China Gives U.S. the Goods

Bunches of toys and some other stuff manufactured in mainland China have been recalled over the past several months-- 80 000 flashing pacifiers, 274 000 defective fluorescent shop lights, 55 000 imported Fisher Price toys-- pet food ingredients, batteries, and tires raised initial concerns starting in March.

The state of California has filed a lawsuit. Chinese toy manufacturers are wanting to sue as well.


Meanwhile I have to wonder: Is the Chinese government trying to kill us? The more benign explanation is inadequate standards and cost-cutting measures in Chinese factories. Chinese factories are privatizing. The mediacs want us to believe that is at the crux of the problem. That's nice but how does a date rape drug wind up in Aqua Dots? 21 million toys made in China were recalled this summer and the Chinese toy makers are insulted enough to consider suing? Give me a break peeps.

It was bad enough when kidney failure was one of the side effects of the pet food ingredients from China, bad enough when a shop lamp from China can explode. Now babies risk choking on detaching pacifiers and little kids can be hurt by lead and a date rape drug. Stop it. Boycott all Chinese goods. It just might be safer.

Call me reactionary. I do not care. None of the kids on our list are getting anything made in China. So be it then.

I know toys from other places get recalled. I point out that the amount of stuff from China getting recalled is obscene. We are getting crap from China. Crap that is potentially injurious to the health of U.S. citizens. I don't think that we should have to put up or shut up on this one. Don't buy anything from China. It just might kill you or your offspring. Let Chinese factories come up with a definitive plan of action if they wish to keep exporting to the United States. Let them implement said plan, get the lead out, eliminate the harmful ingredients. Until we have proof that what is coming to our shores from China is safer than it has been since the spring, I am spending my cold green American cash on American goods.

radical sapphoq

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gQ7dKIXx1kLxgzGPaDLMv3nn_M0gD8T2EDI00

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/340661_toys22.html

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071121/BUSINESS06/711210415/1019

LEFT BEHIND ETERNAL FORCES 12/13/06

One organization has started a write-in campaign against Walmart for selling a video game which it charges is violent. Left Behind: Eternal Forces, based on the christian "Left Behind" book series written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins, is sent in post-rapture New York City. Players in the video game have to witness to unsaved non-believers in an attempt to convert them to born-again type christianity. Players also participate in battles in which unbelievers are killed. "Soul Points" must be replenished by prayer after these battles.

While I do not particularly relish the plot behind Left Behind: Eternal Forces, I also recognize that a company has the right to sell a video game without my censure, that parents have a right to decide what video games their kids will play, what religion their families will practice, what ideologies their kids will be taught. People also have the right to decide where they wish to shop or not shop, support or boycott, write a protesting e-mail or not. I will choose not to purchase the video game, not to purchase any of the books-- I have read them at a bookstore or somewheres and I was not impressed,-- and to continue to shop at our local Walmart because prices are low and cheap is good. I have not actually seen or played the particular video game being targeted by DefConAmerica.

DefConAmerica is an organization that defines itself as being anti-religious right. What I found at their site was inflammatory language describing their stance on various issues. Some phrases I read were things like:

"We cannot let religious zealots turn back the clock on civil rights, privacy, scientific progress, and quality education."

and on the same page:

"breaking all the rules", "preventing scientific advancements", "proselytize or to infringe."

The emotional language cheapens their arguments concerning:

Federal Courts

Stem Cell Research

Right to Privacy

Separation of Church & State

End of Life Decisions

Defending Science

The thing is, I agree with some of their ideas. I am in favor of glbt civil rights [Right to Privacy], Separation of Church and State [as written], and the teaching of evolution in science classes rather than intelligent design [Defending Science]. I am opposed to interference of any state or government interfering in my end-of-life decision making [Right to Privacy].

And yet, I cannot support an organization which relies upon emotionalism to gather support from the masses. Nor do I condone the censorship inherent in deciding to target the removal of a video game from the shelves of a store.

radical sapphoq