OP-ED: Postville’s Real Victims

By Yaacov Behrman

The American financial system is going down the drain. In the last few days alone, tens of thousands of Americans citizen have lost their jobs and thousands of Americans haven’t been paid in weeks. Millions of Americans are in danger of losing their homes and hundreds of thousands of others don’t have the money to pay for heating and gas. General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Corp. and Chrysler LLC are in danger of going bankrupt. The potential domino effect is colossal and debates rage daily on Capitol Hill on whether the government should spend twenty five billion dollars to bail out these failing companies.

At the same time that the country is falling apart economically, we have the tragic comedy of a group of people celebrating the demise of an entire town. These people claim to represent human rights and civil liberties. They ride like knights on white horses always coming just in time to save the abused and harassed. It seems rather ironic that these so called champions of human rights have so far succeeded in putting thousands of people out of jobs, leaving them without the basic necessities of food or water.

The Downfall of Agri will do more than just destroy the town of Postville. The chain effect from such a large kosher company closing is enormous. Dozens of butcher shops, groceries and restaurants across the country will be forced out of business leaving hundreds jobless.

Whether the Rubashkins are guilty or innocent is irrelevant to the larger picture. The people of Postville, the restaurant and grocery owners across the country are innocent. The thousands workers who are going to lose their jobs are without doubt innocent! The farmers who have no one to sell their cows to are innocent

Furthermore, if the plant closes, the price of meat will skyrocket. All the struggling Jews who have a hard time purchasing meat even with the currents prices will no longer be able to afford meat. Many small Jewish communities will no longer have luxury of buying kosher meat in their local stores. The people of these small communities will have to drive hours just to purchase kosher meat. What wrong have these people done?

Legitimate investors have come forth to buy the company. The federal government has to understand that Postville must be saved at all costs. It is essential not just to Postville but to the entire American Jewish community. Everything in the power of the law has to be done to make it easier for the buyers to purchase the company. And all those who try to sabotage the sale should be held accountable.

This will also be the ultimate test as to the true agenda of all those who are advocating the closing of the plant. Will they stand behind the new owners? Or will they find a new reason to fight them?

May Hashem bless the people of Postville with success and happiness.

Click here to donate to the Postville relief fund.