Happy 4th! BUY American today and as often as you can.

A great article from Spirit, the magazine of Southwest Airlines! In the age of globalization, many small towns across this country still define themselves by the singular, distinctly American products they produce. With that comes pride and purpose, both of which are on the rebound.   By Gabbi Chee   Photography by Chris Plavidal What do a Wiffle ball and a bottle of Tabasco have in common? A lot more than  you might think. American manufacturing is becoming an increasingly popular talking point in the national conversation. After decades of diminished pride and jobs lost to the global economy, the “Made in the USA” label is rallying. In December—the same month The Atlantic’s coverline trumpeted “COMEBACK: Why the Future of Industry is in America”—Apple announced that, starting in 2013, one of its computers would exclusively be manufactured in the United States. And in May, news broke that in Fort Worth, Texas, a place commonly known as Cowtown, Motorola would soon begin production on the only smartphone ever made on American soil. On the consumer side, a Gallup poll conducted this spring found that 45 percent of shoppers in the States had recently made a conscious effort to buy U.S. products, citing patriotism and a desire to support domestic jobs as their main motivations.  It’s an urgent shift in priorities, and READ MORE