the american dream

Dear Americans of all ethnics bacground!

What's happening to the American Dream?
The American Values?
The American people?
WHAT is happening to this great nation?

Please take your time to read this, and THINK about it. I have thought about this for a whole year now.

I'm a legal Scandinavian immigrant of this great nation, and I have been travelling around the USA last year with my husband. As of course still acting as a tourist, I wanted to buy souvenirs, of all sorts from each state, and also to send back to Europe for gifts. I saw many nice things, but I noticed as I picked them up they were NOT MADE IN THE USA? Maybe you don't think about this..and it doesn't seem important, but as a "tourist" it's so off putting! You visit a country and want a souvenir from that country. I thought oh well, I'll find something else, I wanted it to say: "MADE IN THE USA" with the flag and everything, A true American made item. I was shocked, I couldn't find anything! All the cool stuff was either made in China, India, Mexico, Paraguay...etc. I couldn't believe it. I have nothing against those countries, but if I was in China and wanted to bring home a souvenir, I wouldn't want it if it said: made in Scandinavia right? What's the point?

After that, I looked real hard everywhere we went. But no luck. I asked myself why? There can only be one reason, I guess, and that is someone is thinking TOO MUCH of the green $ Bill. Not about the American Pride, American Values or the American people, but just to make as much money as possible.

Is it really necessary? Do we really need to be that "rich"? How about other values, than the green $ bill? Are they not important anymore? I guess no one thinks about this but if you do, it's kinda like some foreign country owns the USA economically? I don't like it one bit, I think it's sad.

It's not only happening in the USA I know it's happening all over, including Scandinavia. Everybody's so greedy. So what's the point of having souveniers? I think it's like cheating on the citizens of this country to have products made abroad. Maybe it's me being "old fashioned"? My husband and I began specifically looking for American made products, but it's not that easy. It's nice to know some western wear, tack and hats are still made in America, but for how long?

PS
Next time you are visiting a big store, try to see how many American Made items you can find? I found one wine glass.

Pia

Please vote on this article:

Currently3.05210420842/5 Stars
1
2
3
4
5

Votes: 499

Write a comment

Required fields are marked with *.

Anonymous
Posts: 2

Americans need to hear this
Reply #2 on : Fri May 16, 2008, 10:29:21

This is so true. Every american should read this article!

Jamie
Posts: 2

Well said.
Reply #1 on : Sat April 21, 2007, 00:09:30

Products made in the US are quite scarce.

Despite the high cost of fuel, it is still less expensive to ship raw material
oversea for processing and have the products shipped back. We can largely thank
WalMart for this. If you produce products for walmart, you are required to turn
over all your books to their HQ, they in turn read your statements and require
you to ship labor oversea.

If you want your products sold at walmart, you have to follow their rules. To a lesser
extent it is greed but I attribute much of it to simple laziness, apathy and greed
on the part of the american consumer. Yep.. you and me.

We don't care about these things, we want cheap inexpensive toys. Most of us don't care
how they are made. Most of us don't bat an eye at supporting a company that exploits
people. We simply don't care (or probably, don't consider it)

Some people even suggest that "raising the quality of life abroad" is a good
thing. What they fail to consider is that oversea companies pay just enough
for people to survive. Sure, they're better off in that they can live.. but now
they're trapped in an economic dependency with their employer.

We need to be more responsible as consumers. That means, not conducting business
with companies that treat their employees poorly and whenever possible, selecting
products made locally.

Personally, when shopping for goods, I generally check second hand stores first,
then antique shops and (sometimes) pawn shops. (although pawnbrokers tend to exploit
people in other ways)

Sure, the products aren't always made in the US, but at least you're keeping
some of that money in the US instead of proving to the greedy CEO's of these
large chain stores that their exploitation of human beings is acceptable.

Did I mention, buying second hand merchandise is environmentally friendly as well?

The other thing I do is literally WALK OUT of any establishment where I see a manager
treating an employee harshly.

It is hard to buy US made products, but we need to remember, we as consumers are the
critical half of the equation. Companies wouldn't do it if it didn't sell.