We like dim sum
On my way to court yesterday NPR ran a story about a nuclear (non-native, non-african, non-{east, south, west}-asian) family which spent the past year not buying anything made in China. It was slightly enlightening to learn that most drip coffee makers and blenders sold in the US are made in China, we don't use either as we're off-grid, and her family's "adaptations" to avoid replacing each sounded odd, childish.
We avoid all food products which contain gluten, when shopping for Sam, and that provides us with a "unique multi-year consumer shopping story", and as gluten makes Sam ill, not a made up one. But the NPR story was a made up story. A "Nothing from China" preference isn't a personal necessity, and it isn't an academic necessity.
What could motivate such behavior?
Why would NPR give it air-time?
To find out, read Zuky's Food, Racism, Capitalism.
Comments
I cannot even listen to NPR any more. The Bush administration managed to destroy that great institution, too.
Posted by: A Portland Web Designer | July 20, 2007 03:28 AM
I did not hear the NPR story, but my paper The Dallas Morning News ran the story on the woman and her family a couple of weeks ago. Their "stand" against Made in China raises some legitimate issues, but that's not what this family is selling. I don't shop at Wal-Mart, but many of my daily life, household machines, tools, and lots else are manufactured in China. I'm not overly concenred about the label on a product. I'm more interested in what Consumer Reports has to say about the model. If their recommendations end up originating from China, Latin America, USA, Europe, whatever, I'm after value for money. On the other hand, I am concerned about the erosion of our economy's manufacturing base, erosion of union power, unfair free trade agreements (both sides), lack of political support both political parties for either. But I don't recall any of that coming up in the newspaper article. I recall their reason for boycotting being mostly God Bless the US of A, an undercurrent of xenophobia and maybe worst.
It's interesting when I am in conversations with people about the economy, especially right-wing reactionaries (my in-laws included unfortunately) and foreign products come up. It's all why can't we build it in the US and the good ol'days and those damn foreigners. When I bring up manufacturing base, politics, unions, free trade, and China's crucial purchasing of our debt, their eyes glaze over. And so it is with this family. Boycotts can be an effective protest tool, but this is a little too much biting the hand that feeds you. I don't recall them telling readers to boycott Wal-Mart or support unions. It's a human interest story, no more than sitting atop a flagpole for 60 days. And that's why NPR did the story.
Posted by: Todd | July 20, 2007 10:34 AM
gluten may make a person ill in one of the following situations more than most in fact 1- associated with monosodium glutamate 2- associated with plant gatheriing among toxin subsuurface 3- associated with can benzene 4- associated with gmo insulation 5- assocated with preserveed food from before 9.8.01 6- assocaited with a community garden above deactivated miasile silos
Posted by: Hi Sam | July 20, 2007 01:14 PM
The Chinese 'products' which concern me most are those which are 'consumed' orally (including toothpaste, mouthwash, candy). Before the melamine in wheat sent from China to the US used in pet food manufacturing, I was unenlightened about how many of our foods for human consumption contained ingredients from China. These include most of the frozen, flour 'dusted' shrimp which are used in restaurants, and apple juice which is blended with US and other countries' juices. There is currently no requirement for food manufacturers and distributors/sellers to list the origin of all ingredients. I don't know if China uses DDT in its orchards or if the apple juice is really apple juice and I can't figure out how to avoid these potentially hazardous if not life threatending food products.
Posted by: Annie | July 22, 2007 09:09 PM