My neighbor was beside herself, couldn't believe what she just heard on the news from Diane Sawyer. "What is wrong with this country?" she exclaimed. Then, I'm not going to vote anymore. I am so disgusted.
Lie after lie, slap in the face after slap in the face, public apathy has reached new heights. Somewhere along the way, pride in our country -- in its ideals, its shining star of possibility -- has been replaced by money, by profits, by greed.
My neighbor's complaint: Our country's Olympic uniforms are made in China. According to Diane Sawyer's report, the Olympic Committee refused to discredit their sponsors, specifically Ralph Lauren, who provided the uniforms.
Now we all know the state of American jobs, the economy, the trying to get this country back on track. This latest gaffe was crass to the nth degree. Here we are sending a team off to compete, hopefully win some medals rooting for the best of the best, and sending them off in attire we couldn't even take the time or care to ensure what would be an American product.
Who screwed up? Did anyone even care enough to check? From the design of the uniforms to their manufacture, certainly many many people were involved who could have raised a voice and suggested perhaps the prudent route to take might be 'Made in America'. Is this the ultimate corporate insult? I am sure no one can intimate that these uniforms could not have been made in the USA. Certainly there still exists clothing manufacturing and many competent companies I am sure who would have been willing to supply or sponsor the uniforms.
So how did they end up being made in China? Honestly I think nobody gives a damn. Nobody involved had the thought that maybe, just maybe the patriotic path might be to clad our winners to be in a product as authentic as them. If Ralph Lauren manufactures in China, so be it, then that's where these uniforms were coming from. End of story. End of pride. End of America as it was, a country birthed in the highest ideals, where everyone has a shot at the 'dream,' a country that could change its ways, come to grips with itself and be better.
I hope this latest insult might be a good thing. We have gone too far in a direction that lead our country to economic ruin with promises of houses and prosperity and winning wars, only to wake up and realize it was all a lie. Saddled with the crimes of the previous administration, these same perpetrators now expect a miracle to occur and the good times to roll.
What's wrong with our country is we stick our head in the sand and then expect everything to be great. This is a country of the people, for the people, by the people. Wake up, America. Don't give away your rights to anyone with enough money to buy your opinion. This wake-up call hits all of us in the gut. Let's start looking at what we're doing, what we're supporting, what we really want, and who we really are. These uniforms might be the ideal place to start.