Is it possible to find common ground...

Available here on Amazon.com

You have undoubtedly found this film from a search concerning immigration or agriculture. Please take a moment to visit www.americanharvestmovie.com to learn more about "American Harvest" and the vital role you as American citizens play when you look at all the facts of a particular debate.

Particularly one as vitally important important as immigration as it relates to agriculture.

We are releasing the film in theaters beginning in June and expect to release the DVD sometime this fall. Visit our website for details.

Thank you,

Angelo Mancuso
Director


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Is it possible to find common ground when the venom from the nativist is so strong?

And they're not even Native Americans! Then I could understand their right to bitch!!!

I had posted a comment about immigration reform on a Newsday column. It began with some very civilized discussion. I even posted it with my name. Angelo Mancuso. Since I am the director of "American Harvest" and also traveled 15,000 miles to shoot this documentary I think I have learned a thing or two about immigration in the U.S. particulaly as it relates to agriculture.

What I didn't learn from making this movie is that there are people in our country that are far less moderate than me.

The substance of the comment on the column was centered around people taking a rational look at the immigration debate. I also wrote that "we have already made room for these immigrants and they are feeding us."

Then came the venom. I wasn't expecting an English tea. But here is what one 'anonymous' writer calling himself MIGHTYMOUSE wrote.

"Our immigration laws are NOT BROKEN....they're NOT BEING ENFORCED!!!!!!!!!!

WE DON'T NEED NEW LAWS....NO REFORM...!!!!

THE AG BILL ALLOWED 3MILLION "PICKERS" AND ALL FAMIKY MEMBERS TO GO HERE TOO!! Read the bills, before you say something, you know nothing about ANGELO MANCUSO!!!!"

MIGHTYMOUSE obviously didn't travel the 15,000 miles with me. He, she or it also doesn't realize that these immigrants are already here feeding us.

Another lost impotent soul JUSTICE SEEKER wrote
"Quit spamming the site, Mancuso. We can read english and America does NOT support the AGjobs bill
it is just another sneaky shot at back dooring amnesty for illegal aliens and their anchor babies + their extended families!!!

NO AGJOBS BILL!!! NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS IN ANY FORM. NO ANCHOR BABIES. NO WELFARE.
NO FREE MEDICAL BENEFITS. NO FOOD STAMPS!!!!

GO HOME ILLEGAL ALIENS and take the traitors who support the invision and destruction of AMERICA with you."

As of 11/08/2007 JUSTICE SEEKER posted 1701 comments on Newsday. I have posted 7. (and he thinks I'm spamming??? That's the pot calling the kettle black.)

P.S. if you're going argue your point, then at least be mature enough to use your real name.

You got to see the venom first. Here is what I wrote in the column:

"Yes, there are services that are over burdened, but there is also a positive side to this issue.

Here is what no one wants to here. THERE ARE JOBS AMERICANS WON'T DO! AND WORKING ON A FARM IS ONE OF THEM.

I continue to here that 'we all want immigration JUST LEGAL IMMIGRATION' I do too. AND SO DOES AMERICA'S FARMERS!

I spent 15,000 miles on road last year to shoot my documentary "American Harvest." Few people have had an opportunity to see all sides of the issue.
I am nonpartisan in nature. I think politics should be like a good game of golf. Stay in the fairway. Go too far left or right and you end up in the rough.

Unfortunately the system we have now is broken. It is impossible to keep up with the labor shortages in agriculture. I don't care were we are talking about in America. The problem is far worse the farther we are from our southern borders or were labor shortages are severe. The current H2A system in which a farmer can apply for LEGAL workers and has to pay for include, among other things, transportation to and from their home country, housing for the duration that they are in the U.S. and a wage rate as follows:

Courtesy of the US Dept. of Labor:

STATE 2007
Alabama $8.51
Arizona 8.27
Arkansas 8.01
California 9.20
Colorado 8.64
Connecticut 9.50
Delaware 9.29
Florida 8.56
Georgia 8.51
Hawaii 10.32
Idaho 8.76
Illinois 9.88
Indiana 9.88
Iowa 9.95
Kansas 9.55
Kentucky 8.65
Louisiana 8.01
Maine 9.50
Maryland 9.29
Massachusetts 9.50
Michigan 9.65
Minnesota 9.65
Mississippi 8.01
Missouri 9.95
Montana 8.76
Nebraska 9.55
Nevada 8.64
New Hampshire 9.50
New Jersey 9.29
New Mexico 8.27
New York 9.50
North Carolina 9.02
North Dakota 9.55
Ohio 9.88
Oklahoma 8.66
Oregon 9.77
Pennsylvania 9.29
Rhode Island 9.50
South Carolina 8.51
South Dakota 9.55
Tennessee 8.65
Texas 8.66
Utah 8.64
Vermont 9.50
Virginia 9.02
Washington 9.77
West Virginia 8.65
Wisconsin 9.65
Wyoming 8.76

The immigration levels in which most people insist upon knowing nothing about are far too low for our current U.S. economy. Unemployment is approximately 4%.

It is my hope that people like you reading this will look at all the facts before you continue to bite the hands that feed you. The U.S. farmer represents less than 1% of the American economy. In New York State alone New York Farm Credit estimates that 900 of the 35,000 farms in NY will go out of business due to labor shortages IN THE NEXT YEAR. It is also estimated that between 70 and 80% of all farm workers have a questionable document.

At what point do we as Americans say to our farmers THANK YOU FOR DOING A JOB WE DO NOT WANT TO DO?

Look around you and be honest. How many of you want your children to work on a farm instead of going to college? HOW MANY OF YOU KNOW ANYONE WHO WANTS TO WORK THE FARM. I AM SURE THAT THERE ARE SOME OF YOU, BUT NOT THE 100s OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NEEDED TO WORK ON THE FARM.

Immigrants have always and will always continue to come here because the opportunity at $9 or $10 an hour is far better than $10 dollars a day they may earn in their home country.

All I am asking is to think about this. What do we do in 30 years if most of our farms go out of business and we end up importing our food from foreign counties? Continue with me further. What if in 30 years China is the new super power? What if there is a world conflict and they put embargo on our food source?

We can import our food or import our labor. Be careful what you wish for. THIS IS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.

This problem has been growing for 50 years. Yes, there are people that should go to work instead of asking for an entitlement, but again this problem took 50 years to create and will not be solved overnight.

A bipartisan bill called AgJOBS has been proposed by both sides of the isle. I would ask that after you look at ALL the facts you consider supporting this bill. It is not an amnesty bill. It does allow anyone who has been working in agriculture to gain legal status. Here we go. We all want these workers to be legal. There is no automatic path to citizenship. It does allow farmers to legally employ the 100 of thousands of farmworkers who have fed you and me for years to stay and work.

This issue is far too complex to narrow down to a sound bite. Please take a look at the whole issue. That's why I made "American Harvest." I would suggest you take a look at our website.

http://www.americanharvestmovie.com

There are a tremendous amount letters and endorsements supporting our nonpartisan approach. When it hits theaters you'll have an opportunity to see for yourself.

If I asked you why is it that American men and women can enlist in the armed service and risk their lives to defend our country when they're 18 but can't have a beer until they're 21, you might say that the law is broken and we need to fix it.

The same logic applies to our current immigration policy. Our American farmers deserve better."

Angelo Mancuso
Director

"The pen is mightier than the sword."
I don't know who wrote that quote, but how apropos.