Laws Require Flags to Be Born in USA

Recently, the state of Minnesota has passed a new law requiring every American flag sold in state stores to be domestically produced. Violations are a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail. Surprisingly, Minnesota is not is only state with such new regulation. In Arizona, schools and public colleges were required starting July 1 to put up a made in USA flag in every classroom from junior high up. Tennessee requires all U.S. flags bought via state contract to be made here, and similar bills are moving forward in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. These laws were recently being adopted due to the past fourth of July considering the event as the peak season for flag sales with millions of them lining parade routes and flying above back yard barbecues. The U.S. Census bureau estimates that $5.3 million worth of U.S. flags were imported from other countries in 2006, mostly from China. Most of the major domestic flag makers are privately held companies that don't release their sales figures, so it's difficult to gauge the inroads being made by foreign manufacturers.

Personally, I don't really think the laws are really necessary. Just because someone bought a flag that was made in China instead of made in USA doesn't make him less patriotic. They are all the same but made in different places. Besides, flag companies' probably prefer to produce the flags in another country for its cheap labor. Most of the major domestic flag makers are privately held companies that don't release their sales figures, so it's difficult to gauge the inroads being made by foreign manufacturers. As you can see, there has nothing to do with patriotism and the laws are just simply unnecessary.