Will you avoid buying gear made in China now?

Boycotting a country because of what the prior government has done in the past is stupid, tremendously stupid. Are you boycotting until they make a time machine to fix it? Boycotting something due to their CURRENT actions you wish to change at least has some logic. I can’t believe some of you can’t grasp that. 

Ma Ja wrote:

And to your last line, that is just your conditioning.

It's adorable when those that have allowed themselves to become indoctrinated with ideas such as yours, want to talk to others about their "conditioning". 

What college did you go to?

check the stock portfolios of your congressional office holders and you might get an idea why talking about not supporting war is hip while simultaneously supporting it,  that's one of the little situations that exposes the hypocrisy of both liberal and conservative office holders that Trump has laid bare, it's why his opposition is uni-party based, like Mark Twain said, if voting made a difference they wouldn't allow it...

Jake Jones wrote:

Not to even consider the US as an egregious power that has committed atrocities against indigenous people of many countries including this one is indeed remiss.  Just because one has "surpassed" the other does not exonerate the lesser offender.

I agree. When it comes to buying choices, however, I think that China-made should be the last choice. The US and China aren’t equivalent abusers at this time. While there are many current compromises to our democracy, China has zero democracy. And, as I mentioned, a far greater portion of a purchase of China-made goes to the China government than US-made goes to the US government. 

Russ B wrote:

It's adorable when those that have allowed themselves to become indoctrinated with ideas such as yours, want to talk to others about their "conditioning". 

What college did you go to?

You're adorable, when you comment with absolutely nothing to contribute. The least you could do is provide an example of my indoctrination. I can promise you, no one is teaching any of the ideas I have. My thoughts are simply my own. I guess someone paying attention to the world and having some unique thought is mind blowing these days.

You're thoughts aren't unique kiddo, most young people think they understand the world, and that they somehow have figured out the secrets to make it a better place.

Ma Ja wrote:

Your argument is weak. If these "few crooked politicians" were not influential, maybe youd have a decent argument, but the reason why people blame the "entire US", is becasue they were our elected leaders.

And to your last line, that is just your conditioning. The same people that start wars for personal gain, are the same ones that need the majority of people to assume that deadly conflict is just part of the game, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. It's not.

So based on your logic people in countries we fight with are also atfault. 

We didn’t go to Iraq or afghanistan for the right reasons. But with your logic everyone there is responsible for the crimes their countries commit as well. 
Mali, Sudan and all of the other African countries that allow human genocide, slave trade are also full of people to blame correct and not innocent bystanders? Yeah, your logic doesn’t really hold up.

Ryan M Moore wrote: Boycotting a country because of what the prior government has done in the past is stupid, tremendously stupid. Are you boycotting until they make a time machine to fix it? Boycotting something due to their CURRENT actions you wish to change at least has some logic. I can’t believe some of you can’t grasp that. 

But the US literally is Hitler....

Meanwhile, South Park can’t even criticize China.
Trump and Bush have shirts with illustrations of them being shot (que Dead Kennedy’s rip-offs).But the same people on here would have thrown a shit if someone made a Obama shirt like that
They don’t need actual logic and why I can’t agree with their new “woke” culture. They pick a side and aren’t willing to discuss or be open to changing their mind when presented with facts

What a F#€kn’ dumpster fire

Nivel Egres wrote:

Same argument could be made with regards to Chinese human rights violations. Something along the lines of them trying to maintain order in the country and repressions on innocent people are just a form of collateral damage. 

In any case, I personally dislike both military adventurism (which has been a hallmark of the US politics for many years) and rights violations so common in dictatorships (China and Russia at the top of the list). This said, I don't know if it's possible to avoid using products made in China or the US.

If China had the lowest rates of pollution, poverty, etc, etc your argument would be somewhat relative. 

I don’t really see where China excels in better mankind in anyway other than creating cheaper products (which is still evil based on principle).
Unless we are talking about Scandinavia, I really don’t see what countries are doing much better than the US. But yet again Scandinavia is likeComparing NH, VT and Maine to the rest of the US. A bunch of homogenous white people living in harmony because there is very little to buttheads over. 

Nothing will change. Mind you, I have no where near the inner strength of the late California climber Galen Rowell, who showed up in Tibet handing out color photos of the Dali Lama (highly forbidden and you will go to jail if found with it on your possession) Below is from 2008 -still subjugated in 2019:

"Dear Friend,

The time has come for me to go to Tibet again. Last time when I went to Tibet in 1997 - after my graduation - I was arrested by the Chinese authorities, beaten up, interrogated, starved and finally thrown out of Tibet after keeping me in their jails for three months in Lhasa and Ngari. I walked to Tibet, on my own, alone, across the Himalayan Mountains from the Ladakh.

Eleven years later, I am walking to Tibet again; this time too, without permission. I am returning home; why should I bother about papers from Chinese colonial regime who have not only occupied Tibet, but also is running a military rule there; making our people in Tibet live in tyranny and brutal suppression day after day, everyday for fifty years.

The Year 2008 is a huge opportunity for the Tibet movement to present the injustices the Tibetans have been subjected to, when China is going to attract international media attention. I am taking part in the return march from Dharamsala to Tibet, that is being organized as a part of the "Tibetan People's Uprising Movement", a united effort put together by five major Tibetan NGOs: Tibetan Youth Congress, Tibetan Women's Association, Gu-Chu-Sum Movement of Tibet (an association of former political prisoners), National Democratic Party of Tibet and Students for a Free Tibet, India.

The march will start on 10 March 2008, from Dharamsala, the capital of Tibetan exiles and will pass through Delhi and then head towards Tibet. Walking for six months, we might reach the Tibet border around the time China opens the Beijing 2008 Olympics (August 14-25). Presently it's too early to approximate at which border point we would be crossing; Tibet and India share a border that runs 4,075 Km along the length of the Himalayas. We might choose any point, or even multiple points. We'll see the situation.

I know there had been similar attempts in the past, but this is 2008, and I have seen the organizers working extra hard with strategic planning, taking care of every minute detail, and the best thing is that we have all the NGOs working unitedly for the common goal. This unity is our strength! I do not know where we would end up, that's why I am giving away the little collection of books (my only possession in life) to a library at is being setup in McLeod Ganj, Dharamsala. My friends: Lobsang and Nyingje (who served in the Indian army as part of the Tibetan battalion) are also giving away their personal belongings; committing themselves for the march.

Of course the Indian police will do their duty; the Chinese army at the Tibet border would be overtly enthusiastic. Since we are leading a peaceful march, with absolute commitment to non-violence, I do not think anyone - either from Indian authority or Chinese - would impose themselves on us. Inspired by Gandhi's Salt March, even if they did try to stop us, we are not stopping. For how many days can they jail us for just walking peacefully? And why should the Indian government stop Tibetan refugees voluntarily returning home on foot?

In the past I have climbed buildings to shout for freedom, thrown myself at the Chinese embassy gate in New Delhi, spent months in jails, got beaten up police, fought court cases, but I never lost the dignity of the struggle: my believe in Non-violence. The March to Tibet will be non-violent; it is a sadhana, a spiritual tribute to the truth and justice that we are fighting for. This is our Long March to freedom.

And on our journey home, we will cook and camp in tents on the roadside, there will be the marchers and the support marchers, the kitchen team, logistics, media and the medical team. There will be dancing and singing, and theatre and film shows on the road as we take this long journey home.

Here is an opportunity to join a historic non-violent freedom struggle, a people's effort to win freedom for a country that remains subjugated even in 2008. I request you to join us, support us in whatever ways possible. We need people to know about it, so spread the word. You can walk with us, as we walk for six months, maybe you can join us for a day along the path, even one hour, or for a week, months as a supporter. Schools, colleges and even whole town can walk with us. We need volunteers, media people, writers, photographers, bloggers can help us. We need nurses, cooks, technicians and your prayers.

Ever since the march was announced on 4th January 2008, Tibetans have been talking about it; it's a major discussion in the refugee camps. Recently the organizers launched the entry form. And I heard people are slowly getting themselves registered. You too can register your volunteer online. For more information please visit: TibetanUprising.org For enquiries email the coordinators: Lobsang yeshi or sherab woser

Join us.
Tenzin Tsundue

Dharamsala "

Ross Goldberg wrote: Anyways I know we have deviated from the subject.

Misty Mountain also manufactures in the U.S. and someone above mentioned Metolius.

I forget the name but there is a Russian company that makes ice gear, not sure what their current humanitarian situation is but it isn't China.

EDIT: and how can I forget, FISH is also a great U.S. gear manufacturer

EDIT 2: Sterling Ropes are made in the U.S. as well

Bluewater is made in Carrollton, GA. 

ChrisSwicord wrote:

Bluewater is made in Carrollton, GA. 

https://www.americangearguide.com/american-made-directory/climbing-gear-made-in-usa/

Insert name wrote: While I agree Iraqi civilian (or any civilians)were innocent, they were collateral damage of war. They were never the intended target.

Collateral damage is a benign sounding term but can it really be applied to carpet bombing a country, (shock and awe). Tens of thousands of bombs were dropped on Iraq and any true analysis would have predicted that far more citizens, (mostly women and children) were going to be killed than combatants. Those that planned these attacks committed war crimes, a crime that is rarely prosecuted if you win the war. 

Greg R wrote:

Collateral damage is a benign sounding term but can it really be applied to carpet bombing a country, (shock and awe). Tens of thousands of bombs were dropped on Iraq and any true analysis would have predicted that far more citizens, (mostly women and children) were going to be killed than combatants. Those that planned these attacks committed war crimes, a crime that is rarely prosecuted if you win the war. 

To those that sit at the big table, Yes.

You think anyone in the trade center or Vietnam was just collateral damage for a real objective?I have friends in Syria right now dragging people out of harms way, those people and my friends are just collateral damage on a big chessboard, because that’s how the world works.
I’m not Dehumanizing anyone, but no one in power gives a shit about those people or most Citizens. 

I only buy Made in Antartica.

Yet another example of the benefits of buying from manufacturers in the USA / Allies.
https://www.climbing.com/news/mystery-ranch-sews-face-masks-for-medical-personnel-on-the-front-lines-of-the-covid-19-pandemic/

and another  from wikipedia
In response to a tweet by a Houston Rockets' official in support of protesters in Hong Kong, and the NBA's support for freedom of expression, Anta Sports began a boycott of the NBA in October 2019.
Anta owns Amer Sports Oyj (formerly Amer-Yhtymä Oyj) is a Finnish headquartered sporting goods company with brands including Salomon, Arc'teryx, Peak Performance, Atomic, Suunto, Wilson, Precor, Armada, ENVE Composites, Louisville Slugger, DeMarini and Sports Tracker.

Outdoor research is also making masks.  As well as hyperlite mountain gear.  

tom donnelly wrote: Yet another example of the benefits of buying from manufacturers in the USA / Allies.

Allies? Looks more like everyone for his own! 
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/03/us/politics/coronavirus-trump-3m-masks.html

While reading through this tire fire of America-is-bad sentiment, I was reminded of this quote:

Sgt Antonio "Poke" Espera: Fifty percent of Americans are obese dog. You know what obese means, right? Fat as a motherfucker. All these other countries, nobody's fat. Think about this shit, dog. How does a motherfucker get fat? You gotta sit on the couch and do nothing but eat and watch TV all day. White trash, poor Mexicans and Blacks, all obese as motherfuckers. See, the white man has created a system with so much excess that even poor motherfuckers are fat.