A lesson for the Chinese

[donnap99]

Just received this - the "campaign" is May 1 - June 1.

 

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While the Chinese held our plane and its crew hostage, (they are free now, thank the Lord) presumably to get more time to inspect the plane, the media wrangled its hands and criticized the BushAdministration for perceived errors. Yet 70% of Americans believe tha t   the trading privileges afforded to the Chinese should be suspended.



Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?

DO IT YOURSELF!!



Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says   "Made in China" or "PRC" (and that now includes Hong Kong), simply  

choose another product or none at all. You will be amazed at how  dependent you are on Chinese products, however you will be equally

amazed at what you can do without.

 

Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? If you must  have eggs, use real ones and benefit some American farmer.



Easter is just an example, the point is ... do not wait for the  government to act. Just go ahead and assume control on your own.   If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods,  that a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor...fast!!

 

The downside?

Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch from  having foreign stockpiles of inventory. The solution, let's give them  fair warning. So, we will not implement this UNTIL May 1, and we will  only continue it until June 1. That is only one month of trading  losses, but it will hit the Chinese for 1/12th of the total or 8% of their American  exports. Then they will at least have to ask themselves if the benefits  of their arrogance and lawlessness were worth it.



Remember, May 1 to June 1.  Show them we are Americans and NOBODY  can take our people and hold them.

 

[gertilda]

And what would America do if they caught Chinese SPY planes (remember, we were SPYING on them) in American airspace?  Say OK, here's your folks, here's your plane untouched and unexplored?  Please, we Americans have such a high and mighty attitude when it comes to our people.  We would have done the same thing if the situation was reversed.  There was a news story about a Russian plane that landed in the US--the government sent the plane back to its own country alright--in crates and boxes.  Completely disassembled and analyzed.



The Chinese didn't harm our people.  They are trying to protect their country.  We don't rule the world.  Get over it.

[radaro]

Yay! Gertilda.  Right on the money.  But at the same time Donna, you may wish to buy American anyways.  Don't wait for an international crisis to support your neighbours and help them to keep their jobs.



 

[donnap99]

We were in international air space when we were harrassed by the Chinese pilot.  By the letter of international law, we did nothing wrong until their pilot messed up our plane.  At that point, yes, we had to land somewhere...



Buy American?  Of course I do!  But some people need a reason to look at what they buy, so I shared.

 

[goldenearring]

Donna, I lean toward your way of thinking, with the exception that even though the Chinese pilot was definitely guilty of harrassing our plane, it is very sad that he was killed.  He may have thought he was invincible; he learned he was not.  His wife and his son will have to live with that for the rest of their lives.  Praise God that he didn't take anyone with him!  I think the entire incident was handled well, even though it did take too long.  In view of the way Americans are viewed, even though we pour out billions of dollars to help other countries every year, I think it was a good way for the Chinese government to save face.  And, I think that slowing down the pace to less than the typical American expectation of have it my way, microwave/drivethrough-NOW demonstrated to all the world that we do work with others.



I truly admire the patience of the families of the American crew, and the positive attitude of the crew members I did see speak about the incident.  We certainly don't need to antagonize relations with China, anymore than they already are.  (I suspect the proposed missile defense system will do a good enough job of that.)  I agree that we need to buy more "in-house" goods, and I appreciate the reminder to slow down and look at where my purchases came from before I plop down the cash.  [As an aside:  I do not agree that we should try to keep China from getting the 2008 Olympics, though, because of this plane incident.  But, it makes me giggle that Paul Wellstone and Jesse Helms actually agree on anything; that's got to be a history-maker!]

[gertilda]

And American pilots don't harrass other planes in international airspace?  Please, let's have a dose of reality from anyone who's had any experience in the Navy (or any military)--Americans think they rule the world and are allowed to make all the rules.  This is not the planet of the USA.



And let's not forget the fact that we only know what the government wants us to know--do you seriously think that we were in international airspace with a spy plane?

[yankeestarbuck]

THere has to be some type of radar tracking tape that we have that we've used to prove where we were.  A GPX can easily prove where the plane was, and hard evidence most likely was presented.



As for this nonsense that we haven't gotten our plane back, there is no top secret info on that plane.  The computers and interpreting equipment is all there is.  The info was either transmitted or destroyed.  Our sailors had 20 minutes in descent and then at least 10 more before the Chinese soldiers boarded.  Plenty of time to slick the drives.  Now, it's just a priciple thing keeping the plane.  And I really don't think we're making it any better resuming the fly-overs.



My fiance ran those missions in the Navy, but in Europe and served with 3 of the former captives.  He assured me, the equipment we use is powerful enough to be able to gather the info we wanted without entering Chinese air space.  We should get our plane back and let this finally be done.

[workerbee]

ever since they slaughtered nearly 1,000 of their own students in Tiannammen Square.  THEY HAVE NO HUMAN RIGHTS POLICIES!



Don't kid yourself - the money you pay for goods made in China does not go to the workers.  It goes into the pockets of the people who are exploiting these workers.



In my own solitary way, I am protesting this situation by not giving them my hard-earned money.  I feel that we shouldn't have any trade with China until they adopt basic human rights policies.



Elaine