China my life as a "exploiter"

I spent may years as a Importer and in span of over  8 years (from 95-04) I made over 35 trips to Asia and was in and out of China 2 to 4 times on each of those trips.  My trips were 2 to 5 weeks long and if you were to add it all together I spend a good 2 years in Asia during that time, with a large part of it  being in China. I many memories of my travels and hope to share them as they cross my mind.
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The two most often asked questions I had from those days are.  Don't you feel guilty about putting Americans out of work?  How do you live with yourself taking advantage of the under privilege workers in china?

To the first question it's easy, NO, because I didn't put Americans out of work!  If anything by helping provide products that people wanted and could afford I helped improve the standard of our living.  Also consider if you stopped imports from China how many jobs would be lost in the USA?  Stores would close, shipping companies, ocean, rail and over the road trucks etc etc...  PLUS it's the same person whom complains about "made in china" that goes to Walmart and buys it, so there is no guilt in my mind.  If you do honestly want to stop products from being imported then stop buying them. The  strongest tool you have is your pocket book, your spending controls what goes on a stores shelf, If you want American made BUY American made!!

The second has always been the harder question and I have done a lot of soul searching over the years. At the end of the day I can honestly say my efforts and work have been positive for the "under privilege".   For example on my first trip to China most people wore the "Chairman Mao" outfits there was little choice in style and color, now they wear designer shoes and cloths.  The Pay scale and standard of living has risen at a higher rate than anywhere in the world during my time, this happen because of American Business Men doing Business with in China. I believe if you went to China and didn't return for 2 years you would not recognize it, on each of my trips I was amazed at the amount of new roads, buildings, businesses that would pop up while I was gone and with each of those were jobs and improved standards of living.  Why? Not because of the government(ours or theirs), not because of missionary's,  not because of human right groups BUT because us American Business Men.  The time and effort we spent on buying and teaching improved and introduced the people of China to a better life and a means to achieve it. 

Yes there is evil in China and yes there are people abused but if you compare the growth and improvement over the last 20 years it's amazing.  I made many friends in my travels and have learned to respect the people and workers I have meet in China.  The work ethic i encountered reminds me of what made the USA great, maybe that's a bye product of our Imports.

I my efforts and those of people like me have played a large part in improving the quality of life for millions of people, for this I feel proud and unashamed

any other question?  feel free to leave me a note