UK looking for outside production facilities

[Mark Keeney]

I think to be fair the policy was meant as "made in the United States" no matter what words they used to articulate that. I applaud a company that sticks to their principal even when it seems to be the more difficult route.

I am sure there are sewing factories across this country but they may not be near Seattle.

[sharpdressedscot]

Total agreement.

A Canadian is an American! A Mexican is an American!

You can't even change to the term United States either, because several countries are also that - - like the official title of Mexico is the United States of Mexico.....

So what are we? We could always just say borish yankee gringo..... nobody would mis-understand that one....

I don't some would agree with that. I certainly do.

So what would we "Americans" really call ourselves, besides yank and such.

[Makeitstop]

Total agreement.

A Canadian is an American! A Mexican is an American!

You can't even change to the term United States either, because several countries are also that - - like the official title of Mexico is the United States of Mexico.....

So what are we? We could always just say borish yankee gringo..... nobody would mis-understand that one....

I'm gonna disagree here. Mostly. Sort of.

I think it is entirely acceptable to use the word "American" to refer to people from the USA. I don't see how shortening North America to America is any better than shortening United States of America to America.

And let's be honest, if you go to the other side of the world and say "I'm an American" unless you have a thick Canadian accent, people will think you are from the USA.

And not all of America is states. Puerto Rico for example. That's also why the "Made in America" label doesn't always mean it was made in the states.

When I hear people complaining about this, I always wonder why they don't apply these same ideas to other countries. I don't hear them complaining about Germany, even though all the people in that region are German, not just the ones in that country. And are we going to refer to the Chinese as people's republicans? Not likely.

The worst is when I have heard "but you're robbing them of their identity" to which I can't help but reply "And what the hell do you think you're doing?!"


Anyway. I think it's a bit silly to refuse just because the factory is in Canada. But then again, keeping money pumping into the American economy may be as important to them as avoiding sweatshop labor.

Personally I would have just gone with the Canadian factory. Then again, I also wouldn't have a problem with them setting up factories in 3rd world countries, as long as they had competent employees with decent working conditions and wages. Cambodians need jobs too.

[James MacMillan]

I don't think we are in disagreement. We are talking arbitrary names as used by others.

I have traveled extensively in Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas. Names are something used by a person to identify another. It used to be not thought as insulting to call a person by their description. Fatty, Skinny, and Shorty jump to mind; also Blackey and Whitey could to be used without malice.

If I am in Latin America, I accept, without a problem the term Gringo – Although supposedly it’s roots go back to the meaning – enemy. When in the U.K. I’m a Yank. When in Europe I’m an American.

When strangers see me here, I suddenly must be Scottish.

The entire trend, as I have mentioned before, towards the “politically correct” is a trend to falseness. Why are we afraid to call a spade a spade? If it’s a shovel, then call it a shovel. Things, and people have names that everyone understands and should be able to use.

Me, I really don’t care what you call me, except Late for dinner.

[TheKiltedWonder]

I haven't bought a UK and I'm not sure if I would, but as a consumer I must say that I don't view buying Canadian goods any differently than buying "American" (ie from the USA, ie from the country mostly between Canada and Mexico). A canadian product will be the same quality and it won't be a sweatshop (maybe a freeze shop, depending on location). It wouldn't affect my decision one bit. That said, if anyone on here knows of a quality factory that needs some work, this could be a huge boost! Look around!

also Blackey and Whitey could to be used without malice.

The entire trend, as I have mentioned before, towards the “politically correct” is a trend to falseness. Why are we afraid to call a spade a spade?

As a side note, even if the first two terms can be used without malice, they can't be used with respect, in my opinion. And we all deserve respect. And even if they are used without malice, it would be hard for the recipient to recognize this fact.
While some political correctness is certainly a bit inane, odd and laughable, as you have pointed out, I believe that certain words just don't have a place in polite discourse. That's my take on it.

[McClef]

We have a similar problem over here in that England is often used as a catch all for the whole of the United Kingdom.

As to canawler's point - I remember see a Molson ad in 2000 that emphasised the "Proud to Be Canadian" angle.

It's hardly surprising that most US beer drinkers, or indeed most US citizens would think of America as primarily meaning the USA and from what I know of Canadians they think themselves Canadian first and American second - "the True North, strong and free" and all that.

Even in Europe we would think of the USA first when the word America is used on its own without a qualifier.

And even the thread title illustrates the point "UK looks for outside production facilities" - I automatically thought, until I read more that the United Kingdom was looking to export more jobs abroad!

[Makeitstop]

And even the thread title illustrates the point "UK looks for outside production facilities" - I automatically thought, until I read more that the United Kingdom was looking to export more jobs abroad!

And in the same way, I never think of traveling when someone talks about studying abroad.


But yes, political correctness puts all the emphasis on the word and not the meaning. I've actually found people who are shocked that I'm OK with being described as white. True, I'm actually more of an off-white, pale pink with a hint of yellowish brown, but that's a bit of a mouthful.

This reminds me of my grandma. Til the day she died she never had any idea that people might be offended by monosyllabic descriptors which haven't been acceptable 40 years or so. It was always hilarious after spending so much time in a world where anything which was associated with the slightest hint of theoretical offense became banned.

[sharpdressedscot]

You know, there are about a hundred or so ex/abandoned cotton mills where I live, but I'm sure that will be of use....

[escherblacksmith]

A minor point.

We are the United States of America . . . and are, therefore Americans.
Mexicans are from the United Mexican States.
Canadians are from Canada.

I guess I fail to see the confusion or chauvinism in calling citizens of the USA, Americans.

[sharpdressedscot]

Yes, but it is contained all in the continent of North America....