This post was originally written back in 2009, after one of Daniel's national park adventures. Recently we learned about legislation to address this, in the 2011 update at the end...
Some things just aren’t done, and when they are, it makes you 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, darnit! A shirt with moose on it just shouldn’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: Central Park Ladies Tee
UPDATE:
November 3rd, 2011 - There is new legislation proposed to get more American made products in national park and monument shops. Rep. Israel's website announced the "new legislation, the “American Parks, American Products Act,” will require that all items sold by the National Parks Service in gift shops, visitors centers and at the National Archives are made in the USA."
There is interesting commentary on this issue underneath the article posted on the National Parks Traveler website. Feel free to post more comments on your thoughts here, too!
