Forced Patriotism: lawmakers want to make Chinese made US flags illegal

Lawmakers in Harford County, Maryland has proposed a law that would make it a crime to sell an American or Maryland flag made in another country, so in effect China.

“It just seems rather unpatriotic to be buying flags made in China,” Sen. Nancy Jacobs told the Examiner.

Also proposed is a bill that will require American-made flags on state property. While American made flags may support a small number of real jobs, State flags are another matter, with almost all Maryland flags made by inmates of the local prison system.

According to the Flag Manufacturers Association of America, the US imports about $5 million worth of flags a year.

Minnesota introduced similar laws in 2007, and a number of other states dictate that public money can only be spent on American made flags.