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Tom G. Palmer

April 15, 2008

No Apology Appropriate, But Some Education in Economics Would Be a Good Idea

China demands apology from Cafferty

CNN should not apologize to a foreign state, but they ought to be embarrassed at having commentators who are as deeply ignorant of economics and of international trade accounting and finance as Jack Cafferty and Lou Dobbs.

FOLLOWUP NOTE: The nastiness of some of the comments that this short post generated tells us at least two important things: 1. Nationalism is ugly and dangerous, regardless of what flavor it is, whether “American,” “Chinese,” or something else; 2. People who live with a state-controlled media may have difficulty in understanding that one ignorant person saying one ignorant thing on one television network show does not mean that all Americans are ignorant or that the ignorant remark reflects the views of the American “nation” or of the American government.
FURTHER UPDATE: Upon further reflection (and after reading the comment by Liu), I wish to clarify my posting. I meant that CNN should not apologize to a state, either the US government or any other, for offensive or ignorant remarks by one of its commentators. But I do think that Mr. Cafferty should apologize for characterizing “China” as a “bunch of goons and thugs.” I gather that he did apologize for that terrible mischaracterization. It was nasty, ignorant, and inappropriate. In addition, his understanding of the nature of trade is deficient, to say the least.
Posted by Tom Palmer at April 15, 2008 9:29 PM | TrackBack
Comments

From what relatively little I've seen of him, Cafferty seems better than what he said. But then so do Stewart and Colbert, and they've rode the China-is-poisoning-us horse pretty hard over the last few months. (The Asians-are-buying-us meme is a mainstay too.) Pace Tom, I don't think the problem here is "ignoran[ce] of economics and of international trade accounting and finance" (though that's a problem too) but simple innumeracy. No one in the media has the faintest clue how to put any set of numbers into perspective. One set of recalls--even a bunch of sets--from a country with some 800 million workers almost certainly proves very little about the general quality of that country's exports.

On a broader note, when will CNN stop its insane campaign to represent the "common man"? Glenn Beck's frequent admissions that he doesn't know much about any issue should be grounds for, like, not having a show on CNN. Nancy Grace has literally been excoriated by a federal appellate court for misconduct. And at least every third anchor -- including Dobbs -- is a painfully obvious bottle blonde.

Posted by: L.R. at April 16, 2008 12:16 AM

Why CNN should not apologize to foreign state? Does it mean that CNN is only for U.S. people? Cafferty can make comment on foreign states but no need to bear responsiblity? What kind of logic?

Cafferty made a cruel comment that Chinese goods are "junk". He may think that the Chinese workers are only squeezed by Chinese governmnet, but he did not mention what the roles foreign buyers play in the process. Foreign comanpies, including American companies, are employing "cruel" buyers to squeeze every cent from Chinese manufacturers, which also means squeezing every cent from those Chinese workers. I know many merchanizers sourcing in China, they never feel guilty to ask the bottom of bottom price in very poor areas.

You may say this is part of market economics. But it is immoral to say cruel words at the same time when you get the benefits of cheap products.

Just his phrase "Chinese goods are junk" is more than enough to demand apology from Cafferty.

Posted by: CK at April 16, 2008 2:14 AM

fuck you,CNN and Mr. Cafferty

Posted by: a honest man at April 16, 2008 2:14 AM

How can this kind of comments came out of an educated person with an objective view? The answer is NO. He didn't even look like a human when he was through out those words. He verbally humiliated all Chinese on the TV. But end of the day, he humiliated himself and CNN. Cafferty is to me just an ill brain washed and human skinned animal, and CNN is no more than an extremely biased fake news agency which hires an animal to put up their ugly shows. Shame on you Animal Cafferty who does these sort of things on TV for a pay check.

As Chinese, we just need to keep working hard, and making us stronger. As a strong China is exactly what animals like Cafferty and their owners like CNN (and CNN owners) are afraid of. And we all know we China and Chinese are on the way to becoming a real super power. We are coming, no one can deny it and stop it.

If they are looking for an enemy, they should be very happy that they are getting one now. One who is sophisticated enough to shoot down their entire satellite system, one who is capable of cripple their financial system, one who has a quarter of a billion man can fight, and one who has fought usa twice, never lost, but only left its people miserable memories in Korea and Vietnam.

Posted by: D.Z at April 16, 2008 2:25 AM

any normal human know what CNN and Mr. Cafferty were saying. not all products from China are of low quality,and not all products from USA are good.

the fact:goons and thugs = CNN or Mr. Cafferty !

Posted by: a honest man at April 16, 2008 2:26 AM

I don't think CNN cares too much of Cafferty's comments until audience’s boycott of CNN's advertisers or products.

Posted by: Tim at April 16, 2008 2:27 AM

As a Chinese, I felt insulted and angry about Cafferty's comment, Its a racist comment, no matter whether is or is not directed to the government, its unacceptable, Cafferty should be fired for this, not only fired, but should be tried for racial discrimination.

Posted by: Kai Hin Yung at April 16, 2008 2:32 AM

Many Made in China goods are much worse/cheaper/uglier/inferior than comparable goods made in other civilized countries ... so, Chinese made goods are for most part cheap junk. Sorry ... that is the fact.

Posted by: Richard at April 16, 2008 2:41 AM

How dare he insult all the chinese on this planet. Chinese hv civilization over 3000 yrs.He said that the chinese export poison painted tpoys to the U.S. Does he bother to find out that The U.S govt. last may has past a new law on the regulation on the standard of painted item. Most of the "problem" toys had been manufactured before last may.Did he bother to find out that U.S. had export to china tainted ingredient for making milk powder.
Mr. Cafferty is demented.He spoke without using his limited intellgent. He ought to retired

Am really disppointed with CNN the dias untruthful reported. Don't bother to check the fact.They are worse than the tabloid

Posted by: Dorothy Doglioli at April 16, 2008 2:45 AM

what I can say is : you are arrogant and ignorant. civilized countries are not yours proprietary.

Posted by: a honest man at April 16, 2008 2:48 AM

"... should be tried for racial discrimination"

Where the race cames into play here ... political discrimination maybe. On the other hand, keep in mind that China is still run by a communist party elite ... the descendants of the goons and thugs that ruled the country 50 years ago.

Posted by: Richard agaiin at April 16, 2008 2:49 AM

Mr Richard:

I have been to westen countries. Have you been to China ?
you saw nothing.
what do you know?
what you know are from dishonest media like CNN.

Posted by: a honest man at April 16, 2008 2:57 AM

What's your point? What you and your travels have to do with the subject of cheap junk Made in China?

Posted by: Richard at April 16, 2008 3:00 AM

Richard, Like every person and country, China also produces junks and China sells most of its junks in the biggest junk yard ever -- usa. Most of people in the usa use and eat junks every day, it seems that they can't afford better goods even they work their butts off every day, most of them are living in debt. If you use junk, eat junk, then you are junk.
Richard, go home and count how many junks you have in your home, don't forget to count youself in.

Posted by: D.Z. at April 16, 2008 3:05 AM

Honestly, I am counting ... and getting rid of any Made in China junk I can find ... because it's for most part the junk that does not last long and it's waste of my money. I have learned and I am a very selective buyer now.

And you my friend ... go to Tibet.

Posted by: Richard at April 16, 2008 3:16 AM

I'm an overseas Chinese, i watch CNN regularly these past 3 years, particularly AC360. CNN has many remarkable and fair reporters, but this cafferty guy always has particularly distasteful and bias comments about china. have you been in china mr.cafferty? stay there for a year or two and you'll learn to respect our culture and you'll see how chinese strive to better themselves after been torn apart by western imperialism, or shut your bigoted big mouth.

Posted by: Huang at April 16, 2008 3:17 AM

"I don't know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different," Cafferty said. "We're in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They're holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We are also running hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dollar a month to turn out the stuff that we're buying from Wal-Mart.

"So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed," he said. "I think they're basically the same bunch of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years."

He issued a clarification of his remarks on Monday's "Situation Room," saying that

by "goons and thugs,"

he meant the Chinese government,

not the Chinese people.


It was unclear whether China's Foreign Ministry was aware of the clarification when it held the Tuesday news conference.

HE MEANT THE CHINESE GOVERMENT,NOT THE CHINESE PEOPLE ?!?????

EQUIVOCATE.

HOW OLD IS HE?

HOW CAN HE TEACH HIS GRANDSONS OR GRANDAUGHTERS SINCE HE IS SO RUDE TO CHINESE PEOPLE AND IRRISPONSIBLE TO HIS WORDS?

He ought to be ashamed of himeslf and what he said.

Posted by: CURIOUS at April 16, 2008 3:23 AM

It is clrar that Mr. Cafferty’s clarification on Monday is a poor excuse. If he did mean the Chinese government, he should say “I think it’s basically the same bunch of goon and thug it has been for the last 50 years." As an old Chinese saying “An ivery cannot grow from a dog’s mouth”, we cannot expect any genuine apology from a guy who’s held such deep hostility to China and ignorance of Chinese people, Mr. Cafferty should appology for the CNN viewers worldwide for his junk words, so does CNN, for the severe racial discriminate comments were deployed from the network.

Posted by: Mr. Lee at April 16, 2008 4:06 AM

dear Jack Cafferty, it seems that I am the only person who is willing to share with your pains and guilt. Too much anger is piling up against you.

I feel sympathetic with you because you, Mr. Cafferty, a beast under human skin, is so "amazingly" climbing up a human ethical height, and looking down upon the world, especially China, speaking proudly like God against Chinese people (Ooh, you say it is not Chinese people, but Chinese government. Anyway, you said it.)

Oh, MY GOD!!!

It is not easy for you to do that. As we Chinese keep passing down tradition and social ethics from thousands of years ago, we never see a single word describing such kind of animal. Does everybody around the world see that, out of different cultural background?

What a poor beast!!!

Posted by: Liu at April 16, 2008 4:25 AM

If we are to judge now with the same heart then when shall we understand truth and error? Then express truth with love??? If the world looks now in a mirror, we should stand ashamed at many many things, and yes amazed at times by genius, when will we see beyond words and actually see?

Posted by: yourtubeapostle at April 16, 2008 4:43 AM

IF chinese goods are junks , why US import so many goods for their people? coz they can make profit form this junks, they pay little, so chinese makes the junks for them.

Posted by: whojet at April 16, 2008 4:43 AM

If we are to judge now with the same heart then when shall we understand truth and error? Then express truth with love??? If the world looks now in a mirror, we should stand ashamed at many many things, and yes amazed at times by genius, when will we see beyond words and actually see?

Posted by: yourtubeapostle at April 16, 2008 4:44 AM

I hope more and more people come forward and say Chinese Products are junk, junk, junk.

I do not have to read something on this, all I have to do is my store full broken chinese electronics, toys, phones, PCs, some of it cleverly disguised in genuine products.

Please CNN, BBC, MSNBC, you have to be bold and come and say it again and again. It gives me pleasure for I have wasted a lot of money.

Posted by: Jahangir at April 16, 2008 4:48 AM

Chinese government should shut up. CNN doesn't care what Chinese government cares. Chinese should boycott the advertisers of CNN, such as cokocola and so on. That's the language CNN knows. We should use the slogan "cokocola supports CNN lying". That's the correct approach to let CNN stop lying and discrimination.

Posted by: helsinkitibet at April 16, 2008 4:51 AM

Jack Cafferty going die

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 5:01 AM

Jack Cafferty should resign, shame on you CNN!

Posted by: jiang dashuai at April 16, 2008 5:28 AM

没有调查就没有发言权,你们外国人有几个人真真了解中国?摸摸你们的良心吧。要不就公正的说话,要不就闭嘴!

Posted by: 中国人 at April 16, 2008 5:37 AM

Jack Cafferty is the son of bitch!

Posted by: Steven at April 16, 2008 5:39 AM

CNN and Cafferty = asshole

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 5:55 AM

Mr. Jack Cafferty had been crude to many govements doen't certify that his crudeness is morally right.

Can I repeat the CNN statement in the same way: Mr. Jack Cafferty will surely be a goon and thug, if he interpretes so.

CNN should apolagize to the Chinese people and Chinese government on himself or on behalf of Mr. Jack Cafferty.

Posted by: Guo at April 16, 2008 6:00 AM

Every mother will teach their children that they should process their thoughts before saying what they want to say. Jack Cafferty obviously never thought about the seriousness of his comment. He has upset the Chinese people and the Chinese government. His unprofessionalism and ignorance is inexcusable. He must apologise to the Chinese people and resign from his profession.

Posted by: JY at April 16, 2008 6:42 AM

Lol,the truth hurts them, doesn't it

Posted by: Phil at April 16, 2008 7:23 AM

It's about time someone came out and told the truth about Chinese goverment. Yes, America is stupid for having China hold are bonds and lends us money to fight two wars. It is also are falt that this country is held hostage to buy this junk that is sold at Walmart to fund them. The American people need to here the truth of what is really happing to this nation and start holding the US gorvement responsible for the mess they got this country into. The only resonse china is were it is by stealing tech. from the west. From weapons systems to cardesigns. We even school them from are Universities. There are many people that wrote on this blog about how he should be fired for his remarks. If these people live in America they should be ashamed. This country was built on freedom of speech! If you start firing people for speaking there mind then you to are living in a socialist goverment like China.There are other people that wrote how the US is steal feeling the pain form the Korean War. This person dosen't no how close China was from being wiped of the face of the earth if general MacArthur had his way. The truth is the U.S. is in the back seat and China is driving. The only one to blame for this is are own govermental policies.

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 7:48 AM

Hey, Jack Cafferty, YOU ARE NOTHING!

You are a TOTAL LOSER.

-- A loser who will never be able to bathe in the sunshine of tomorrow.

-- Tomorrow is when China will be No.1 superpower of the world.

Posted by: Liu at April 16, 2008 7:56 AM

Are you well educated by you mother? If someone said you are a goons and thugs,how do you feel.I think you and Mr.Cafferty are not appropriated educated by your mother, or it is your family tradition, a kind of tradition of family of goons and thugs.If he has no skill to speak on TV,he should shut up and go away.

American rubbish.

Posted by: Yongli Han at April 16, 2008 8:12 AM

If you support freedom of speech, you should support the rule of supply/demand and freedom of market. When you complain about the cheap products, ask yourself who forced you to purchase them? Your local vendors/retailers believe that you need those junk products, i.e. the demand, therefore they request the same from China and import/supply to you.

Before you accuse China of "stealing the Western technologies", go and find out who brought the technologies into China in order to gain BIG profit out of it.

Globalization is an unavoidable trend. Open up your eyes and use your brain to understand that every thing/event/business transaction/political activity .... is not one-way nor two-way. It is multiple-say and interactive.

Posted by: Ava at April 16, 2008 8:34 AM

To the one who has no name:
>It is also are falt that this country is held hostage to buy this junk that is sold at Walmart to fund them.
You claim your country is free, so in a free economy, we sell junks and you buy, fair enough, right? Our junks are customized for junk people and we thrill in a market economy, because there are enough junk buyers in your country.

>The only resonse china is were it is by stealing tech.
The piece of land you are standing on is robbed from its real owners. The county you live is built on generations and millions of black people's blood and tears. You have nothing but shame.

>If these people live in America they should be ashamed.
I went to usa with great respect and admiration years ago, I left it when I discovered it is a country full of hypicrate. It was a good decision to leave.

>This person doesn't no how close China was from being wiped of the face of the earth if general MacArthur had his way.
There is no "IF", only loser talks about "IF", there is only reality. Your country can't even handle Iraq, and you dare to challenge China? Why your government doesn't dare to act like you and other animals in your country? Because your government knows better than you. We know who we are and do what we do. The fact that usa invaded Iraq for so called WMD, but doesn't dare to tuch China who really has pail of WMD, precisely proved my point.

Posted by: D.Z at April 16, 2008 8:36 AM

Cafferty is wrong because what he said is not the truth.

In fact, he is really a foolish and stupid man.

CNN is a low level company because the company produce a lot of garbages for the world.

Posted by: Cafferty at April 16, 2008 9:06 AM

This guy is causing a war between Chinese and Western people, within 20 years you will know what you are losing now.

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 9:17 AM

how stupid you are,Cafferty!You are a big trouble-maker in the world,as you made 1.3billion chinese angry.

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 9:30 AM

cnn ,ALL OF YOU GUYS ARE BASICALLY THUGS & GOONS, sons of bitches!idiots!!!the worst type of creatures on this earth!!

OH!It was not my intent to cause offense to anyone who interpreted my words in some way else!

Posted by: a chinese at April 16, 2008 10:20 AM

that is the Western people do ,say things they do not understand.that is kind of silly!!

Posted by: L.Z at April 16, 2008 10:22 AM

Mr. Richard -

I feel sorry for you because you are narrow-minded, not educated. I feel sorry for the western society to have people like you.

CNN is a low class company. P

Phil, you think what Cafferty said is true? Let me tell you what the truth is - You live in a comfortable home , and you think it is the world, you have never been out of your country and even your county, how dare do you talk about international affair, it is not game you can play, you are not eligible as you simple do not have enough knowledge, go back to your backyard, do some yardwork, work in your garden, live in your "world" and shut up. Do not embarrase your country and your people

Posted by: LoveChina at April 16, 2008 10:58 AM

How do yo know? Nobody here knows anybody participating in this discussion ... the personal attacks are just a sign of weakness of soul of the attacker and not a valid argument.

Is that propaganda arguments and personal attacks the best that raised in China people can do? Who would think, civilization over 3000 years ...

Posted by: Richard at April 16, 2008 11:35 AM

I am willing to presume the majority of American are friendly towards China and Chinese. Have you guys ever heard Chinese Ecnomic Nuclear Bomb? Pls remember China is holding over trillion US treasure bill and if they dump one day into US market. Everything is over for US.

Posted by: Anfernee at April 16, 2008 11:42 AM

To Caffety - you are a piece of trash/junk! get back to the place you ought to be!
To CNN - you have lost permanently an audience who has watched your news program for 10 years!
To whoever advertising with CNN - think about the consequence of associating with this piece of trash/junk!

Posted by: W at April 16, 2008 11:48 AM

On behalf of our chinese community, an apology is unacceptable.
The simplest thing is to request CNN Bastard to resign at once!
Otherwise CNN will be erase from my TV list forever!

Posted by: AM at April 16, 2008 12:11 PM

Oh, grow up and stop whining. Why do most of you reside oversees? Enjoy ... or ... get your fat asses from the comfortable American/Western apartments/flats/homes, go back home, and help improve some of the junk Made in China:

http://www.google.com/search?q=junk+made+in+china

Over and out!

Posted by: Richard at April 16, 2008 12:19 PM

My apology to the Cafferty family, American people, and American news organizations
I think Jack Cafferty is basically the same goon and thug he has been for the last 50 years. He behaved exactly like such a goon and thug on April 9 when he faked as a commentator during a junky show on poisonous CNN.
I am aware of concerns about my comments related to Jack Cafferty and CNN in the context of his foregone stupid mouth exercise and its circus show, which I just made a moment ago.
I would like to clarify that it was not my intent to cause offense to Jack Cafferty and CNN, and would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way.
I am a person that reports the news in an objective and balanced fashion. However, as part of my coverage I also employ myself as a commentator who provides robust opinions that generate debate.
On this occasion I was offering my strongly held opinion of Jack Cafferty and CNN, not the Cafferty family and the American people, not all US news organizations – a point I am clarifying immediately after I made the comments.
It should be noted that over many years, I have expressed critical comments on many people and many news organizations, including the American people and its leaders, and American news organizations and their managers.

Posted by: I at April 16, 2008 12:34 PM

CNN followers, if you go to China and have a real understanding about the contemporary China, you guys would feel ashamed of what you said. We Chinese respect your culture, pls be kind and generous to respect ours!

Posted by: Scarlett at April 16, 2008 1:20 PM

CNN followers, if you go to China and have a real understanding about the contemporary China, you guys would feel ashamed of what you said. We Chinese respect your culture, pls be kind and generous to respect ours!

Posted by: at April 16, 2008 1:21 PM

There are so many poor people! sorry, I mean, poor Americans, like Cafferty and Richar. one person is poor when he never have his brain....

Posted by: Yi Cherry at April 16, 2008 2:08 PM

Interesting how many are acting like thugs and goons in this debate...

Posted by: Knud at April 16, 2008 2:59 PM

I don't think it a good idea to have Chinese government stepping in. The idea of free speech in US is GOVERNMENT SHOULDN’T interfere with freedom of speech, press, and assembly, as long as they are peaceful. Now CNN can easily make itself a martyr to defend communism Chinese government’s stifening, which will be quite popular amongst western people and media.

Since there are already so many Chinese people individuals (close to 50,000 yesterday on the petition website yesterday afternoon) signing up to express their concerns out of free will, it should bring CNN certain pressure already. What we need to do next is, as long as Cafferty is still on air, we should write to the companies sponsoring his show one by one, telling them to take off the commercials and we’ll post the list of his advertisers periodically in every Chinese forum.

Posted by: Min at April 16, 2008 4:13 PM

Jack Cafferty should have told the truth: All Tibetan Chinese who are supporters of the Dalai Lama have basically behaved as goons, terrorists and foreign agents in the past 50 years.

He is certainly entitled to his opinion that all China-made products are "junk." I just want to remind him that these products are made to order for the greedy American companies and profiteers.

Posted by: Tom Cheng at April 16, 2008 9:08 PM

Dear Americans(Especially Jack Cafferty ),
I am very dispointed with your infantility, stupidity,all of you guys don't know what's going on in China, Have you ever been in China, I suppose not. Then I will invite all of you come to China, to see the real China,then you will know you've been deceived by your media and newspapers for so many years, and you will know how stupid you were.
Welcome to China!

Posted by: Chinese at April 16, 2008 9:15 PM

Dear Americans(Especially Jack Cafferty ),
I am very dispointed with your infantility, stupidity,all of you guys don't know what's going on in China, Have you ever been in China, I suppose not. Then I will invite all of you come to China, to see the real China,then you will know you've been deceived by your media and newspapers for so many years, and you will know how stupid you were.
Welcome to China!

Posted by: Chinese at April 16, 2008 9:15 PM

Jack Cafferty

I would like to say something about your comments on China.

About products from China, do you really know how much control Chinese have on the production process? For a start, it designed by your fancy people, which cause most of the problems. Then your fancy people use a contractor which is often from a developed country, and they control the materials used in the production. Plus the materials are more likely controlled by another contractor. Your fancy people have quality control persons over the whole process. Although they are made in China, how much control would you recommend for the Chinese?

If you are really concerned about the pay for those workers, you probably need to look at this example: for a pair of Nike shoes that worth $100, how much would you think Nike pay for the manufacturing cost? If I tell you it is just less than $2, what would you say? The Chinese people do not like money? You are such generous on making your comments, you could ask your companies to be generous too! Next time when you enjoy the low price, try to think about this – actually you live on them.

From your and the infamous CNN’s (in my opinion, anyway) reaction, I understand that you may think that shifting your target to the government of China could justify your comments. All I could say is that your poor perception justify yourself on everything. With your culture prejudice, you would be an absolute idiot outside your cycle. You may comment on every issue or every government you want. But must the world go in your fancy way?

I possible give you too much for your tiny brain. And I do not expect you could see it from another perspective. But I do expect a painful and struggling mind for you in the future.

Barry

Posted by: Barry at April 16, 2008 9:32 PM

A year without " Made In China"
The banishment was no fault of China's. It had coated our lives with a cheerful veneer of toys, gadgets, and $10 children's shoes. Sometimes I worried about jobs sent overseas or nasty reports about human rights abuses, but price trumped virtue at our house. We couldn't resist what China was selling.

But on that dark Monday last year, a creeping unease washed over me as I sat on the sofa and surveyed the gloomy wreckage of the holiday. It wasn't until then that I noticed an irrefutable fact: China was taking over the place.

It stared back at me from the empty screen of the television. I spied it in the pile of tennis shoes by the door. It glowed in the lights on the Christmas tree and watched me in the eyes of a doll splayed on the floor. I slipped off the couch and did a quick inventory, sorting gifts into two stacks: China and non-China. The count came to China, 25, the world, 14. Christmas, I realized, had become a holiday made by the Chinese. Suddenly I'd had enough. I wanted China out.

Through tricks and persuasion I got my husband on board, and on Jan. 1 we launched a yearlong household embargo on Chinese imports. The idea wasn't to punish China, which would never feel the pinprick of our protest. And we didn't fool ourselves into thinking we'd bring back a single job to unplugged company towns in Ohio and Georgia. We pushed China out of our lives because we wanted to measure how far it had pushed in. We wanted to know what it would take in time, money, and aggravation to kick our China habit.

We hit the first rut in the road when I discovered our son's toes pressing against the ends of his tennis shoes. I wore myself out hunting for new ones. After two weeks I broke down and spent $60 on sneakers from Italy. I felt sick over the money; it seemed decadent for a pair of children's shoes. I got used to the feeling. Weeks later I shelled out $60 for Texas-made shoes for our toddler daughter.

We got hung up on lots of little things. I drove to half a dozen grocery stores in search of candles for my husband's birthday cake, eventually settling on a box of dusty leftovers I found in the kitchen. The junk drawer has been stuck shut since January. My husband found the part to fix it at Home Depot but left it on the shelf when he spotted the telltale "Made in China."

Mini crises erupted when our blender and television broke down. The television sputtered back to life without intervention, but it was a long, hot summer without smoothies. We killed four mice with old-fashioned snapping traps because the catch-and-release ones we prefer are made in China. Last summer at the beach my husband wore a pair of mismatched flip-flops my mother found in her garage. He'd run out of options at the drug store.

Navigating the toy aisle has been a wilting affair. In the spring, our 4-year-old son launched a countercampaign in support of "China things." He's been a good sport, but he's weary of Danish-made Legos, the only sure bet for birthday gifts for his friends. One morning in October he fell apart during a trip to Target when he developed a sudden lust for an electric purple pumpkin.

"It's too long without China," he wailed. He kept at me all day.

The next morning I drove him back so he could use his birthday money to buy the pumpkin for himself. I kept my fingers off the bills as he passed them to the checker.

My husband bemoans the Christmas gifts he can't buy because they were made in China. He plans to sew sleeping bags for the children himself. He can build wooden boats and guitars, but I fear he will meet his match with thread and needle.

"How hard can it be?" he scoffed.

The funny thing about China's ascent is that we, as a nation, could shut the whole thing down in a week. Jump-start a "Just Say No to Chinese Products Week," and the empire will collapse amid the chaos of overloaded cargo ships in Long Beach harbor. I doubt we could pull it off. Americans may be famously patriotic, but look closely, and you'll see who makes the flag magnets on their car bumpers. These days China delivers every major holiday, Fourth of July included.

I don't know what we will do after Dec. 31 when our family's embargo comes to its official end. China-free living has been a hassle. I have discovered for myself that China doesn't control every aspect of our daily lives, but if you take a close look at the underside of boxes in the toy department, I promise it will give you pause.

Our son knows where he stands on the matter. In the bathtub one evening he told me how happy he was that "the China season" was coming soon.

"When we can buy China things again, let's never stop," he said.

After a year without China I can tell you this: You can still live without it, but it's getting trickier and costlier by the day. And a decade from now I may not be brave enough to try it again.

• Sara Bongiorni is a freelance writer and is working on a book about her family's yearlong adventure in the global economy.

Posted by: A Chiinese at April 16, 2008 9:33 PM

Dear Americans(Especially Jack Cafferty and Richard--sorry, Richard,just now i forgot you ),
I am very dispointed with your infantility, stupidity,all of you guys don't know what's going on in China, Have you ever been in China, I suppose not. Then I will invite all of you come to China, to see the real China,then you will know you've been deceived by your media and newspapers for so many years, and you will know how stupid you were.
Welcome to China!


Posted by: A Chinese at April 16, 2008 9:48 PM

hey, Richard, watch your mouth. If you continue the way you are arguing, others would think you come out of same cave as Cafferty does.

Posted by: Liu at April 16, 2008 9:53 PM

It's perfectly ok for Mr. Cafferty to express his opinions, and it's ok for CNN support or acquiesce his remarks. That's what media do, making judgements.
But hey, since when did CNN become so hypocritical and afraid to admit what it has said?
“CNN would like to clarify that it was not Mr. Cafferty’s, nor CNN’s, intent to cause offense to the Chinese people, and [CNN] would apologize to anyone who has interpreted the comments in this way.” So it said.
But in what way can “goons and thugs” and “junk” be interpreted as non-offensive?
Mr. Cafferty has his rights to criticize China, but in no way can his recent remarks be interpreted as only directed to the Chinese government. And since when has Mr. Cafferty become too cowaredly to admit what he really meant?
Hey, be a man, and stop that I-meant-something-else game!

Posted by: Banjo at April 16, 2008 10:25 PM

If Cafferty has a right to express his personal opinions on CNN, so does Chinese government and offended chinese people have right to ask for apology, right?

Freedom of speech should never be an excuse to lie about truth.

Posted by: Howard at April 17, 2008 1:49 AM

Hello, Howard, I agree with you. Thank you.

Posted by: Liu at April 17, 2008 2:08 AM

Richard,what's wrong with Chinese people having a communist government?!!! If we uphold the freedom of speech, we should also support the freedom of choice,right?!! Also please try to understand the anger we feel toward the CNN and its anchor. How can one not be irritated and hurt when somebody calls you "thugs and goons" and your painstaking work efforts "junk"!! It's nothing to do with "how the truth hurt them" idea! It's simply the same and natural reaction you yourself might have had if you are called 'son of a bitch".....

Posted by: Yang at April 17, 2008 2:52 AM

It seems that Jack Cafferty is a god-damned racial discriminist and Nazi extremist and an uneducated son of beach. Nobody asked you to import "Chinese poisoned food" you fuck!

Posted by: chic at April 17, 2008 5:37 AM

It seems that Jack Cafferty is a god-damned racial discriminist and Nazi extremist and an uneducated son of bitch. Nobody asked you to import "Chinese poisoned food" you fuck!

Posted by: chic at April 17, 2008 5:38 AM

I like to hear Jack Cafferty's comment on the perpetrators of the physical and cultural genocide of a whole continent of Native Americans.

What would you call these invaders who committed such barbaric and heinous crimes against humanity?

Jack, go ahead, make my day.

Posted by: Tom Cheng at April 17, 2008 8:56 AM

I am a Chinese but I have to admit that China make cheap goods that may not be of superior quality. But saying that China made goods are junk is a total generalization. And for labelling Chinese as 'goons & thugs', that is eefing ridiculous. Don't you forget that the chinese invented many useful items like paper, compass as well as came up with useful strategies like the Sun Tze Art of War which influenced many WESTERN MILITARY THINKING/BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. USA, your big brother days are over.

Posted by: Aurora at April 17, 2008 10:00 AM

all Goddamned Americans are junk produced by bitches from all over the world. why havent Muslems slaughtered all you bastards in 911 attack? you all deserve another 911 !!!


I have provided robust opinions that generate debates as cnn required .So ,Americans ,sons of bitches , start you debate!!!

Posted by: at April 17, 2008 10:24 AM

What is wrong with cheap product?! Aren't we living in a market economy society? Please let the market decide if cheap or expensive goods is a good or bad thing. The important point is that no product shall harm people.

Posted by: at April 17, 2008 11:56 PM

People who live with so-called free media environment might think everything should go in the way they want it to go. -- a response to followup note.

Posted by: Liu at April 18, 2008 4:39 AM

To Mr Palmer's Followup:
>1. Nationalism is ugly and dangerous, regardless of what flavor it is, whether “American,” “Chinese,” or something else;
I agree. Nationalism is not good, so no one should provoke it. And if you do, you should be ready to bear the consequences.

>2. People who live with a state-controlled media may have difficulty in understanding that...
The western media is dirty-money-controlled. Why is it always that we have to understand you, not you should also learn to understand us? Obviously, the west logic is that "I like to eat hamburger, so you should like to eat it too. If you don't, you have problem and I want to you to try it everyday til you like it".
What we know about you is much more than what you know about us. So many Chinese speak fluent English, how many westerners can reach this level in Chinese. It is clear you have difficulty in understanding us, not the other way around.

Posted by: D.Z at April 18, 2008 7:38 AM

Sorry, D.Z. You're wrong. There actually is a free media in the US. I may disagree with much of what commentators say, but I don't have the power (and I don't want that power) to make them shut up. In China, if you say what the party doesn't like, they put you in prison. Here, you get angry letters from listeners. You really should try to understand the difference. It's not about "the West" vs. "the East." They have free media in countries in Asia, too, and unfree media in some countries in "the West" (Cuba and Belarus). State-controlled media is inferior to free media, for the same reason that violence is inferior to reason.

Your claim is also incoherent. "The western media is dirty-money-controlled." What does that mean? Do you think that someone paid Jack Cafferty money specifically to say stupid things? I'm sure he would say them for free. And you know, in a free media people have to weigh what people say and think about the issues for themselves. We don't expect "the party" to do our thinking for us. You shouldn't, either.

Posted by: Lee at April 18, 2008 8:33 AM

One more thing for some of the people who have written attacks above. You should think twice about nasty attacks on people who criticize Cafferty and other China-bashers. Tom is a great friend of free trade with China and very supportive of friendly relations with China. But when you attack all Americans and the very idea of free discussion, as you have, you are attacking people who want to be friends with you. That's not very smart. Just a thought.

Posted by: Lee at April 18, 2008 8:41 AM

Hey, Lee,
When I was first caught by the title "No Apology Appropriate, But Some Education in Economics Would Be a Good Idea" and looked down the comment written by Tom, I knew Tom is standing in favor of free trade with China. Based on that, I would like to say that I agree with you that "Tom is a great friend of free trade with China and very supportive of friendly relations with China."
There is no use that I doubt the fact that it is a strictly state-controlled media in China.
While I think the more important thing I should try to do is that, learn how to look at my home country, my people, and the rest of the world and its people from an objective point of view as possible as I can.
That is why I, like hundreds of thousands of other Chinese, have paid pains-taking effort to learn English, and turned my head to West countries, as well as other parts of the world, to learn from you.
What I really hope is that, the people-to-people contact and communication should go far beyond the boundaries of countries.
In a foreseeable future, China will emerge neck-to-neck to USA in terms of national power and international influence. We Chinese firmly believe in that, as much as we derive our pride from our own history and tradition.
Chinese PEOPLE love peace, and we are determined to continue to contribute to the world peace.

Posted by: Liu at April 19, 2008 3:21 AM

What is Jack Cafferty's educational background? He is such a uneducated raciest. Look at his abusive language. A real monster on TV.

Posted by: I'm a bit angry at April 19, 2008 6:15 AM

"Many Made in China goods are much worse/cheaper/uglier/inferior than comparable goods made in other civilized countries ... so, Chinese made goods are for most part cheap junk. Sorry ... that is the fact."
- WHAT THE FUCK.

DO U FUCKING KNOW THAT 99% OF THE SHIT U USE EVERYDAY IS ACTUALLY 'MADE IN CHINA'. DO U KNO THAT THE CLOTHES THAT U ACTUALLY WEAR IS MADE IN CHINA. A MAJORITY OF ABERCROMBIE AND FITCH PRODUCTS ARE MADE IN CHINA. BLACK AND DECKER IS MADE IN CHINA. FUCKING ASSHOLE. IT IS TRUE THAT 'SOME' PRODUCTS ARE LYK THAT. BUT NOT ALL. IT IS PLAIN RACIST AND ARRAGRANT OF U TO THINK THAT U ARE BETTER. AND SUPERIOR.FUCK U JACK AND FUCK WHOEVER SED THIS.

U AMERICANS ARE JUST THREATENED AND SCARED THAT CHINA WOULD OVERRIDE U. U GUYS ARE JUS PLAIN JEALOUS THAT CHINA IS HOSTING THE OLYMPICS. STOP FUCKING WITH THE OLYMPICS. STOP FUCKING AROUND AND WASTING UR TIME. CHINESE ARE NOT THUGS AND GOONS. DO U REALISE THAT VERA WANG IS CHINESE, DO U REALIZE THAT VIVIENNE TAM IS CHINESE, DO U KNO THAT JERRY YANG IS CHINESE, ANG LEE IS CHINESE, JACKIE CHAN IS CHINESE, Yuan T. Lee IS CHINESE, MICHAEL CHENG IS CHINESE, LIANG LANG IS CHINESE, LI YUN DI IS CHINESE, AMY TAN IS CHINESE, I.M PEI IS CHINESE, MICHELLE KWAN IS CHINESE, JIMMY CHOO IS CHINESE. ARE THEY GOONS AND THUGS? - JACK, UR EXCUSE IS PATHETIC. UR NOT 4. STAND UP AND FUCKING ADMIT U PISSED OFF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE.

Posted by: PISSED. at April 20, 2008 8:21 AM

Wow -- this is even wilder that when the Fever Swamp erupts.

The Chinese & American economies are closely intertwined, and it is simply idiotic for Americans and Chinese to be enemies. But nutty nationalists are more interested in their phony national pride, and rational discussion is beyond them, as the PRC nationalists demonstrate for us above.

I am sitting now in a chair made in China, working at a desk made in China, wearing a watch made in China and pants made in China...all very serviceable stuff. OTOH, I want nothing to do with Chinese medical supplies, surgical materials, pharmaceuticals, etc. I make sure my dog doesn't get food from China.

Many sorts of Chinese goods suffer from serious quality control problems, a problem compounded by the rampant corruption that goes on there. If my Chinese-made wristwatch goes bad, it's no problem, I get another one. But if Chinese-made surgical membranes are substandard, a patient dies (this has occurred multiple times). "Chinese goods are junk" overstates the problem, but there is a serious problem.

Corruption compounds it. For example, it's very common in China for contracts to be written specifying use of materials of a given quality, and then cheaper materials substituted and bribes paid to keep it quiet. Everyone in China knows this; there are popular books on the subject, it's constantly in the news, and people see it in their daily lives.

It ridiculous for the PRC supporters above to have fits about criticisms of Chinese goods.

It's even more ridiculous for PRC Chinese to want to join the modern world, and yet want to cling to the worst aspects of the Maoist system: dictatorial government, group-think, and inability to tolerate viewpoints with which they disagree.

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 20, 2008 12:21 PM

Evidence...something lacking in many of the posts above...

On the high quality of Chinese goods:


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/13/business/worldbusiness/13victims.html


http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/30/world/asia/30china.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/07/business/worldbusiness/07china.html

As the first tragic story makes clear, the Chinese themselves are victims of this. This isn't some sort of China-bashing.

Is corruption common? Some examples from a PRC outlet:

http://www.china.org.cn/english/government/240622.htm

http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/234619.htm

And according the the PRC government, the problem is getting worse:

http://www.china.org.cn/english/government/231192.htm

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 20, 2008 12:44 PM

One more point:

Anfernee (comment on April 6) refers to the Chinese economic nuclear bomb. It's more like a suicide bomber's vest -- neither China or the U.S. can afford to have it detonate.

But how ironic that the People's Bank has been the major financier of Bush's Iraq misadventure. And how ironic that it is the citizens of the PRC who ultimately are stuck with the bill in the current U.S. economic debacle:

http://www.rgemonitor.com/blog/setser/252454/

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 20, 2008 12:58 PM

to Steele,

You have a lot more to post here about the dark side of China, I suppose.
So, go ahead.

Posted by: Liu at April 21, 2008 12:27 AM

Tom, I appreciate your further update.

Posted by: Liu at April 21, 2008 12:56 AM

To Liu: Just to be sure you understand, I am not bashing China. The PRC government agrees with what I have said, i.e. that there's a growing problem with corruption and poor quality goods (in fact, the PRC government is my only source for the claim the problem is growing).

I used to work in Beijing, I enjoyed it immensely, and hope to return there someday. I would hate to see China's transition fail; it is important for everyone in the world, Chinese and non-Chinese alike, that the Chinese people be successful and prosperous. But they'll fail if they maintain "business as usual."

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 21, 2008 10:45 AM

Hi, Steele,
I do find a point where we can cross our roads with each other, if, only if, you mean what you say.
I've witnessed, heard a lot about what you said is corruption and poor-quality goods.
Often but not always, I am more than angry, like many people around me, on reports of KILLING medicine which have led to deaths of innocent people especially children.
Even worse, such reports were under ridiculously strict censorship by government.
Still, I never say that "China fails me."
I believe in its people, who are innocent and hard-working.
I believe in its history, with which magnet keeps its charm.
I believe in our future, and the future is going to be a world DIFFERENT from today.
Tomorrow is another day. I am here, my people are here, China is here.
And the world is here, with you and anyone else who is willing to share with our pains and success.

Posted by: Liu at April 22, 2008 5:14 AM

Liu, so you understand the difference between criticizing the PRC government and criticizing China. And you also see the difference between deserved criticism of China, and blanket criticism of China. Criticism of China can be perfectly legitimate.

Now look at all the crazy postings from alleged PRC supporters here: wishes for another 911, promises that China will get even with America and be 'no. 1 superpower," , wishes for Cafferty's death, statements like "all goddamned Americans are junk." Is this better than what Cafferty said? And why such a crazy outburst on a blog run by a man who dislikes Cafferty, supports free trade, and, quite frankly, is about as friendly towards people from all countries as one can be?

It's scary, and makes me wonder if this isn't the Chinese equivalent of Putin's Nashi.

China is joining the modern world, but mainland Chinese must learn that a part of this is tolerating criticism, regardless of the validity of the criticism.

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 22, 2008 10:55 PM

Liu, I forgot to mention I appreciate your reasoned response to my comments.

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 22, 2008 11:10 PM

Steele, you know the Chinese way of "respect."
Nice to talk to you, and Tom, too.

Posted by: Liu at April 22, 2008 11:31 PM

Liu, I can respect you. But I wonder about the "Chinese way of respect." Respect means respecting individuals and their rights.

I am very suspicious of the alleged "outrage" in the above postings, apparently expressed by what seem to be Chinese. It's obvious that much of the alleged outrage here and elsewhere isn't over Cafferty or anything like that -- it's retribution because people the world over are protesting the PRC's brutal disregard for rights...rights of journalists, rights of Tibetans, and for that matter, the rights of Han Chinese.

I don't know whether Chinese nationalists understand this, but the public outrage around the world is genuine, not some stage managed plot by western governments. I frankly find it shameful that western governments are trying to help the PRC government stage a show that says "everything is just fine," when it's not.

From my time in China and from talking with Chinese friends, I think mainland Chinese are far too quick to engage in group-think, and act almost like puppets of the state. I know firsthand that Chinese education emphasizes conformity and discourages independent thought, and I think we see too much of this in the posts above, most of which don't make sense.

I won't discuss this further here, since this isn't my forum, but in a few days will post something on my blog on the subject.

Posted by: Charles N. Steele at April 23, 2008 11:46 AM

Steele, It seems that there is narrow space that I can escape from agreeing with your point of view.

By the way, what I mean by "respect" in my last posting is that, I respect your standing expressed in your last posting.

Well, since that word has seated you down to make a new contribution on "Chinese" topic, it looks a good choice of mine.

You brought under spotlight the weakest point of me, and all the Chinese people, though I'm not sure of "all" as I said here.

For me now, the biggest issue is on "how to change it," instead of "why it is like this."

I'm going to visit your blog.

Before I put an end to my discussion here, I'd like to assert that, viewing from their logic of wording, some "Chinese" who were posting here are not Chinese.

Posted by: Liu at April 23, 2008 11:07 PM

I agree people should be friendly towards each other.

If someone treat me like a friend, I will do the same. If someone treat me like an enimy, I will treat hik like an enimy too. I also beleive the best way to treat a hooligan is to give him a punch rather then talk. I guess that's why Cafferty was treated as the way he treats others.

As a Chinese(I am a Naxi Chinese, Naxi and Tibetan are neighbors and brothers), there are some of the things that I can't comprehend:

>Criticism of China can be perfectly legitimate..
Calling other people as "goons and thugs" and their work as "junk" is just a criticism? I don't think so. Go ahead and try this criticism on your boss, peers, friends, and family, you will find how many people around you can take a criticism.

China is accused of stealing tech, fair enough as these things do happen nowadays in China and else where of the world, and it is not right. But why then billion dollar worth of Chinese artefacts are still exhibited in many western museums? Most of these artefacts were robbed from their owners with violence, some of those people were killed because of these artefacts. These artefacts below to China and Chinese people, they should be returned.

China is accused of not giving its people the right to vote, fair enough as it is true. But why then over the 100 years of British rule in Hong Kong, no Hongkongnese was given the right to vote for their leader? All Hong Kong governors were white and appointed by the British government. The sad and ironic part is, over the entire 100 years, no western people and country have put the "Hongkongnese people's right to vote" on the table.

China is accused of associated with Dar fur genocide, but China is only one of the parties that have influence. Why no one mentioned the biggest ever genocide happened and still happening in North America? Most of American Indians died out, their culture is diminished, the ones still alive are segregated in so called reservations. They are treated as 3rd class citizens. There are no good jobs, good education, good infrastructures, and good housing in these reservations. Who is going to stop this biggest genocide in the entire human history? If no one does it, they will die out "naturally". And look at Iraq! Where is the human right of an ordinary Iraqi? More then half a million of Iraqis lost their live. people who started this war based on their lies are still living their comfortable lives. Who is going to bring Justice to them?

Many people in the west still thinks it is the Chinese government put restrictions on its people to go abroad freely. But the fact is that there is no government restriction what so ever. The reason Chinese people can't travel freely is because Western countries have jointly put tremendous restrictions and conditions for a Chinese to obtain a visa to enter their country. If you are to use your human right standard to measure, where is the Chinese people's human right to travel freely? Why to some issues, the western countries are acting like there is no country boarders, and on some other issues, they are emphasizing the existence of boarders.

>I think mainland Chinese are far too quick to engage in group-think...
I see more group-think from those who don't know where Tibet is, what is it's history, what really is happening there but join the protesting group just because it is some against China.

>but the public outrage around the world is genuine..
Where is the "genuine" outrage over obave mentioned issues? lol...
Why they have double standards towards above mentioned(but are not limited to) issues?

Posted by: D.Z at April 24, 2008 2:11 AM
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