Some things just aren’t done, and when they are, you just have to cringe. Like putting ketchup on a Chicago hot dog, or wearing socks with sandals. Fortunately, most of our fair fellow citizens have figured these out by now, and violators are quickly shamed into compliance by the aforementioned cringing.
Other things should be faux pas, but for some reason haven’t yet become so, and people get away with them all the time. One example of such a “future faux pas” is taking a call on your cell phone, thus leaving your lunch partner to play with coffee creamers while pretending not to listen to one side of your boring conversation.
Another overlooked faux pas is when quintessential American institutions get besmirched through an association with imported, unethically made merchandise. When I walk into a gift shop at Yellowstone National Park, I want to buy a t-shirt. (No, I don’t care that it looks like this. I want it anyway.) But I want my Yellowstone shirt to be made in America, dammit! I’m sorry but a shirt with a cowboy, an American bison, and a Native American in full headdress on it just can’t be made in China.
In virtually every case you can imagine, logo gear for our beloved American institutions is manufactured overseas, using foreign components and foreign labor. How about Major League Baseball? You think they support solid, American middle class manufacturing jobs? Think again. Apparently our garment workers don't get to participate in our national pasttime. What about the Samuel Adams E-store? Mount Rushmore? The St. Louis Arch? Nope. (Although I was told by the people at the Mount Rushmore store that they have one Made in USA apparel item - out of 25 total options - but it is not yet available on their website.)
What gives?
Look, I don’t have blinders on, and I understand that the vast majority of merchandise is now made outside this country. And, of course, imports are not inherently bad. But there are certain times and certain places to make a statement…and logo gear that literally promotes America is the place, if there ever was one, to proudly show that we – the workers of America - can make t-shirts, mugs, and tote bags right here, and furthermore that we can do so while paying a living wage and respecting the right of our workers to organize into a union.
That statement would show that we are serious about protecting workers and the American dream. Eventually, no product made under sweatshop conditions should be sold within our borders. That day is a long way off, but long journeys are nothing more than a bunch of little steps.
Please contact the above locations (or any others you know of), point out their fashion faux pas, and encourage them to source from guaranteed sweatshop-free sources like those that are available at Ethix Merch.
Note: In my perusal of various e-stores selling Americana, I did come across one garment that was proudly labeled "Made in USA" (though most likely not union made). Here it is:
They should make the
They should make the custommers choose. Like if you go in a store. Manufactor X gives to examples of a clothing. Manufactor has the same Clothing one produced outside US. and one in the US. but the one outside Us is a dollar cheaper than, the one in US. that way people can adjust to getting labor back in the Us.
Nice idea.
:)
T-Shirts etc.
Hi, Daniel. Is a part of the problem that US manufacturers don't bother making such stuff, because they don't see the huge profits that they want? Just a thought...
Not really...
In fact, U.S. manufacturers have the will and the capacity to make all of the products mentioned in this post. But our culture is so accustomed to getting the absolute "best deal" that we allow ourselves to perpetuate systemic exploitation and entrenched poverty.
I, for one, would pay a couple of dollars extra for a Statue of Liberty t-shirt made here in the USA (undoubtedly by immigrant laborers who continue to try and take advantage of the promise and potential of America).
So great to see you here, Peter!
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