Seek labels that say ‘Made in USA’

I spent a wonderful day touring Mount Vernon in Virginia. I loved George Washington’s home with the lovely view of the Potomac. The museum there is outstanding. After our tour, my husband and I decided to pick up a few gifts for friends and family. I spotted a lovely bowl for a friend who had dropped me off at the airport. The manager went in back to get one that was already crated. Imagine my surprise when he came out with the bowl in a box that was stamped in big letters made in China on the side. Seriously, here at George’s home?

I had just joined a group that pledged to buy American, so I left the bowl behind. I asked the manager why they had so many foreign goods in George’s shop (even the T-shirts were made in Bangladesh!) and he said people would rather pay a few bucks less even if it means getting cheaply made and maybe even toxic goods. What does that say about us?

In an interview, newswoman Diane Sawyer said that if every American spent just $64 more than normal on U.S.-made items this year, it would create something like 200,000 new jobs. If 200 million Americans each refuse to buy just $20 of Chinese goods, that’s a billion-dollar trade imbalance resolved in our favor!

Now, I know that it is not easy to find American-made goods. But I believe that we American citizens can become part of the solution. We do not need to depend on the government. We can stand up on our own by asking our stores to carry American-made goods. If we do not care enough, I guess we will get what we deserve: trashy, inferior, unsafe and even toxic goods.

Susan Merle Hoerauf

Prospect Heights