There are many things that ruffle me… like our patriot holidays from Memorial Day, Independence Day, to Pearl Harbor Day is another that bewilders me. I know we say we are all grateful for our brave hearts that have fought for us and our freedoms since the Revolution; yet we remember these war heroes, veterans, and our own relatives with parades and ceremonies displaying foreign grown flowers and Chinese made American flags.
Chinese Made American Flags
Of all the American flags we so proudly wave and display every year, $5 million dollars worth of these American flags are imported with 97% from China. At a local store the other day I witnessed a man so incised as to their flags all from China that the manager escorted him out. Actually, he gladly left-without a flag I might add.
It seems someone in Washington got a clue and realized how hypocritical to have foreign made flags flown by government and military entities. The All American Flag Act was passed (just last year) requiring them to fly only US made flags. China after all…is a communist country that dismisses the same American values and freedoms all those people we honor fought for. Like my Uncle who left to fight Japan for these freedoms at just 17. As my famous quote-“I don’t understand why everyone doesn’t understand”; or rather how we can ignore it. Are we really just all about ease & money?
Foreign Grown Freedom Roses
A few years back, South American rose growers started a Memorial Day flower effort by generously offering red roses for the headstones in Arlington Cemetary. There was much fanfare and accolade to them for doing so and seems now to have morphed into a US based, non profit of MemorialDayFlowers.org. The effort is still using the same imported roses that… now seems a profit as they take your credit card or better yet Paypal. Great marketing emphasis is put on the rose variety named Freedom as it’s obviously an appropriate, however this is not a rose named for veterans or in memory of anyone. It is a blanket cultivar variety that includes many color roses. Again, I don’t understand how putting foreign grown roses on our US veterans graves is an honor; especially since these same foreign flower farms have nearly eradicated our own American flower growers.
I know… it’s all about trade agreements and world economics you say; and I know these farms and factories create jobs for these people they say. However I think if you ask any veteran what he is/was fighting for, the answer would be America and not the foreign flower growers or flag makers.
If you really want to honor them—take the time to find American grown and made items as I do here at the store. It’s all I offer. It’s not easy, but nothing good ever is. They are out there, and they may or may not be a dollar more; but that dollar will help our country not someone else’s, and that to me is a true honor to our veterans.
Be a real hero to them as they were and are for us-give a veteran an American grown rose or bouquet with an American made flag. The roses are not flown around the world to get here, they are fresher, last longer, and just beautiful. The flags are twice the size at 18″‘, have sewn hems, extra long wood poles, and turned wood finials. I have them both, and my Memorial Day wish is for all florists & stores to have them..someday.
May we never forget that freedom is not free…or from a discount store
Lynn 🙂
Call or stop by for your American flowers & flags.
