As an old restaurant union member and shop steward (Hotel Restaurant Employees and Bartender's International Union NY Locals 1, 69, 6 and finally 100) I oppose any kind of scab or unfree labor. Trying to clothe myself and my family in non-sweatshop goods (bless the Union Label when we find it!) is horribly time consuming and expensive. And I support small farmers through our local greenmarket. A grower of perennials from a greenmarket a block away from my apartment has been the source of many plants in the Clinton Community Garden. His business and family are very important to our neighborhood. He has the same migrant workers every year because they believe in health coverage for their workers - it's the only time that some of these guys can get their teeth fixed.
Bottom line: Prison labor should be used on farms ( and I would underline that I'd want this to be a voluntary program) to produce food for our food pantries and neighborhood soup kitchens. Could free men and citizens produce that food? Of course, but our food distribution system has become so corporatized, agribusiness so divorced from the real needs of our society that many in this country suffer chronic hunger amidst seas of plenty. Can community gardens help? Sure and many make outstanding contributions to our neighborhood's food security by enabling low income families to raise food for their families, share the excess with seniors, neighbors, or grow a row of vegetables for a local program. Hunger in America is a national disgrace. Our well developed gleaning and surplus redistribution programs can only do so much. There's even a program in Arkansas where sports hunters donate game to local food pantries. Those who choose to open their eyes can see the hungry - unfortunately most don't and the media doesn't choose to enlighten it's viewers. Bottom line: Prison farms or industries should not be used to undermine anyones livelihood. I only advocate prison labor to raise food for Food Security - food pantries and soup kitchens. Community gardens need to do more in the fight against hunger in this country, in both education and production, but community gardens can't do it alone unless there's a community garden on every block. That said, I'm off to sell t-shirts, baseball hats, our cook book and honey from our 2002 harvest at the Clinton Community garden ( got a loud voice and no shame - a throwback to pushcart days.) Tomorrow I'll be stirring soup at my synagogues soup kitchen ( my Sunday of the month.) Thinking about harvests and hunger in America, Adam Honigman Volunteer, Clinton Community Garden To use a goverment program to undermine citizen's jobs ______________________________________________________ The American Community Gardening Association listserve is only one of ACGA's services to community gardeners. To learn more about the ACGA and to find out how to join, please go to http://www.communitygarden.org To post an e-mail to the list: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your subscription: https://secure.mallorn.com/mailman/listinfo/community_garden
