Ohio State Fair bans sale of Confederate flag items
Following in the footsteps of the Illinois State Fair and the New York State Fair, the Ohio State Fair is saying a firm ‘no’ to the Confederate flag.
The flag has been a hot topic in recent weeks since a young racist killed nine people in a South Carolina church. (Photos associated the shooter and his views with the flag.) Since then, opponents of the flag have been vocal and active. Major retailers have moved to end sales of items that depict the Confederate flag. The TV Land network has pulled reruns of the series The Dukes of Hazzard due to the flag’s appearance atop the show’s iconic car, the General Lee. And the state of South Carolina moved to remove the flag from the state’s capitol grounds. Some of these reactions have been praised more than others. The South Carolina state capitol action for example was greeted with much fanfare. The canceling of The Dukes of Hazzard was viewed by many as being over the top.
Officials with the Ohio State Fair have sent a letter to incoming merchants saying that “any vendors found to be selling any items featuring the image of the confederate flag will be asked to promptly remove those items.” The move continues the fair’s “long held policy that prohibits the sale of merchandise that contains offensive wording, lettering or graphics.”
The 2015 Ohio State Fair begins its run July 29th and goes through August 9th. (jj)
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