Sunday, February 19, 2006

Quotes from Postville by Stephen G. Bloom

Postville by Stephen G. Bloom
Published by Harcourt,Inc.


Professor at the University of Iowa, Iowa City

“I had become worse than the goyim; I was a Jew digging up dirt on other Jews.”

Lazar poured more red wine into our crystal goblets. After several Hebrew benedictions, Lazar returned to the discussion he and I had had in his backyard----rules of commerce. “I get bills and throw them away,” he said merrily.” The more bills I get, the faster I throw them away. If they want to get paid that badly, they’ll send me another notice, and then another. When I’m ready to pay them, I’ll pay them!” Lazar’s monologue confirmed everything the locals had said about the Postville Hasidim.

“And you know what? I had no intention of paying him in thirty days, not even forty-five days. Let them sue us! We’ll pay him----eventually but on our terms, not his.”

To Lazar bargaining was a thoroughly Jewish endeavor. Negotiation the lowest price wasn’t chutzpah, it was tradition. “I don’t feel like a Jew unless I bargain!”

Ultimately, I discovered, carrying on a conversation with any of the Postville Hasidim was virtually impossible. If you did agree, you were at fault, part of the problem. You were paving the way for the ultimate destruction of the Jews, the word Chosen People. There was no room for compromise, no room for negotiation, no room for anything but total and complete submission.

The Hasidim like Lazar have a total disinterest in anyone who isn’t Jewish. The goyim are invisible.

Rubashkins refused to open up their financial records to anyone.

They’ll all about dollars,” one man said slowly, shaking his head. “They do what they please whenever they want, and everyone else be dammed!”

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