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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, February 7, 1992                   TAG: 9202070388
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

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REGAIN SELF-RESPECT AS A COUNTRY

IT IS SAID that President Bush's Far East trip was a failure. I beg to differ. The trip shed light on aspects of Japanese-U.S. relations that should serve as a rallying point for all Americans.

When I heard that a Japanese official had commented that our president and U.S. industrial management seemed to be begging the Japanese for a handout, I was, to say the least, concerned. But when I heard that a Japanese official said America's problem was that her workers were lazy and illiterate, I was downright outraged.

These were isolated comments, but the fact that they came from upper management and government officials tells me something about attitudes among Japan's hierarchy and business community.

How soon they forget that it was American dollars, technology and business know-how that pulled Japan out of the ashes of a lost war. Japan and Germany enjoy what probably are the two strongest economies in the world, while America and England are struggling and Russia is in shambles. I wonder if perhaps we weren't a bit too generous, and I don't feel we are getting due respect.

I don't blame Japan for our economic condition, and I don't agree that it is our government's fault alone. I don't feel increased exports are the most apparent solution, however. All I have to do is listen to the disgruntled construction worker curse U.S. leadership, then see him climb into his Nissan truck, to know where the problem is.

Before you can expect someone else to respect you, you have to respect yourself. Let's regain our self-respect as a country and show the world we don't need a handout; buy American. D. MICHAEL FITZGERALD ROANOKE

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