" Well stated Kay! "

" This letter is so biased and naive it doesn't even deserve a responce. "

" Honda, Toyota, Nissan, and Mitsubishi all have American factories, most more than one. Ford, GM, and Chrysler all produce cars in Canada and Mexico for the US market. Chrysler is a wholly onwned subsidiary of Daimler, a German company. In case you forgot, Germany was also a member of the enemy Axis in WWII. This letter is nothing more than a thinly veiled racial epithet against the Japanese. Frankly, the paper should be ashamed for allowing it's publication. "

" My Toyota was built in California and rates better for miles per gallon, resale, and reliability than cars offered for sale by the Big 3. If Kay and the UAW want to win back customers they should build better cars and trucks (oh, I forgot Kay works in a school office). I am sure that Kay does not shop at Wal-Mart as they are non-union and stock many products from China, Japan, Mexico, and other countries. Also, I am confident that Kay only wears clothing and shoes made/assembled by union workers in the USA. I hope Kay will open up her home, garage, and vehicles for public inspection so the people of Coles County can see how a die-hard union member really lives. "

" Consumers spend thousands of dollars on vehicles that they believe are reliable and meet their needs. We live in a free market economy where competition is good for the consumer. Competition keeps products like autos, and the US companys(big three) that make them, competively priced with ever improving quality. People spend based on perceived value to themselves and less than just on brand loyalty. If the big three are not selling enough then they need to reevaluate the products they sell and give the consumer the value and reliability etc. they expect when they pay thousands of dollars for a vehicle. This USA vs Japan is a thing of the past and it is this stupid "blue collar" mentality that will kill the US automakers and send the UAW jobs overseas. Can you say global economy?Stop your whining about Japan and attacking the consumers who chose the competitors products. Your time would be better spent pondering how to make the autos tat the UAW and the big three manufacture better and more attractive in the marketplace. Instead you chose to attack the very consumers who you need to purchase the products you manufacture. That's real smart! Maybe Japan is selling more cars because they make better ones? Don't bite the hand that feeds and don't try to twist one's patriotism to satisfy some blue collar battle cry! "

" ... well in Coles county. By the way, industry analysts estimate that the average American car costs about 1500 dollars more, than their Japanese competitors, due to the retirement and health care benefits strong armed from the American manufacturers by the UAW. In addition most reputable automobile magazines rank the Japanese brands as far superior to the American models. Sounds like the only revenge is what the letter writer had in mind, when writing this hate filled diatribe. "

" As good a place as any, Not a direct response to this letter, but worth mentioning. There are 250,000 unlicensed illegals, that drive vehicles, in this state, those goofs in springfield, are considering giving them all driving certificates, which is supposed to possibly save us all 80 bucks a year, on our car insurance. It was on the news, not a peep of important stuff sneaking through, in the paper. I would hand back the 80 bucks, and work out a one way deal, with amtrack, and greyhound myself, since they are state funded, we should get an even cheaper rate. Six for the price of 1, or something, but not give them doccuments. 250,000, will triple, if they get papers, for showin up. Who has any clue, in springfield, and why is this happening so quietly? "

" I currently drive an American made car - as does my husband. But, it's not because it was made here - we happen to like it. The Japanese cars often have better ratings, better reliability, and they are on our list to compare next time we buy. The Big 3 automakers did what they could to stay in business during the war - with men off fighting and women beginning to work, no one was going to be buying cars anyway. Get over it. "

" For Japan to get revenge, they'd have to nuke a couple of our cities. Thankfully, they are more civilized than that. They've adopted the American way hook-line-and-sinker. Build a good product, and sell it for less money than your competitors. The Unions have done more than Japanese companies to damage American automakers... and UAW jobs are being exported SOUTH, where Toyota, Hyaundai, and Honda continue to build factories, and staff (non-union) American workers. Those American factory workers average only a few thousand less per year than the Union ones in Detroit... but since the dollar goes farther in Kentucky than Detroit, it's actually a better living. "

" I have a question for you Kay. Is your TV a Sony, Toshiba or other japanese brand? Probably so. There are "American" brands like Zenith, but those cost more so you probably bought the Japanese brand at Wal Mart. It's like those union hypocrites who boycott a business because they didn't use union labor, but they don't hire a union roofer when their house needs a roof because they won't spend the extra money. They demand the small business owner use union labor but they don't. Japanese cars are better built, last longer and are a better value. If the Big 3 starts building cars of comparable value and reliability I'll buy one. Until then I'll buy another Toyota (which by the way will help an American worker in Kentucky support his family). "

" Maybe if American made cars weren't pieces of crap people would buy them. "

" Made in America used to mean that, now in many cases, it is where the tag was sewn in, or a label was put on. I think maytag, and many other US appliance companies, headed south with nafta. Toyota, does more for the US workers, than others. People move jobs, out of the country, for one reason, labor laws. It costs more to bring stuff back, but no regulated wages, or working conditions. Push to get where each step of production, is done on products sold here, listed in english, so you can make an informed choice, of who you do business with. There were hundreds of violations, at the sago mine, most coal miners, are union workers. It took 12 of them dying, to look, and see all the violations. OSHA, won't come, if you report a problem, before something happens to need a federal investigation. This is all now, be outraged about the present, not the past. We can't change where we've been, but can steer some, of where we are going. Learn from the past, don't live in it. "

" Kay says: "America was caught flat-footed; we were way behind ..." I say, sounds about right. We ignored all the warnings leading up to WWII. It took Pearl Harbor to drag us kicking and screaming into a world war already immminent for years! **** Kay says: "Hundreds of thousands of UAW members worked in plants ... at a great sacrifice to their family." I say, a great wartime effort, but I always heard they were pretty well paid - a heck of a lot more than an Army Private was paid. **** Kay says: "This American and proud union member will not dishonor those soldiers ..." I say, good thing you didn't influence the Marshall Plan. We'd still be occupying Japan. **** Kay says, "The war is over, the Japanese smell victory over the Big Three automakers, that brought defeat to them in World War II." Come on, Kay, the Big Three and the UAW were not victorious in WWII all by their lonesome. Americans, union and non-union, stood as one in that war. **** If you ask me, your remarks are not only naive, they border on being racist. Here's your chance to retract them. "

" I try to buy "made in the U.S.A." whenever possible with a few exceptions. However this is becoming more difficult. As one poster stated it depends on where the label was sewn on as to who made the product. I will not however buy ANYTHING that says " Made in Vietnam". I was shopping in a store at the Tuscola mall and was looking at light weight summer tops. I was prepared to buy one of each color UNTIL I saw the label "Made in Vietnam". Vietnam is guilty of some of the most horrendous human rights violations anywhere, Anyone who speaks out against the government is severly punished, imprisoned, and tortured in some cases. The Montgnards, the indignenous people of Vietnam who were our allies during the war are particularly singled out. The Vietnamese government has always singled these people out for political torture. They are hated by the Vietnamese. It's bad enough we abandoned these people at the end of the war, but to "buy Vietnam" is rubbing salt in the wounds. It makes me ill that our government is "in bed" with the Vietnamese solely for monetary profit. The Vietnamese government plays nice every once in awhile and releases a political prisoner or two for propagana purposes when it's to their advantage. They have failed to cooperate with us as far as our POW/MIA's are concerned also, although they give lip service that they are doing everything they can. Bull! No, I will NOT buy anything that is made in Vietnam if the label states this. I emailed the company and expressed my concerns about this matter... Of course they don't care. Who is this Billie? No one of any consequence. Who cares? I'm seriously considering cancelling my credit account with them. If I do, it won't even cause a minute blip on their corporate radar screen but it would make me feel better.... Buying Japanese products doesn't bother me one bit. Many Americans are employed by these companies so in effect we are helping our citizens. Most of the Japanese products are excellent as opposed to the cheap and often inferior products made in China and some other countries. Japan yes, Vietnam NO!! "

" I agree with you, Billie. We left the Montagnard to fend for themselves when we withdrew. We set them up for annihilation, and the worst part is, we knew it. Fierce fighting machines, bravery like I've never seen. Yes, I know it's been over 30 years, but I still don't buy Vietnamese-made items. Some of us have forgotten what those black flags still stand for. When Vietnam becomes an open democratic republic, maybe I'll change my buying habits. "

" To RVN- I have a close friend who worked closely with the Montagnard's during the Vietnam War and he described them in the same manner as you did. He said they were probably the most honorable people he had ever met. Crime was almost non-exsistant among them. For us to treat them in the manner we did after their loyalty to us has left this country with a horrible black eye. They are still being hunted down and terrorized. I am for NO TRADE with Vietnam , but now that they are a member of the WTO that ain't gonna happen. To have them clean up their act and stop the horrendous human rights violations they still use today to keep their people under control ain't gonna happen either. If one dares speak out, they are at risk of losing their lives, or at the least being thrown into prison. So, while my refusal to buy Vietnamese goods won't matter in the grand scheme of things I at least won't be contributing my money to their economy. "

" Would Kay have us close KC Summers on Lake Land Blvd. as they sell vehicles from Nissan and Mazda? What about the people in sales and service there who earn a living and pay taxes? Should they quit or be fired for selling and servicing brands from other countries? What would the economic impact be for Mattoon and Coles County if we limited our options to Kay's precious Big 3? I would like to hear more from Kay about her UAW plan and its impact on the economy. "