Old Glory from China

I am from New Zealand, and recently completed a visit with a good friend in Orono, who was very gracious to show me around your beautiful state. It is with the same pride that he took me to the recent Memorial Day parade in downtown Bangor.

A woman who was part of the parade gave me an American flag to wave. Of course, she did not realize that I was not an American, but I still waved the flag, and, I might add, was proud to do so. That is, until I saw printed on this little flag, “Made in China.”

I felt less proud to wave an American flag that was not even made in America, especially on such an important holiday.

Maybe this is being unfair. After all, it still had 50 stars and 13 stripes. It may just be a case of simple economics; but speaking as a New Zealander, you have a lot to be proud of in this country.

I would have thought Americans would be able to make their flag at the same price, if not cheaper, than a country on the other side of the world.

Andrew Dronjak

Auckland, New Zealand