ACORN

[--Pete]

Hi,

You could buy items made in America because then you would have a reasonably certain answer to all those questions.

Two things wrong with this. The first is assuming that there is even a non-Asian source for many items. In quite a few cases, that happens not to be true. Items of apparel come to mind, for example. So the choice may not be between American made and imported but rather between buying or not buying. Until the global warming (and repeal of public obscenity laws) makes nudity practical, I'll continue to buy.

The second thing wrong is that even if the end product is made in America, how can we know where the components come from? At what point would you hold me blameless? I have a KitchenAid mixer. Among its components is a motor with copper wire windings. Now, it could be that that wire is made in whole or part from recycled copper. So, lets say that a set of cymbals was thrown into the pot. That set of cymbals was made in the orient from copper scavenged from a derelict ship by child labor. Is it your contention that the ethical thing to do is to not purchase that appliance? If so, is there *anything* that it is safe to purchase?

Whoops, edit to add a third thing. In the '50s there were sweat shops in the garment district in New York City that used child labor under unhealthy conditions. I don't know that that has changed. All the items made there were 'Made in the USA'.

You could even bestir yourself to follow the provenance of the goods you purchase.

Right. Because it is so easy to determine where the leather, glue, thread, cloth, metal, etc., on a pair of shoes at Costco or WalMart came from.

But you cannot claim that because somebody else somewhere else does bad things, you are absolved because it didn't happen to your neighbours.

No. What we can claim is that there is no absolution required because we committed no sin in the first place. And we refuse to let you put that guilt on us.

--Pete