090406 Product Recalls

Okay, as a parent now, I have come across concerns that I never had as a single parent. And I pay attention to more specific things now than I ever had before in my life. So it is kind of sickening to me to see so many recalls of so many products over the last couple of years. Seriously, companies and governments go on and on about how much they care for the consumers and constituents… but when you look at just how much has been proven to be so dangerous for one’s self… especially things we give our children… this is rather disgusting.

Let’s take the toy recall from a while back first, shall we. I mean, thousands upon thousands of toys that parents had bought thinking they were safe for their kids ended up being recalled because of the dangerous levels of poisonous substances found in them. Where is the over sight committee designated to test these items that we give to our children? Why can’t they do the job with the budget they have? I understand they don’t get the biggest budget in the government… but then that begs the question as to why not. This is the group that is supposed to be protecting our children from products like the ones they had been letting through. And the government claims that they care for our children and the next generation of Americans above anything else. So why not proving it by providing more money for the people who sole job it is to make sure that the children are safe?

And then that brings us to the food our children should be eating. But they can’t… because it is all tainted. From beef to tomatoes to lettuce to now pistachios… really? Is there anything safe that we can eat. Where are all the procedures that companies are supposed to follow to ensure that we don’t get sick from an everyday thing such as eating? My stars and garters people… we can’t even be sure about what we are eating now. I mean, I am lucky enough to be able to afford organic and fresh vegetables from high end stores and local community farms. But not everyone can. And those people need to be able to feel safe that what they are feeding their families… their children… that it is safe for them to consume.

What is going on? Seriously, I want to know. I want to know when we went from being the best in consumer confidence to having a recall status that rest just above a third world country’s status? When did it become okay for companies to simply, at least in my mind, not give a good god damn about their consumers? When did it become okay for the government to prioritize minor things such as walking studies and studies on the affects of beer on rats over the groups and organizations that were put in place to protect the people of this country? The same people who voted those idiots into office in the first place.

But more importantly… when did we become so accepting of the current situation that we all seem to just take every new recall as an everyday and common thing? I think that is the worst sin of all.

Sorry to go on a rant like that… but I just needed to get that off of my chest.