Before you begin to read this article,  I want you to ask yourself just how patriotic are you. Do you believe in capitalism and if so, do you think it right to outsource jobs in other countries to achieve higher profit? 

This past Sunday as I opened my New York Times, there on page one was a story on how the United States has lost out on iPhone work.  As I read the article, I became more and more angered by Apple's flagrant disregard towards America's failing economy and their own overwhelming sense of greed. 

Now I know that the majority of people around the world use iPhones and iPads as it is a truly remarkable tool.  However, I find it shocking that a company such as Apple could be so unpatriotic and self serving. 

To quote Jared Bernstein, former White House economic adviser, "Apple's an example of why it's so hard to create middle-class jobs in the U.S. now…If it's the pinnacle of capitalism, we should be worried" 

Although Apple employs more workers in the U.S. than ever before they say curing unemployment is not their job. A current Apple executive was also quoted as stating "We don't have an obligation to solve America's problems.  Our only obligation is making the best product possible" How's that for patriotism? 

As we all well know Apple products do not come cheap, yet most of us own at least one Apple product no matter what our economic status may be.  Here in New York, people stand in line, sometimes for days, to purchase the latest in Apple merchandise and for what may I ask?  An American based company that manufactures it's product overseas in countries such as China, where employees are herded like cattle and work six days a week, twelve hours a day, for seventeen dollars salary per day, producing high end technological products we all feel compelled to purchase at top dollar. 

While Apple rakes in their huge profits they maintain their cavalier attitude about the U.S. economy and our unemployment rate, yet want tax breaks and all the benefits that go along with being an American company.  I find this to be the height of hypocrisy and the most un-American and un-patriotic stance I've ever heard about from any company. I know that we live in a changed world and society where the bottom line in any business is profit.  Still, l I find it hard to support.  I do understand to a certain point that companies need to move their work where it can generate higher profits to keep paying for innovation, yet strongly disagree when it comes to blatant disregard toward our country’s economic balance and future.  When The New York Times gave Apple extensive summaries of the reporting of their article, Apple declined to comment.  This is a company known for it's secrecy. Over three dozen current and former employees were interviewed and many requested anonymity to protect their jobs. 

It seems Apple has a lot of secrets to keep hidden and guarded.  I for one having read the article feel betrayed by them and can understand why they would want to be so secretive as that I now know some of their truth. Still, I am a realist who knows that no such article, The New York Times or my own little piece will change the minds or actions of the majority. Most of you will still be fingering your iPhones and iPads, texting and surfing and playing games or reading novels. Most of you will continue to purchase a dead man's biography and placing that man and his company high above all else. You will still wait in line for hours or days, if need be, to purchase that new app while all the while your country falters and struggles to stay afloat. It won't matter if your employed or collecting unemployment or welfare, you need that product, for without it you will be out of the loop. To hell with the economy of this nation, who cares what Apple does or doesn't do as your sure other companies conduct business the same way so why deny yourselves the latest high tech gadget. 

What most of you are not thinking about is the future of our country. With a failed and doomed economy you will soon no longer be able to afford service for your gadgets, then what will you do? If we allow the Apples of the world to continue to thrive while they whistle their care free itunes then we are just as bad as they are, if not worse. We will have become victims of their greed and our own.  It will be both frightening and sad when the masses are unemployed, broke and homeless  clutching their iPhones with no one to text to or call.

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