Do you care where the American Flag is made?

[Jo]

New laws in a few states have been passed to ban American flags not made in the USA.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3343103

[Lori]

I think it's a silly and unnecessary law. It seems to have nothing more than symbolic value--are we really worried about the American American flag-makers who have been put out of work so that flag-making companies can move to China? I don't like symbolic laws.

[Kristi]

I think that is silly. Idon't care where it is made. It still stands for the same thing to me whether it was made here in the US or in Taiwan or anywhere else. It is still an American flag no matter what.

[Jejune]

It sort of makes sense to me, but I don't think it needs legislation. Still, most American flags come from China, and that does seem pretty ironic. We buy the flag to support the ideals that that flag represents and China is pretty much at the opposite end of the spectrum from those ideals. Even when we aren't upholding our ideals, buying an American American flag seems more in keeping with the spirit of the idea. I'd buy an American flag from Cambodia, though. They're working very hard to improve their labor conditions and are trying very hard for U.S. support.

I overthink things, though.

[Brooke]

I have to agree with Kristen.

I think that if we are going to have an American flag, shouldn't it be made in America? Why send that business, for of all things, our flag, elsewhere. I'm in the middle of working, so I'll come back later. ;)

[gr8mommy]

I have no problem with requiring state contracts (any government entity, really) to buy flags made in the US with US materials. Trying to legislate what private companies and citizens do, I just don't see how it can be enforced.

[Kristen]

I agree with Lori. This is hardly going to make a big dent in the amount of stuff we buy from China. It sounds lovely, but doesn't do a whole heck of a lot.