Dear FRIENDS AND FAMILY! I copied this from a friend's Facebook post, and I knew a few of you wouldn't be "available on Facebook" to share this with, so I copied and pasted!! This really made sense to me and wanted to share it... As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- Merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse... that, at gift giving time, nothing can b...e found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is! It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper? Seek out a local crafter, one of those homemade gifts that are unique and special and will mean something for years to come! Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Maybe a gym membership? Or a wonderful yoga class? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement. Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates. Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamin’s on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. There are bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks This isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running. OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes. Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre? Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands. Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip. You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US… and encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. Let's make THIS the new American Christmas tradition. Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other. Let's celebrate the birth of Christ and help each other! Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition!!!
These are things we do for each other all year; why wait until Christmas to give gifts? Presents are overrated, as is the Christmas card sending rut. I do love the Christmas season, but it is more about spending quality time with friends and family; the stress of present exchanging has been taken out of the equation. Yes, we do have children; they are grown and understand that visits with each other hold more value than what we can think of this year to meet a "gift" requirement. But I imagine if there is Santa Claus included in the festivities, that is another story. This is the time of year to cherish those you hold close to your heart. :grouphug:
A lot of people who cry about products made over seas "at the expense of American workers" don't really understad how many American workers would be affected by this so called "new American Christmas tradition". Think about it. What happens of we stop buying goods made by, or labeled by, foreign corporations? Well, what about all the workers at Best Buy, Wal*Mart, etc? Don't you care about them? How about Toyotas, Nissans, and other "foreign" car makers? Do you realize most Japanese cars are actually made in the US by American workers? How are they supposed to feed their families this holiday season? Computers? Lenovo is a wholly owned Chinese company, but the Lenovo laptop was made by US workers right here in RTP, possibly by your neighbour. Let's talk about those goods made by the local jeweler. Do you realize the items contain jewels and precious metals that come from Africa, Asia and South America, probably by underpaid "slave labour". Sure, buy from your local jeweler and support terrorists! In a nutshell, no matter what you buy, some money is going to hard working Americans and some is going to foreign corporations (who have their own equally hard working labourers that also need food and shelter). Christmas is not an American holiday, its a world-wide holiday. Why do some people feel the need to take a day that is meant to express love and sharing of good will and turn it into a competition of Us vs Them?
In the case of the two particular stores mentioned, they would still have jobs because the goods would be manufactured in the USA giving creating more jobs for more people here. Services as gifts would bring enjoyment to the recipient as well as giving business to someone local.
Unfortunately, due to the outsourcing of Manufacturing Jobs, by the time we build up our capabilities again to manufacture product again these companies would probably be out of business. Also, lets face it, like the crops rotting in the fields due to immigration crackdowns, most Americans don't want those jobs, at least not at the wages that would make the manufactures competitive. As Cliff stated the "Foreign" auto manufactures are in a lot of ways better corporate citizens then what was formally know as the Big 3. I speak of this as someone who has done work for the Big 3 and Toyota. Do not get me wrong, unless we turn things around and concentrate on Manufacturing rather than Service industries, this country will not survive.
Quote:"Let's talk about those goods made by the local jeweler. Do you realize the items contain jewels and precious metals that come from Africa, Asia and South America, probably by underpaid "slave labour". Sure, buy from your local jeweler and support terrorists!" I make pottery-the clay comes from NC so do the glazes I use and my kiln was manufactured in America,I wasn't but oh well.
That's only part of the Christmas holiday. Christmas consists of two holidays celebrated on the same day. The gift giving, pig out, tree decorating, yule log lighting day existed long before Christ was born and has nothing to do with the celebration of the birth of Christ. Similarly, the quiet, subdued, religious, sacrosanct holiday celebrating the birth of the Son of God has nothing to do with putting up lights and setting out wodden reindeer on your lawn. The fact that they both happen on the same day may not be all that coincidental, but the two should never be confused.
