[Smithy, apologies in advance for taking your thread in another direction]
thompsondd,
If I ever am down in Georgia, I would be more than willing to check out you quality American made gear. FWIW, I don't own Blackhawk, all my gear is SDS produced USGI LBV and MOLLE gear (plus a camelback, not a hydrastorm) with the exception of the buttpack I have. I know what quality I am looking for and that is fine. No, I don't run around the world killing bad guys, sorry if that somehow makes me "less worthy" to own gear that might come in handy.
I guess my problem comes in when I see folks who like to shit on a thread by immediately saying "but its not made in America!" when that is not the question at hand. This happened in the Knoxx breacher stock thread, and also every time someone mentions they have some Blackhawk kit. Instead of getting to talk about what the proudct can do you end up with people talking about where it is made. If the foreign made product meets the end user needs better, then why shouldn't they use it? When I see a thread like this I want to know what is good and bad about the item being discussed. If you think that another piece of gear functions better becuase the stitching is better then please let us know, IMHO that is a valid point to make. I don't care about the politics, I care about the function.
If you want to start a new thread about where gear is made and why it is best to suport certain companies, go ahead, I would actually be interested to see that. My guess, however, is A LOT of these people who scream "Buy Only American Made Gear" have a computer, TV, DVD player, and even a car made in a foreign country like China or Vietnam or whatever 3rd world "slave labor" country you want to pick. If you really follow the "Buy American" creedo then EVERYTHING you buy should be made in America if it is availble there, not only what is convenient.
Dawg