The Free Press, Mankato, MN

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November 17, 2009

Your View — ‘Made in Vietnam’ makes conflict clear

Cliff Stemper, Cleveland

As I browse various stores in Mankato to buy clothes, I usually look at the labels. I am seeing more clothes made in Vietnam and I’m sure other products as well.

During the Vietnam conflict, I supported the war effort and thought the conflict would be ended as it was in the Korean War, or at best, divided. But it didn’t, and the pressure from the war protesters was too great and everything collapsed, including the morale of the country. Even still, I thought it could have been won and the war protesters were just an annoyance with a view warped and anti-American.

But, you know — those clothes labels today saying “made in Vietnam” say it all. It’s the biggest defeat statement that could ever be made. The protesters were right, either knowingly or not, but they were right. It’s business as usual. And, all those lives were lost for absolutely nothing. The result was cheap corporate labor in Vietnam, then dumping the product on the American people.

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