MADE IN CHINA

My husband and I have been searching for and making a list of items made in the good ol' USofA and have compiled a very short list so far. I have found hunting gear, cowboy jackets and Amish furniture and quilts. Maybe some odds and ends items that few people buy.

When we go shopping we look at the labels of items we consider buying only to find MADE IN CHINA on almost everything anymore. Most items that are not made in China are made in Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh or some other third-world country where people are susceptible to exploitation because they are so poor and will work for practically nothing.

Dick Gordon, of The Connection of WBUR Boston states, "As China's economic power grows, so does the suffering of those whose sweat and blood fuels the country's economic miracle." Does anyone really care as long as they get those LOW PRICES on their low quality merchandise at Wal-mart and most other stores around the US? (Remember when Wal-Mart's slogan was MADE IN THE USA?) Who's to care if workers in China are exploited and children are made to be slaves as long as we can have MORE BARGAINS to buy and cram into our already overflowing closets and drawers. Even the American flags that people buy from their local stores to display proudly on their houses and flagpoles are made in China. (Take a close look at the flag in the photo above.) Does anyone care if Americans are losing jobs as factories are being closed and more and more companies are choosing to take their business to Chinese sweatshops across the sea?

Quality doesn't seem to be a factor anymore in today's throw-away world. If things break, they are cheap enough that we can just go buy another. Who cares that the garbage dumps are filling up with discarded appliances, electronics items and cheap toys and a large number of other things.

In additon to all those Chinese products that are being imported in the US, we are also getting added "bonuses" of exotic Chinese insects that sneak in shipping crates and boxes and upon arriving here devour our pine trees, eat our vegetation while multiplying and become uncontrollable pests!

What can we do? Write your congressmen, your senators, THE PRESIDENT, and buy American whenever you can. If we keep shopping at the stores who are the biggest Chinese importers, all of our complaining will fall on deaf ears because HUGE profits are being made by these companies and what's a little crying from the public if they are still buying items with the little Made in China stamp on them.