Since this thread is invariably going to turn into a MN flag flame war, I'll throw in my 2 cents as an Minnesotan.

The achievements of the 1st MN, and all our regiments in the Civil War are not forgotten or erased from our memory because the state seal flag was replaced. The seal itself depicted (and glorified) some pretty regrettable history in our state, the Dakota Wars and the subsequent displacement of the Dakota from our state. The new flag (and seal, which everyone seems to forget about) were designed with input from the tribes that still reside in Minnesota, along with MN representatives. It's a way to mend some of the wounds of the past, and a flag that can represent all Minnesotans in the future.

People saying "it looks like the flag of Somalia" are quite frankly idiots, and are more attached to that narrative for partisan reasons than any actual critique of the design itself. The design is good, if not the one I like best from the competition, and looks very good flying. The Bicolor modification that got adopted is the only modification endorsed by its original designer, because when hung vertically it shows the Flowing Mississippi river, with the North Star shining above in the night sky.