From Matthew Pierce
Urbandale
I would like to thank Senior Judge James Gritzner for his unequivocal support for the First Amendment and Freedom of Speech. Gritzner evaluated the facts against the “Agricultural Production Facility Fraud” law, a deceptive name and offensive statute. He found no provision in the Constitution where the rights of corporations override the rights of natural persons. (Corporations are NOT people.)
If these corporations had nothing to hide, and all facilities treated land, water, people and animals with respect, then why hide behind this law? If this were so, they should want outsiders to verity that these are great facilities; it would be great PR!
But the Farm Bureau and Pork Producers are infuriated. They are terrified that so-called “radical” groups who care about public health, food safety, fair treatment of workers and serving a healthy environment can now educate the public about these giant corporation’s violence done to people, animals and our rural communities in the name of pure greed.
After all, who cares about public health, food and worker safety or Iowa’s waterways when profits are at stake? Don’t corporations have the absolute right to pursue profit no matter the cost, regardless of individual freedoms and liberties of the U.S. Constitution? The Farm Bureau and Pork Producers clearly think so.
By the way, Gritzner was appointed by George W. Bush and confirmed by a Republican controlled Senate. Clearly an “activist judge” if I ever saw one.