It's amazing that it took a crazed gunman in South Carolina to wake up the consciousness of America about the offensiveness of the Confederate flag.
Gary Heinlein of the Detroit News writes that Michigan’s largest flag dealer is joining major national retailers like Wal-Mart in abandoning sales of the flag that many have defended over the years as a symbol of southern pride and heritage.
Bill Miles, owner of American Flag and Banner in Clawson, told The News that he has no choice because the nation’s four major flag makers decided to stop making the iconic symbol displayed on home flag poles, license plates and apparel throughout the South.
“They’ve all discontinued them,” Miles told the paper. “I talked with my New Jersey supplier this morning. Their vice president of sales told me it’s a public relations nightmare, no matter what they do.”
Miles said that he actually didn't sell a lot of those flags, anyway.
All-American Flag Co. in Brockway in St. Clair County may continue sales, The News adds. That firm says it sells the flags mostly for Civil War re-enactments.
Klee Manufacturing of Flint says that it's suppliers have decided to stop making the flag, the News reports.
“We had decided to stop selling them, anyway, because of the connotation — even though it’s a historic flag,” owner Warren Klee is quoted as saying. “It’s such a small part of our sales, one or two a year, that it wasn’t a hard decision.”
-- Allan Lengel
