pennant shaped.  It was aired to Japanese Audiences on April 12, 1979.

Flags in the Experiment for Eternal War—Galaxy Express 999: 永久戦斗実験室前編 September 1978

During the 47th and 48th episodes of Galaxy Express 999 (永久戦斗実験室前編) a unique flag appears that represents one side of the warring partners.  It is a horizontal tribar of white, blue, and white with a sky blue star in the center.  Also the middle blue stripe is wider.

In this episode the train stops at a planet that is at perpetual war.  But his perpetual war is controlled by the planetary tourism industry.  They pit two sides at each other so that tourists can enjoy and watch a war.

If you are unfamiliar with this ground breaking Japanese Anime, it is kind of like Star Trek but of its own bent.  Basically the Galaxy Express 999 is a throwback spaceship design of a train from the 19th century.  It is famous like the Enterprise, but its route is between the Andromeda and Milky Way Galaxies.

Oddly the army fighting under the star flag, has helmet insignia of a circle. The other side has the insignia of a star.  We never get to see the flag of the Star Helmet fighters, but it is a good bet it may have circle on it? 

The Galaxy Express makes stops at various planets all along its journey, where it makes contact with alien and weird civilizations.  

The Captain Kirk of Galaxy Express is an orphaned boy, Tetsuro, who is traveling to Andromeda for a cybernetic body so he can have an 'immortal' life.  The Spock of the series is a

mysterious, beautiful, and wise woman known as Maetel.  The conductor of the Spaceship Train is also a main character; he is a bit like Scottie, who must balance strict corporate policy of Galaxy Railways and every once and while bend the rules, to help is his beloved passengers: Tetsuro and Maetel.   This is one series the Sheldon Cooper would have flipped his nogin: Galaxy Express 999 =  Star Trek + Trains in Space!



Like all good Sci-fi: the stories deal with the heavy duty choices of human nature and the
infinite possibilities of doing good, evil, and everything else in between.  Sometimes formulaic, but so was the Original Star Trek.  This is must watch for any student of Anime and Star Trek.  Note,  this series was made just as the the OG plain Jane Han Shot first Star Wars hit our civilization in 1978.

In the sixth episode The Comet Library (彗星図書館) aired October 19, 1978.  Luke Skywalker, C-3PO, and R2-D2 make an appearance.  Although the writers loved Star Wars, the series is more like Star Trek.

Flag from the Planet of Eternal War—1979: Galaxy Express 999

California Pandademic Republic Flag

Oh 2020! We are only half way over. 

It started with Kobe, then a viral outbreak, then civil unrest, what is next?  Sadly the election will have riots no matter who wins.  I'm usually wrong about predictions but, but we are over due for an Earthquake or gun nut flare up.   

This flag pokes fun at the Pandemic as a Panda-Demic?  Note the Bio Hazard symbol with viral coating take the place of the Red Star.  Likewise the Panda for replaces the California Grizzly.  The Panda like Corona Virus is from China.  But the Panda is so much cuter and nicer than COVID-19.

Rhode Island Revolutionary Heritage Flags

Rhode Island has three Revolutionary Heritage Flags.  These new designs account for Rhode Islands' order of accepting the governments of the United States.  The flag above with white and gold stars reflects Rhode Islands' rank as the 4th state of the Articles of Confederation and 13th state with the US Constitution.

Usually gold represents the original epoch of some age—like the Golden Age of Hollywood, Movies, Comics, Video Games, etc.  Thus the ratification of the first government of Rhode Island is represented by gold stars.

When you only take the view of the Articles of Confederation period, a field of four gold stars represent Rhode Island.

The hour dedicated to Rhode Island is at that earliest of Dawn's Early Light—4:13 AM.

Since Rhode Island was the 13th state to ratify the US Constitution, a circle of 13 white stars represents this order.  However, this is also the flag for the nation, as the Betsy Ross flag.  Consequently, the golden anchor from the state flag makes an appearance.   This also clarifies that this flag represents Rhode Island, rather than the US Yacht Ensign, which has a tilted white anchor with a fowled line.

Delaware Revolutionary Order Heritage Flags

Delaware is the 1st state and 12th state.  It depends on who you ask.  As far as Constitutional order is concerned, Delaware is the 1st.  But when you consider the first government, the Articles of Confederation, Delaware is 12th.  Too bad she wasn't 13th; it would have made a fun fact as for being first and last.

In honor of those orders, three flags were made to convey Delaware's positions.  Since the community operating systems of the Articles of Confederation came first, they are represented by gold stars.  Thus a flag with 12 golden stars represents Delaware.

But when you take the view of the Constitution, Delaware gets the coveted a single white "silver" star.  This Delaware flag kinda' looks like the flag of Liberia, but note Delaware's Constitutional Rank flag has 13 stripes, while Liberia's flag has 11 stripes.
 
Finally when you put both placement positions together, we have a single white star with 12 gold stars in a circle.

Thus all three flags all represent Delaware.  Also the hour dedicated to Delaware starts at 12:01 PM.  

Maryland Revolutionary Order Heritage Flags

 The flag above their 13 gold stars and 7 silver stars represents order of entry for Maryland under the US Constitution and Articles of Confederation.  Reason being Maryland was the last state with the Articles of Confederation, and later in 1788 was the 7th state to ratify the Constitution—the younger, Patch US Gov 2.0 that fixed the free play Us Gov 1.0 with a whole new mother load of apps and obligatory subscription software of 1788 (aka the US Constitution). 

However Maryland was originally the 13th state to join the United States under the Articles of Confederation.  Thus Maryland gets the coveted circle of 13 stars flag, reflecting her positions the last of the original 13 colonies to join the USA, on Ground Hog day back in 1783. 

 

 Finally there is the Constitutional and Confederation flag that denotes Maryland position as the 13th state of the Confederation and 7th state of the Constitution. 

 A funny coincidence is that Maryland's number of stars for her unilateral rank flags reflect the rebels of 1776 and of 1861.  Reason being there where 13 colonies in revolt in 1776.  Likewise 7 states formed the initial Southern Rebellion of 1861.  The first official flag of the USA had 13 stars while the first official flag of the CSA had 7 stars.  

Also the hour of Maryland begins at 1:07 PM, or rather 13:07 hrs.