# Where Do US Flag Burners in the Middle East Get Their Flags **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 7, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041 "2011-05-07T01:50:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/21 "2011-05-07T21:33:16Z")
> [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](#): > > Except in lots of those places there is little or no Internet access. You know, I can remember back before there was an Internet, and there was actually a thriving commercial sector which, you know, bought and sold things, in places called stores. You may run across this quaint custom sometime in your historical research. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/22 "2011-05-07T22:00:25Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You know, I can remember back before there was an Internet, and there was actually a thriving commercial sector which, you know, bought and sold things, in places called stores. You may run across this quaint custom sometime in your historical research. He was responding to a post that suggested protesters bought their products online. ---
**Author:** ![just\_some\_guy5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@just\_some\_guy5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/just_some_guy5)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/23 "2011-05-07T22:03:11Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > I’ve been to a lot of backwaters in my day (granted, few of them were in the Middle East, at least not since the first Gulf War), and it’s pretty surprising what people can get a hold of. I’ve seen folks wearing concert tee shirts from the US in some pretty odd places, and seen signs for US products in places where you wouldn’t think they even knew what or where the US is. I don’t think getting a flag would be all that challenging, if someone really wanted one. > > -XT Reminds me an onion article: _“African Child Loves His ‘World Champion Seahawks’ T-Shirt”_ [http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/african-child-loves-his-world-champion-seahawks-ts,5174/](http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/african-child-loves-his-world-champion-seahawks-ts,5174/) ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2011, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/24 "2011-05-07T22:07:22Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Only two countries in the world without Internet access: Myanmar and North Korea, but my info may be out of date and there may be more without it now. The authorities are worried. North Korea has internet, it’s just really, really strongly restricted and firewalled. In any case, if the North Koreans are burning flags I’d assume they were state-issued in that case specifically for burning. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/25 "2011-05-08T02:11:49Z")
Just what I was thinking. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/26 "2011-05-08T03:25:52Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > North Korea has internet, it’s just really, really strongly restricted and firewalled. I suspect if your name isn’t Dear Lieder, Dear Abby or Big Daddy, your Internet access is mostly fantasy. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/27 "2011-05-08T03:30:17Z")
Do they even burn American flags in North Korea? The demonstrations (propaganda) I’ve seen are less Anti-American than they are Pro-Korea. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/28 "2011-05-08T03:36:56Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > North Korea has internet, it’s just really, really strongly restricted and firewalled. So does Myanmar. ---
**Author:** ![JustinC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justinc/32/8083_2.png) [@JustinC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustinC)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/29 "2011-05-08T13:28:03Z")
They get them free with an ipad, android phone, Ferrari or Hummer. Geez, shopping in the ME is huge business - I’ve seen all of the above for sale in several countries around the Gulf. ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/30 "2011-05-08T13:59:27Z")
Come now, QSH’s reaction re internet was not entirely off base re buying flags. There’s precious little internet commerce in AFrica, Middle East (lack of secure payments, capital controls, etc). But I imagine for those wanting to burn the US flag, and desirous of genuine quality Chinese made American flags, they can go to the same flag store that sells the myriad flags to the hotels… Every two bit hotel has aspirational sets of flags out front, sourced from hotel service companies. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/31 "2011-05-08T14:06:45Z")
> [@wmfellows](#): > > Every two bit hotel has aspirational sets of flags out front, sourced from hotel service companies. It has occured to me that this may be the answer to where those protesters who use real flags (rather than just painting one on a piece of cloth) get the flags… and that every time you see one burning on your nightly TV news, some hotel manager is looking at an empty flag pole and thinking _Bloody hell, not again…_ ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/32 "2011-05-08T14:08:27Z")
> [@flodnak](#): > > It has occured to me that this may be the answer to where those protesters who use real flags (rather than just painting one on a piece of cloth) get the flags… and that every time you see one burning on your nightly TV news, some hotel manager is looking at an empty flag pole and thinking _Bloody hell, not again…_ Yup, same thought, for those not willing or perhaps clever enough to buy them, taking them off of some hotels… ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/33 "2011-05-08T14:20:08Z")
Why buy instead of steal from a place that has one on display? ---
**Author:** ![wmfellows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@wmfellows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wmfellows)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/34 "2011-05-08T14:48:41Z")
Morals? I don’t presume Anti American demonstrators in Middle East or Africa are thieves or the like. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/35 "2011-05-08T15:30:35Z")
I own shares in “Moammar’s Combustible Flags of the World, LLC” and I can tell you that profits have never been better. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/36 "2011-05-08T15:34:10Z")
“Great Satan Flag and Self Immolation Shoppe”. ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dbc845/32.png) [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_of_Lucan)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/37 "2011-05-08T15:59:11Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > In a first world country, I imagine there would be brick-and-mortar flag stores in large cities, just like in the US. Are there really stores in the US which sell only flags? That sounds really obsessive. A store of that kind would go broke fast in my country. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/38 "2011-05-08T16:14:57Z")
I have visions of a ballpark vendor walking through the angry mobs. Get your American flags here! Matches we got matches! Lighter fluid by the Litre 😛 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/39 "2011-05-08T16:27:01Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > Are there really stores in the US which sell only flags? That sounds really obsessive. > > A store of that kind would go broke fast in my country. There’s a store here in Tucson called Tucson Map and Flag Center whose main business is selling, uh, well, maps and flags. They’ve been in business for many, many, years. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041/40 "2011-05-08T16:50:33Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > Are there really stores in the US which sell only flags? That sounds really obsessive. > > A store of that kind would go broke fast in my country. Yup. There is one in Reno, Nevada called “The Flag Store”. They sell lots of international flags too but I’d guess 50%+ of the business is selling US flags. The only place I have seen with as many national flags as the US was North Korea. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-do-us-flag-burners-in-the-middle-east-get-their-flags/581041.md?page=3)