Red, White and Blue Friday #7 - You're a grand old complex and contentious flag!

There's a company that manufactures American flags not too far from us - in fact, it is the landmark right before the exit lane I should be taking towards the beach - and it's sort of hard to miss the eleventy-hundred flags flapping in the breeze.

Perhaps some people would find it difficult to see the patriotism in that - especially, since the company makes flags - but, I know that it would be hard to deny that the company is probably just following through with some pretty heavy duty advertisement.

What would you say if I told you that NOT all American flags are made, you know, in America?

Well, I did NOT know this to be true and automatically assumed that any and ALL American Flags were:  Made in the U.S.A.

Yeah, silly me.  I should have known better.  I mean, I trusted that my kids' toys were safe, too.  The reality is that most foreign-made products are more cost-effective.  At least, that's what I've learned HERE over the last few months.

I also learned that many states are passing laws that make it illegal to sell American flags that were not made in the United States.

Then, I got confused.

You see, my father and mother immigrated to America in 1956 for many of the reasons why I find myself so torn about how we Americans treat our flag.

We have the right to burn our flag as free speech, yet there may be a law in place telling American consumers where and how exactly we should buy that same symbol of freedom.

You see what I mean?

It's one of those complex and contentious arguments that I tend to stay away from - because, my mommy brain does not have spell check or a delete button - but, damned if the American Flag Patch I just sewed on my six-year-old's girl scout vest didn't say it for me:

You may need to lower everything on the sash or vest in order to assure the flag is placed in a position of respect.

Symbols are awesome.

I mean, every American child recognizes their country's flag and is taught to understand the history behind the stars and stripes in school.  As with most things, however, it's the grown ups that manage to muck it all up.

There's a story behind our flag.

My parents nearly gave up their lives in search of it.  My brother is willing to fight and defend it.  Not only because it's his job, but for more reasons that I may never be able to understand.

Keeping those two very simple statements in mind, I believe that the American Flag deserves my respect.

No, I don't know where our flag was made - and I really don't think I want to, either - it would only add to the patriotic dilemma I'm going through, at the moment.

But, even my skeptic husband would run out and take down our flag on a rainy day.

[cross-posted at Moms Speak Up]

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Comments

[Sleeping Mommy]

I know what you mean about dilemma. I guess I could see the sense in a law stating that only american made flags could be used by government agencies...

But to tell American citizens where they can and cannot buy products? Even patriotic symbols? I don't know.

[JayMonster]

I get your point and even sort of understand your "dilemma" to a certain degree, but at the same time, there needs to be certain lines drawn in the sand with regards to what we are willing to have done overseas. I think this is one of them. How bout this for a dilemma... what if that flag you want to buy, a symbol of freedom is made by some kid n a sweatshop somewhere in China? How proud then would you be? (I say 'you' in the broadest sense, I am not picking on you in particular). This isn't just an issue of consumer choice.

[Liz]

No, JayMonster, I don't want my flag to be made in China.

Partly the reason why I don't want to look at the label, either.

But, that's wrong too.

What's the right answer here, folks?

[JayMonster]

Perhaps I wasn't clear. That is exactly what I was trying to say. There needs to be a line drawn and say, "Hey, this is OUR flag, and it should be made HERE."

I am sure there are plenty of people that never even contemplated the fact that it might be "made in China" and just assumed that it was made here. A bad assumption these days, when companies will sell you toxic stuff just to make a few extra pennies per unit, which is why we do need a law to prevent them from being made "there"