Postville Video: De Facto Deportees

A short video on the after-effects of the Agriprocessors raid from Luis Argueta and Vivian Rivas.

Excerpted from the soon-to-be-released feature-length documentary AbUSed: The Postville Raid.

Comments

[harold]

Moving video, that is what we should be collecting money for. Food and milk for the children instead of the thousands being sought for a laptop and a vacation to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

[Shmarya]

We've done that in the past, and I've personally more that you don't know about.

Past that, these people want the trials covered.

Using what passes for your logic, no one should have given money to Luis and Vivan so they could take vacations to Postville and Guatemala.

[Hometown Postville]

I personally value Shmarýa's opinion on the trials and look forward to his coverage in S.D. It's very evident a lot of work goes into this blog. I find something new here almost every day. He cites his own facts and expects others to do the same. I wish I were able to contribute monetarily but I can't. I can only offer prayers and support for his travels. Wish there was a way to change the focus of giving to Guatamala from hand-outs to establishing self-sufficiency. Maybe they can move to China where most of our other jobs have gone!

[yidandahalf]

harold, "we" are collecting money? How are you involved in anyone's collecting money? Just shut up you asshole.

[groisa schmekel]

Look at all the hesed SMR did for the Guatamalans!
He gave them low wages but high hopes!
Take a deportee survey...and ask them to choose!
I see poor people who were fed and happy, broken
Immigration laws, babies drinking grande lattes, and
A guy in trouble for giving solutions the UN world
Food programme findings.
Please remind me here who is the bad guy and why
HF is being pressured by pastors and senators to reveal
His personal business plans?
If it weren't for HF there wouldn't be 300 + jobs and
The pastor wouldn't have any alter boys to/for services....
Good yuntiff Sage, enjoy the brisket in ur sukkah.

[groisa schmekel]

Look at all the hesed SMR did for the Guatamalans!
He gave them low wages but high hopes!
Take a deportee survey...and ask them to choose!
I see poor people who were fed and happy, broken
Immigration laws, babies drinking grande lattes, and
A guy in trouble for giving solutions the UN world
Food programme findings.
Please remind me here who is the bad guy and why
HF is being pressured by pastors and senators to reveal
His personal business plans?
If it weren't for HF there wouldn't be 300 + jobs and
The pastor wouldn't have any alter boys to/for services....
Good yuntiff Sage, enjoy the brisket in ur sukkah.

[Shmarya]

Please.

He exploited desperately poor people, stole money from them and abused them.

In other plants caught hiring illegals, these additional crimes generally did not exist.

[groisa schmekel]

Please?
I don't see any videos now of complaints of working
Conditions only living conditions in S.A.
He gave jobs to desperately poor people, and I'm not
Sure what u mean that he abused them and stole money
From them. Do you know both sides of that with
Certainty? Listen, illegal workers must understand
The tradeoff of rights and conditions that come
With being illegal and the risks that were taken to
Employ them. Its a two way street!
I would like an expose on the immigration status of
The cleaning help in the homes of the heksher tzedek
Folks - or is it only frummies that can't cut corners?
All I'm saying is...let's get a video asking the
Same people and ask them: would u like a one way
Ticket back to postville, to get abused, stolen from
In exchange for a job , food and education and out of
Poverty????? They would say SI faster than sage can
Eat a grilled tofu steak and they would be thankful
As well.....
Hey HF might even hire u to do his website...

[Shmarya]

Please.

I know those filmmakers and they know about the abuse.

You haven't a clue. You also don't seem to have much in the way of ethics, morals or empathy, either.

[groisa schmekel]

If they know about the abuse and they are filmakers,
And u know them.....why haven't they documented it?

How do u know what clues I have? I keep asking if
U have backup / know both sides of the story...and
U have decided that I don't seem to have ethics, morals
And empathy...wow. Generalizing statements that are
Unsupported by any facts is super sleuthing. At least
I have a schmekel.
Your reports are U.N. Esque! Apply to mr. Goldstone!

[Shmarya]

Their films aren't even released yet. All you've seen are small clips from 2 films, both dealing with immigration issues.

[Maskil]

Hometown Postville:

He cites his own facts...

That's classic.

I know what you mean though, and I agree 100%.

[groisa schmekel]

Why aren't they released yet?
Do we get an accurate picture from a clip?
Why aren't community and religious groups pressuring
Them to meet re the release dates and their intentions?
Why didn't you respond to the rest of my critique?

By not responding u show no empathy morals or ethics.

Heehee.

If u still think HF is an SMR front, then I can
Believe Postville community coalition is peta and
Union front.

I just want to see u deny that!

[Shmarya]

Why aren't they released yet?
Do we get an accurate picture from a clip?
Why aren't community and religious groups pressuring
Them to meet re the release dates and their intentions?
Why didn't you respond to the rest of my critique?

Are you really this ignorant? Do you think it takes a few days to make a film? The average documentary takes several years to shoot, edit and produce.

Believe whatever you want. But try to realize the limitations fo your knowledge.

[groisa schmekel]

"fo your knowledge"
Stop criticizing me and address my comments please.

"takes several years"
And how long does it take to turn around a failing
Company of agris magnitude pray tell.

U seem to be an authority on the issue

[Shmarya]

How long to turn around Agri? Who knows. But dealing honestly and fairly with the town and with workers will only help that process, not hurt it.

Past that, what you're implying is that SHF has the right to deal unfairly with workers and the town until Agri is "turned around."

There is no halakhic or legal basis – let alone a moral or ethical basis – for that claim.

[groisa schmekel]

I'm sorry shmarya but there aren't any workers
Right now or during SHFs short tenure that have been
Dealt with unfairly!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!
If u refer to the community groups...well they don't
Work for him nor does he owe them anything!!!!!
If they don't want to work for shf they can move
Along but they certainly can't dictate his policies...
That is a law enforcement issue. I keep wondering where
They get the audacity to make demands of a private
Company as to their policies or intentions!?!
As far as I can see, if it wasn't for SHF white knight
There wouidnt be ANY jobs now nor any hope for any
In the future.

[Shmarya]

I'm sorry shmarya but there aren't any workers
Right now or during SHFs short tenure that have been
Dealt with unfairly!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!

I'm told there are.

If u refer to the community groups...well they don't
Work for him nor does he owe them anything!!!!!

Wrong. He owes them a fairly run ethical business that follows or exceeds all labor, environmental and other laws.

They get the audacity to make demands of a private
Company as to their policies or intentions!?!

Private companies – like Agriprocessors – regularly make demands of city, county and state governments.

You forget this.

As far as I can see, if it wasn't for SHF white knight
There wouidnt be ANY jobs now nor any hope for any
In the future.

Even if that's true, it does not justify wrongdoing on the part of SHF.

[groisa schmekel]

1. U r told there are...why don't you document them,
Not including of course unsubstantiated hearsay.
2. He owes the governing body of law an ethical and
Legally run business. He owes the community council
And lutheran church zippo.
3. If private company makes demands of city county
Or state governments...those governing bodies may
Make demand likewise in return...it doesn't create
A precedent for anyone esp outside parties to hop
On the demand bandwagon. What are u thinking? U
Must be spending too much time sipping kool aid
In the succah.
4. It is true. No one justified wrongdoing under shf,
There hasn't been any.

This website is for muckracking not mudslinging.
Focus.

[Shmarya]

1. U r told there are...why don't you document them,
Not including of course unsubstantiated hearsay.

I wouldn't call it unsubstantiated and it will be documented . In this economy, people don't want to lose their jobs even if they're getting ripped off. That makes it harder to get them to go on the record. But that's changing.

2. He owes the governing body of law an ethical and
Legally run business. He owes the community council
And lutheran church zippo.

Then they owe him "zippo" – which means shouldn't do him any favors, a position Hershey Friedman certainly disagrees with.

Similarly with state and county governments.

[groisa schmekel]

What is changing and what needs to be changed about
Shfs labor policies?
Please tell me what favors hf needs from the community
Council and church?
He is offering jobs to workers.
Pls respond to # 3 , 4 also

[Shmarya]

What is changing and what needs to be changed about
Shfs labor policies?

You'll have a post on this pretty soon, perhaps after the first week of the Rubashkin trial.

Please tell me what favors hf needs from the community
Council and church?
He is offering jobs to workers.

He'll need to exist with that community. If he isn't fair and straight with them, there is no reason for them to be kind to Hershey – which means the city can do a lot of damage to the plant's ability to function.

It didn't do this to Agri because many people were naive (and a couple might have been bribed, as well).

But the naivete has worn off.

Pls respond to # 3 , 4 also

I did. You just didn't get it.

[groisa schmekel]

Silly me!
I'm used to reading not inferring from conjecture.
U keep using "if" in reference to potential illegal
Actions by HF. Why do u keep ass uming that he is
Shafting his workers under your nose, while u stall
Until the trial to substantiate.
Seems to me that his current 300-400 employees need
Him a lot more than he needs them.
10% of americans are unemployed....including u!
I bet you can prove its all haredim!

[Shmarya]

Please.

When I have people who will let me, I'll write about it.

Until then, like said, that's what I hear.

Seems to me that his current 300-400 employees need
Him a lot more than he needs them.

Really bright of you. Obviously you were a star student in yeshiva. A real lamden.

You'll see soon enough what Hershey needs.

[groisa schmekel]

Star student? Lamden? I was ur rebbe who abused you
And then expelled you!
If shf didn't buy agri postville wouldn't exist anymore
Coupled with the fact that he is paying fair wages now...
How do u know what hf needs? You need a laptop and
A paying job, weight watchers and a slap upside the
Head and a heaping of seikhel.

[Shmarya]

Star student? Lamden? I was ur rebbe who abused you
And then expelled you!

1. I was never abused or expelled.

2. Only a truly sick individual could write that.

If shf didn't buy agri postville wouldn't exist anymore

Please. There are other Postville business, including a large tech business. Teh town would exist.

Coupled with the fact that he is paying fair wages now...

Not really. He's paying far less than the industry average.

How do u know what hf needs? You need a laptop and
A paying job, weight watchers and a slap upside the
Head and a heaping of seikhel.

You need some ethics and morals, two things you probably will never have.

[groisa schmekel]

The healing process won't start until you come to
Terms with your past.

I'm truly sick? I will never have ethics and morals?
Gee...who blogs 24 hrs a day about other peoples problems
Shortcomings and those that don't measure up to u morally.
Or hareidim.

Why do you think that you represent the moral authority?

Oh and if there's a large tech business why is agri sooooo
Crucial? I'm sure they will pick up the slack in
Unemployment...
I was in postville...I bet the tech business there sells
Calculators with solar power. How many do they employ????

[Shmarya]

The healing process won't start until you come to
Terms with your past

I have this little rule. People who lie get banned.

You have two choices.

1. Apologize for lying and for your disgusting mouth.

----or-----

2. Take a permanent hike.

The choice is yours.

[groisa schmekel]

Ohhhhhhhhh.
U can make up stories and assumptions without backup
But I can't?
Maybe I can produce a witness once the trial begins!
I don't even know you let alone your history.
How can a silly story be considered a lie? U want me
To apologize for my fictional musings? They are no
Different than the accusations you lay on others!
I'm glad u finally see what your victims feel like!

So I will apologize if u apologize to all those uve
Written about w/o knowing both sides objectively!

Otherwise....you will ban me anyways for opening
Ur uglies to the world and your one sided derision
Of us Jews.

You're a disgrace to the Jewish
People, journalism and truth.
Ban me. Uve done it before!
The schmekel will ride again.
If u were half a man you wouldn't
Ban me like a coward communist censor
That can't come to terms with
Those whose opinions differ.

[Shmarya]

You've made your choice.

[kleiner schmekel]

Loser

[infidel mohel gaylord rebbetzin putz]

The way you responded to groisa was so infantile.
He made valid points and your rebuttal was to be insulted.
His argument brought you to your knees so you ban him.
You are an insult to journalism and the blogosphere.
Reinstate him and deal with criticism that you so
Generously promulgate.

[groisa schmeckels]

He didn't ban me but thanks for the support putz.

[Shmarya]

The comment left at 5:02 and the comment left at 5:08 were left by the same person using two different names.

This type of sockpuppetry is not okay. Neither is lying.

This is how people get banned.

[groisa shmekel]

Wrong again super sleuth.
Ass umptions really get you off huh?
Same computer...two different users.
I am sure the rest of your baseless ass umptions are
Circumstantial and false!
Ok fine maybe u weren't molested in yeshiva. U left
Because you had a higher calling...then how do you explain
Your terrible treatment of fellow jews, G-ds creations?
Did Hashem post permission on your blog to decide
Who is wrong and who is right?
Cmon you shlepper kvetcher make things right
Use your skills for the common good!
Why can't you ban me already?

[Shmarya]

So you continue to lie.

I told you, you're banned. Stop commenting.