Comments on: Helping Out in Postville http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/ Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:13:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Grant Houston http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-8477 Grant Houston Sun, 20 Jul 2008 20:20:51 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-8477 At church here in Nashville this morning I heard a report on Jeruselum and all the walls being built there that are ruining life for so many people there, and I was thinking of the ugly wall being built on the south U.S. border and how an American president had called out "Mr. Gorbichev tear down this wall" and how ugly us human beings have become toward one another and how Postville has been traumatized by the arrogant ignorance of ICE policies and how this only feeds into the selfish zenophobic small-mindness of short-sighted and fearful peoples, and I'm thinking that there but for fortune go I and what can I do to ease this great suffering. I'm not optimistic, but I will forever cling to hope. I will also send money to St. Bridget's in Postville and to the ACLU which continues to act hopefully. None of us stands above the other in the Eyes of God. We each must do all we can to ease this terrible ignorance from which we suffer. At church here in Nashville this morning I heard a report on Jeruselum and all the walls being built there that are ruining life for so many people there, and I was thinking of the ugly wall being built on the south U.S. border and how an American president had called out “Mr. Gorbichev tear down this wall” and how ugly us human beings have become toward one another and how Postville has been traumatized by the arrogant ignorance of ICE policies and how this only feeds into the selfish zenophobic small-mindness of short-sighted and fearful peoples, and I’m thinking that there but for fortune go I and what can I do to ease this great suffering. I’m not optimistic, but I will forever cling to hope. I will also send money to St. Bridget’s in Postville and to the ACLU which continues to act hopefully. None of us stands above the other in the Eyes of God. We each must do all we can to ease this terrible ignorance from which we suffer.

]]> By: themicah http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6806 themicah Mon, 19 May 2008 03:49:46 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6806 Jennie, I used to live in Iowa, too. I'm sending a check to St. Bridget's (which I originally saw posted on <a href="http://jewschool.com/2008/05/15/its-our-turn-to-help/" rel="nofollow">Jewschool</a>, along with a letter explaining my concern for the way these people have been treated by Agriprocessors. I also passed this info on to family in Iowa, who I believe passed it on to the federation folks in the Quad Cities. I'm not sure if they'll be doing anything with it or not. Jennie,

I used to live in Iowa, too. I’m sending a check to St. Bridget’s (which I originally saw posted on Jewschool, along with a letter explaining my concern for the way these people have been treated by Agriprocessors.

I also passed this info on to family in Iowa, who I believe passed it on to the federation folks in the Quad Cities. I’m not sure if they’ll be doing anything with it or not.

]]> By: Jennie http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6795 Jennie Sat, 17 May 2008 02:04:09 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6795 I found you because I'm googling for ANY Jewish response of this nature -- I live in Iowa and these raids which involved the terrorizing of Latino communities and their children feel to me as particularly important to the Jewish community -- for they came for use, once, too. DOes anyone know an organized Jewish response group I can support? The one other post I found mentioning this was only concerned with Jewish reputation adn the price of beef. But what's going on with ICE raids in this country feels a bit too much like 1922 to me to sit by quietly. I found you because I’m googling for ANY Jewish response of this nature — I live in Iowa and these raids which involved the terrorizing of Latino communities and their children feel to me as particularly important to the Jewish community — for they came for use, once, too. DOes anyone know an organized Jewish response group I can support? The one other post I found mentioning this was only concerned with Jewish reputation adn the price of beef. But what’s going on with ICE raids in this country feels a bit too much like 1922 to me to sit by quietly.

]]> By: Rabbi Shmuel http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6786 Rabbi Shmuel Fri, 16 May 2008 18:01:36 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6786 then say what you mean:) failed messiah has the affidavits in pdf - as an attorny with 25 years experience I read the affidavits carefully - it's actually not clear how far this thing goes up the foodchain I'm no fan of the Rubes but some of the things look like they're the work of enterprising moonlighting middle managers (they're not getting rich either) Ironically the HR person repeatedly refused to hire the undocumented workers - ya gotta love it! To quote a famous rabbi (Mick Jagger if you must know)"I shouted out who killed the Kennedys, when after all it was you and me" - We all need to take a long hard look at this so-called lifestyle which has immigrants risking their lives to get here to take on jobs where they again risk their lives. What we are exporting as the "American Dream" in reality turns into the American Nightmare for the unsuspecting. The greatest American export is entertainment - if you want to know why ancient Egypt didn't survive just look at the story of Joesph - they hung the bread guy and reinstated the wine guy - any society which places "wine" (fun and entertainment" over "bread" (basic living necessities) simply cannot sustain itself longterm then say what you mean:)

failed messiah has the affidavits in pdf - as an attorny with 25 years experience I read the affidavits carefully - it’s actually not clear how far this thing goes up the foodchain I’m no fan of the Rubes but some of the things look like they’re the work of enterprising moonlighting middle managers (they’re not getting rich either) Ironically the HR person repeatedly refused to hire the undocumented workers - ya gotta love it!

To quote a famous rabbi (Mick Jagger if you must know)”I shouted out who killed the Kennedys, when after all it was you and me” - We all need to take a long hard look at this so-called lifestyle which has immigrants risking their lives to get here to take on jobs where they again risk their lives. What we are exporting as the “American Dream” in reality turns into the American Nightmare for the unsuspecting. The greatest American export is entertainment - if you want to know why ancient Egypt didn’t survive just look at the story of Joesph - they hung the bread guy and reinstated the wine guy - any society which places “wine” (fun and entertainment” over “bread” (basic living necessities) simply cannot sustain itself longterm

]]> By: Charles http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6778 Charles Fri, 16 May 2008 15:38:18 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6778 I meant to say that management was probably NOT involved in the drug manufacturing. And I would like to see the affadavit for the search warrant. That would clarify exactly what happened. I meant to say that management was probably NOT involved in the drug manufacturing.

And I would like to see the affadavit for the search warrant. That would clarify exactly what happened.

]]> By: Rabbi Shmuel http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6777 Rabbi Shmuel Fri, 16 May 2008 15:32:23 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6777 "And they may have been involved in getting the raid to happen. " Out of curiosity, what basis would you have for that statement? How could it possibly inure to Agri's benefit to receive a black eye like it got? "If there were people making drugs in the plant that is more likely than not done by the management" Again why would that more likely than not be true? BTW I'm sure you read the affidavit accompanying the search warrant - (it's about 60 pages) what in that would lead you to surmise that if it happened at all, it was management driven? For the record, kosher & organic meat is more expensive than drugs:) “And they may have been involved in getting the raid to happen. ”

Out of curiosity, what basis would you have for that statement? How could it possibly inure to Agri’s benefit to receive a black eye like it got?

“If there were people making drugs in the plant that is more likely than not done by the management”

Again why would that more likely than not be true? BTW I’m sure you read the affidavit accompanying the search warrant - (it’s about 60 pages) what in that would lead you to surmise that if it happened at all, it was management driven? For the record, kosher & organic meat is more expensive than drugs:)

]]> By: Charles http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6776 Charles Fri, 16 May 2008 15:14:58 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/helping-out-in-postville/#comment-6776 This is a much more complicated situation than you make it out to be. First, let it be said that the people who run the plant don't seem to be shining examples of Jewish values. They probably also knew that they the workers were illegal. And they may have been involved in getting the raid to happen. But raids like these have been happening all over Iowa, and the works also knew that they were working illegally and have to accept some of the consequences. If there were people making drugs in the plant that is more likely than not done by the management. That being said, the families need support since they are innocent victims in this. But don't pretend that this is being done only at a kosher meat plant and that it is not a general problem in the US food industry. This is a much more complicated situation than you make it out to be.

First, let it be said that the people who run the plant don’t seem to be shining examples of Jewish values.

They probably also knew that they the workers were illegal.

And they may have been involved in getting the raid to happen.

But raids like these have been happening all over Iowa, and the works also knew that they were working illegally and have to accept some of the consequences.

If there were people making drugs in the plant that is more likely than not done by the management.

That being said, the families need support since they are innocent victims in this.

But don’t pretend that this is being done only at a kosher meat plant and that it is not a general problem in the US food industry.

]]>