Re: "Made in "Chaiwan!"
Nick D. Benson wrote
"And "getting it right" means more than the how the part performs.
It means a reasonable wage, (more than a dollar per hour), it
means safety standards for workers, reasonable working
conditions, health coverage, workers' compensation, etc, etc.
Show me that these benefits exist in Mexico or Asia, and I'll start
to buy "stuff" made there.
Now do you all get it?"
Geoff Love wrote:
"Oh Yes... If ever you go to buy an Indian carpet or rug, just think
about the six years olds who work 16 hours a day to weave them. Now,
would anyone like to start discussing de Beers?!!!
I could go on but I think I've blown my stack enough."
Excuse me, but how does our refusal to buy from these countries help the
workers there obtain the benefits you spoke of? If they don't have a job,
they sure as hell can't have safety standards, health coverage, workers comp,
etc. And the six year old working 16 hours a day - does he and his family go
hungry if he doesn't work?
I'm sorry, Nick, but I don't get it. I personally would like to see everyone
in the world enjoy the standard of living we enjoy here in America, yet I
firmly
believe in "America First" if we have to make a choice. Do we have to make a
choice?
Even if the conditions in the third world countries aren't as good as here,
isn't
the first step to improve their economic conditions by providing jobs? Once
the jobs
are there, then they can take the steps we took here, with unions,
legislation, etc.
My only objection to buying overseas, other than quality, would be the
concern
that jobs are being lost here. If they are not being lost here, then it seems
to
me buying from these countries would benefit the world as a whole.
Yes Geoff, thinking about six year old working 16 hour days makes me blow my
stack too,
but I fail to see how killing the economy in these countries by refusing to
buy from
them can help the working people there.
I don't have the answers, but I don't think a boycott is appropriate. Surely,
there
must be a better way.
Dan Masters
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