total.pardo

i came across an article on the art of manliness blog about How to Properly Display the American Flag.  For years I had violated the Flag Code, not illuminating our flag at night.  That will change asap.

the final paragraph was most compelling:

Here’s one thing that should be added to the flag code: Only buy Made in America flags. Several times I’ve been looking at an American flag, usually the chintzy plastic variety, which shouldn’t even exist, and have seen a tag saying “Made in China.” It’s enough to make Betsy Ross roll over in her grave. Americans spend over 5.3 million dollars on imported flags each year, most of them made in China. Perhaps even more disconcerting is that during 2001, in the wave of patriotism that washed over America after 9/11, American bought $52 million dollars in imported flags. The flag should symbolize the blood, sweat, and tears of American men and women who brought this country into existence, not our indebtedness to China and the death of the American manufacturing sector. So have a little pride, cough of a few more bucks, and buy an American flag made by Americans in the U S of A.

make sure you take that moment on monday to remember the sacrifice.