This article appeared in the Orange County Register on June 23, 2002. It was written by Gordon Dillow.
Flag towel has veteran seeing red, white, blue
Harry?¡?¦ Terrell of Newport Beach doesn?¡?¦t spend a lot of, time looking at advertisements for sheets and dish-ware and powder-room accessories. But the other day he got an ad brochure from the Lin-ens ?¡?¥n Things home-fur-nishings store chain, and one item in it happened to catch his eye-and his ire. It?¡?¦ was an ad for a Linens ?¡?¥n Things ?¡?§American Flag Beach Towel.?¡?¨
That?¡?¦s right, an American Flag beach towel. And no, it?¡?¦s not just a beach towel with some red, white and, blue on?¡?¦ it. It?¡?¦s an actual American Flag, with 5O stars and 13 stripes, measuring 30 inches by 60 inches, priced at $4.99- and manufactured, by way, In Brazil.?¡?¨ Bring this vibrant, 100 percent Pima Cotton towel to the beach or pool!?¡?¨ the ad said?¡?¦.
Harry could hardly believe?¡?¦, It. A retired aerospace engineer and ,test pilot who flew a B25 bomber in the Pacific in World War II, Harry, 79, knows there?¡?¦s a proper way to disp1ay the American flag and putting in on a beach towel designed to be placed on the ground and sprawled upon by sweaty , suntan-oily bodies most definitely isn?¡?¦t it.
Harry wondered, ?¡?§Don?¡?¦t they have any respect of the American Flag??¡?¨ I wondered about that, too. Harry told me about it. So I called the Linens ?¡?¥n Things corporate headquarters in New Jersey and spoke with company executive vice president Audrey Schlaepfer.
According to Ms. Schlaepfer, the new Linens ?¡?¥n Things American Flag Beach Towel is not improper or offensive. In fact, far from being an insult to the flag, Schlaepfer said, the flag beach towel is ?¡?§our way of supporting patriotism in the country.?¡?¨
You heard right: To the Linens ?¡?¥n Things corporate way of thinking, drying your dripping shanks or broiling yourself on the sunny sand with an American flag towel made in Brazil is a great way to show that you?¡?¦re proud to be an American!
Which kind of makes me wonder what?¡?¦s next: Linens?¡?¥ n Things American Flag Doormats? Or perhaps a Lin-ens ?¡?¥n Things American Flag Bathroom Tissue Collection?
Now, in fairness, Linens ?¡?¥n Thin isn?¡?¦t alone here. Since the attacks of Sept.11, a lot of companies have been cashing in on consumer items with American flag themes, many of them of questionable taste.
Still,I would have expected a -more dignified and respectful treatment of our nation?¡?¦s flag from a reputable company like Linens ?¡?¥n Things.
lt?¡?¦s up to you, of course, but if you want to contact the company, the headquarters address is 6 Brighton Road, Clifton, NJ 07015, or call customer service toll-free at (866) 568-7378. Or you can send email through the company Web site at www.lnt.com.
Meanwhile, if you want to buy an American flag towel at your local Linens ?¡?¥n Things store there are five in Orange County - well, hey, it?¡?¦s a free country But you might want to consider this
As Harry Terrell and many others like him know all too well, a lot of Americans have died for what that flag represents. And if you use it as a beach towel, It?¡?¦s almost like sunbathing on their graves.
?„h Contact Gordon Dillow at (714) 796-7953
or email gtdillow@aol.com
Flag towel has veteran seeing red, white, blue
Harry?¡?¦ Terrell of Newport Beach doesn?¡?¦t spend a lot of, time looking at advertisements for sheets and dish-ware and powder-room accessories. But the other day he got an ad brochure from the Lin-ens ?¡?¥n Things home-fur-nishings store chain, and one item in it happened to catch his eye-and his ire. It?¡?¦ was an ad for a Linens ?¡?¥n Things ?¡?§American Flag Beach Towel.?¡?¨
That?¡?¦s right, an American Flag beach towel. And no, it?¡?¦s not just a beach towel with some red, white and, blue on?¡?¦ it. It?¡?¦s an actual American Flag, with 5O stars and 13 stripes, measuring 30 inches by 60 inches, priced at $4.99- and manufactured, by way, In Brazil.?¡?¨ Bring this vibrant, 100 percent Pima Cotton towel to the beach or pool!?¡?¨ the ad said?¡?¦.
Harry could hardly believe?¡?¦, It. A retired aerospace engineer and ,test pilot who flew a B25 bomber in the Pacific in World War II, Harry, 79, knows there?¡?¦s a proper way to disp1ay the American flag and putting in on a beach towel designed to be placed on the ground and sprawled upon by sweaty , suntan-oily bodies most definitely isn?¡?¦t it.
Harry wondered, ?¡?§Don?¡?¦t they have any respect of the American Flag??¡?¨ I wondered about that, too. Harry told me about it. So I called the Linens ?¡?¥n Things corporate headquarters in New Jersey and spoke with company executive vice president Audrey Schlaepfer.
According to Ms. Schlaepfer, the new Linens ?¡?¥n Things American Flag Beach Towel is not improper or offensive. In fact, far from being an insult to the flag, Schlaepfer said, the flag beach towel is ?¡?§our way of supporting patriotism in the country.?¡?¨
You heard right: To the Linens ?¡?¥n Things corporate way of thinking, drying your dripping shanks or broiling yourself on the sunny sand with an American flag towel made in Brazil is a great way to show that you?¡?¦re proud to be an American!
Which kind of makes me wonder what?¡?¦s next: Linens?¡?¥ n Things American Flag Doormats? Or perhaps a Lin-ens ?¡?¥n Things American Flag Bathroom Tissue Collection?
Now, in fairness, Linens ?¡?¥n Thin isn?¡?¦t alone here. Since the attacks of Sept.11, a lot of companies have been cashing in on consumer items with American flag themes, many of them of questionable taste.
Still,I would have expected a -more dignified and respectful treatment of our nation?¡?¦s flag from a reputable company like Linens ?¡?¥n Things.
lt?¡?¦s up to you, of course, but if you want to contact the company, the headquarters address is 6 Brighton Road, Clifton, NJ 07015, or call customer service toll-free at (866) 568-7378. Or you can send email through the company Web site at www.lnt.com.
Meanwhile, if you want to buy an American flag towel at your local Linens ?¡?¥n Things store there are five in Orange County - well, hey, it?¡?¦s a free country But you might want to consider this
As Harry Terrell and many others like him know all too well, a lot of Americans have died for what that flag represents. And if you use it as a beach towel, It?¡?¦s almost like sunbathing on their graves.
?„h Contact Gordon Dillow at (714) 796-7953
or email gtdillow@aol.com
