U.S. | Sat Feb 18, 2017 | 5:07pm EST

Texas lawmaker wants to end emoji mix-ups with Chilean flag

By Jon Herskovitz | AUSTIN, TEXAS

A state lawmaker filed a resolution this week urging people to think before they text and stop using an emoji of the Chilean flag, which resembles the Lone Star State flag, as a symbol of Texas pride.

State Representative Tom Oliverson described the resolution as a light-hearted but serious civics lesson for the social media age. More than a few people have garnished their tweets and text messages about Texas with a Chilean flag, he said.

"I designed it be educational, kind of like a public service announcement," Oliverson, a Republican, told Reuters on Saturday.

His resolution does not carry the force of law.

It calls on lawmakers: "to reject the notion that the Chilean flag, although it is a nice flag, can in any way compare to or be substituted for the official state flag of Texas and urge all Texans not to use the Republic of Chile flag emoji in digital forums when referring to the Lone Star Flag of the great State of Texas."

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