Saturday, September 29, 2007

A letter to Mattel Toys

To Whom It May Concern:

I have been paying close attention to the news lately regarding the massive number of recalled toys produced in China for numerous companies, Mattel included. I grew up enjoying the quality made toys my parents bought for me made by Mattel. I remember with a fond heart the Thingmaker set and the Space Walker toys that I played with for hours on end.

Unfortunately those days are gone. The toys we get today are mass produced in China with little regards to public safety. What is worse is that the toy makers themselves have been forced to open factories in China to keep costs at a minimum to satisfy big box retail stores such as Wal-Mart.

These practices have put our children at risk from toys that do not meet the safety standards we grew up to expect from American made toys. They have also hurt the American workers who lost their jobs because they could not compete with Chinese workers who worked in sweatshop type conditions for a pittance of what American workers were paid.

With these thoughts in mind I will never again by a toy produced by Mattel, or Fischer Price or any other company for that matter, that does not have a notice saying that it was made in the USA. If that hurts your corporate profits, so be it. My concern is for the welfare of our children and the American workers who have been sold out for profit.

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