I fully support the NRA, I have proved it with my money being where my mouth is. It is my privilege as a member and citizen of this country to let Wayne LaPierre know I prefer 'Made in USA'. It is your privilege to throw stones at me for doing so. That is the greatness of this country.
I did not upgrade to life because they offered a statue. I upgraded to Life because I want to support the NRA. The point of my post is that we do have choices. An if we ask the NRA, whom I fully support (and showed said support buy saving for years to finally be able to afford a life membership), we can let them know that we would prefer to have our membership funds directed toward protecting the second amendment rather than giving any of it to China for promotional items. And should they want to purchase promotional items, we would rather have simpler USA made products than products that used to be made by the citizens of the USA.
I have been to China and Taiwan, as well as many other nations around the globe. The Chinese people are wonderful human beings, but their government is not. They do not play fair, they do not treat their citizens fairly, they promote the piracy of intellectual property, they provide the weapons terrorists need to continue unnecessary wars of aggression. Chinese citizens are not allowed to own guns of any kind. They should not be the source for a symbol of patriotism and freedom that the Minute Men stand for or that the NRA is here to protect.
I have watched our jobs move to China for many reasons. The primary reason is ourselves looking for the cheapest products while wanting the highest wages. But wages are not the only reason millions of manufacturing jobs have left the USA. Subsidized energy costs are a more significant factor since most manufacturing is automated regardless of where it occurs. Material costs are also subsidized in China. This is not playing fair.
After 35 years in the automotive components industry I lost my job (5 years short of retirement) to outsourcing. My former employer and many others shared our technologies with China with the hope of increased profit AND the hope of creating new markets for our products (more profit). This has been the characteristic of the USA since WWII. Americans rebuilt the world after the war, sharing technology, knowledge, finances and more. The USA was responsible for the rebuilding of Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, England. Our generosity was significant and continues as we help India, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, and most any country build their own sustainable economies, even if some of those countries have trade restrictions against us.
You find fault that I believe the NRA should not buy patriotic symbols from a nation that will use those monies against us? You find fault that I believe we should try to support our own economy?
Do I shop at Walmart, absolutely. Walmart is not the only retailer that sells Chinese goods. Everything they sell can be found at most other stores, it's funny to watch so many single out Walmart. Walmart sells a lot of 'Made in USA' items, as many as any other store I have visited.
Electronics are virtually all Chinese, as are most clothing, so of course I buy some of them. I choose to look at labels and IF possible buy from 'friendly' sources, preferring to buy 'Made in the USA'. If you want our economy to recover you should try it too.
By the way, Walmart profits stay in the USA. Walmart reinvests those profits in the fledgling American solar energy industry (primary owners of First Solar). Walmart is an American company that treats it's employees well regardless of what the propaganda of some say. I know personally, Walmart hired my children, paid them fairly, promoted them, gave them a chance to be self sufficient. And thank God because I lost my job and could not help them any more.
