MASON CITY – “We ask you not to purchase anything in Mason City, Iowa.”
(UPDATE: Councilman Alex Kuhn says he has removed the “tag” in the social media post that associated his name with this boycott website. He tells NIT he has no support for this boycott whatsoever, and his name was not added with his permission.)
Those are the ominous words displayed on a website with the headline “Boycott Mason City, Iowa”. The persons operating in the shadows that run this site – boycottmasoncityia.net – are furious over Mason City’s pursuit of a pork processing plant from Prestage Foods, Inc. These individuals want this project scuttled now, even as the town mayor and council march toward a final approval this month. They fear crime, smell, culture clash, deterioration of infrastructure, water pollution, air pollution, the boogey man, the loch ness monster and the theory of Atlantis.
However, the people that may support this website are not in the shadows. They have made their support clear via social media by banding together to (EDIT: allow themselves to remain tagged in) the announcement that this site exists. Their compatriots that made the announcement for the boycott Mason City website are strongly against the Prestage Foods plant.
You might want to be sitting down when you see this “list” of folks – almost all of them Democrats, who operate together, socialize together, think alike, have parties together, etc – who (EDIT: have allowed their names to be attached) to this website.
And let’s be clear: You don’t allow yourself to be connected to a Facebook post about Nazis. Or racism. Or child porn. Or mass murders. You just don’t attach yourself to vile things if you have a sane mind. Well, these people are allowing their names to be attached to this web site, and this web site makes it clear that it is promoting actual, potential harm to Mason City businesses, harm that could take the food out of the mouths of owners of these businesses and their families.
“OK, I get it,” you say. “Who the heck is on this list?”
Well, local elected officials – all Democrats – plus former elected officials and Democratic party leaders and others who have sought office. Randy Black. Doug Nelson. Quinn Symonds. John Stone. Dean Genth. Tom Willett. Amanda Ragan. Chet Culver (yes, the former Governor). Alex Kuhn. Yes, Alex Kuhn (EDIT: WAS TAGGED AND ADDED TO THE LIST). NIT reached out to Mr. Kuhn for clarification, and (UPDATE: Sunday morning, Mr. Kuhn says he did not voluntarily add himself to the list of supporters of this website, but was “tagged” for reasons he cannot explain. He says he does not support any boycott.) “Tagged” means he was brought in by the person making the post. It is then up to that person to remain “tagged” or to remove the tag, should they not want to be involved in or associated with the post. Mr. Kuhn says he has removed this “tag” and wants no part of the boycott the website promotes.
For those of you slow to pick up the pieces here, Alex Kuhn is Mason City’s at-large city councilman. He already voted in favor of the plant once, on March 22.
Now, these folks who (EDIT: have allowed their names to remain tagged) on this list connected to the boycott site, again, will spin this how they will. Just remember, it is not common or even in good sense to attach your name to something you find to be vile, nasty, and downright injurious. (EDIT: Tagged or not, these people’s names are associated with this boycott website. It makes the appearance that they support it. This may have been the intention of the person who shared the website.)
Ask them what they were thinking and when they plan to dis-associate themselves with this boycott website. But they got found out this time, and it’ll be interesting to hear how this is explained.
When’s the last time you’ve gone after Republicans and exposed their underpinnings? Face it Matt, you’re a Republican. And nice word “duplicitous” isn’t it? Glad you found use in it. Your welcome.
You’re a dummy, dummy.
Cinema West will be showing the Burt Reynolds movie DELIVERANCE – The hillbilly humping your rump will be in slow motion while the pig squeals – talk about getting it in the END !
It reads like something Matt would write.
so, mat, how many silver coins did you get for writing this fair and balanced piece? your piece seems about as neutral as taht site itself.
The issue here is there are very important unanswered questions that are being swept under the rug while local government is going forward approving this place. This is not how government works, and people are tired of being told to shut up, and this is how it’s going to be. I live on the lower south end of this town and I have a whole list of concerns that have not been talked about. Until I get answers, i will not support this new “business”.
Are you saying there is a $12,000,000.00 bribe going on to get this chinese plant located in MC ?
Mint ! – Great job on your Agenda 21 link – The United Nations is a scary organization and the socialist (globelist) packing plant fits into the NWO (new world order) perfectly. 75% of the meat will be exported (china mostly) and the deteriation of your community for the socialist agenda. Now down to brass tacks -$240,000.000.00 usually 5% is budgeted for lobbyists (pay offs-cash-cronyism-bribes) could go on – who/whom would be inline for George Jeffersons PIECE OF THE PIE ? Run these people out of town because they prefer wealth over patriotism and the American way of life. Take your Berny Sanders/commie crap and move to china/russia and good riddence ! Sam Adams says so.
You’re talking to yourself again Peter.
This is a Factory Food Map, http://www.factoryfarmmap.org/#animal:hogs;location:US;year:2012, Iowa is saturated with animal confinements, the pagan god Moloch it pleases.
I am a bit confused by this. He says that these 47 people liked and support this Facebook post. It looks like the 47 people were tagged by the original poster. In other words those 47 people are his Facebook friends and he tag them in it. Is it possible that these people were tagged in the post without their on olive and they do not necessarily support boycotting Mason City businesses? Somebody help me out on this one Thanks
The story was corrected to say those Democrats were tagged… and they have allowed themselves, many of them, to REMAIN tagged. Tied to the hate site. No denouncement of the boycott. By default support of the evil tactic to hurt local businesses. You know when you are tagged. No excuse. Sad the Dem party has went this route, apparently.
Thanks for taking the time to respond and for the explanation. I did not realize you knew when somebody tagged you in a Facebook post.. My spouse is a big Facebooker but I am not. If they know they are tagged and do nothing about it one would assume they are ok with their name being associated with boycotting Mason City Businesses.
Yes, FB will notify you when you are tagged. Then you have an option to untag yourself. The person who made the post to begin with used the tags to drag his/her Democratic allies into the mess, tie them to the hate site. As you can see, the list of names that appear to support the hate site (by tagging the names) could lend the hate site credibility. Everyone tagged in the post should have untagged themselves and perhaps left a comment stating they do not support the boycott – unless of course, they do support it. Otherwise, allowing themselves to remain tagged there could give the public the assumption of that person’s support.
Many people don’t check their Facebook pages every day, and in some cases, every week. Therefore, they might not know they have been tagged. And I have been tagged in some posts, and because I had several notifications listed, I didn’t respond to the tag. Once you click off the notifications, they still appear on your list but you may not remember a past tag as new ones come along.
I see your name, Matt, is on the landing page for this website. How do you explain that coincidence? Are you the welcoming matt?
I can’t stop anyone from linking to an NIT story. That’s not how the internet works. I can however, make sure my name is not tagged or connected to a hate site.
Hate site haha! Oh are we talking about the site raising awareness for unanswered questions, or are we talking about the NIT memes hate site?
NIT Memes page is for humor. It’s funny when people do dumb things like smoking next to a no-smoking sign. At least, it’s funny TO ME, and since it is MY PAGE, I will make memes for it whenever I please. I’m just sad the Democrats are so hateful as they would stand idly by as a boycott of some of their own businesses is launched. How reckless is it to sacrifice the livelihoods of others just to get your way? What has the left become?
Some of us see the bigger picture and don’t give a hoot about the mighty dollar.
Sorry, Matt, I had nothing to do with this website. Just removed the tag. Now, how do I remove my name from your story, I don’t want to be associated with this weirdness you’ve made.
Ok Doug. Did you renounce the boycott, too? If not, why not?
I wrote a letter to the editor of the Globe that was published on 4/3 congratulating the people responsible for landing the plant. I have nothing to do with the boycott, do not support a boycott, and think it’s a bad idea. I do think this story of yours was ridiculous and to state that people allowed themselves to be tagged when you discovered it late at night didn’t even allow time for people to discover they had been tagged before you, falsely, claimed they liked or supported a boycott. Why did you not know the difference between being tagged and liking something? How long was it before you knew you’d made a mistake and then posted an apology for your mistake? Have you even admitted your mistake? Very disappointing.
I articulated the difference, Doug. It is in the story, which was up for about 6 hours before I cleared it up. Don’t change the subject, Doug. Democrats are tied to a hate site now. Your names were all attached by your party pal to the boycott. You and a couple others keep trying to distance yourselves from that, but the truth is, you all stick together. One goes for the boycott publicly, the rest of you secretly allow yourselves to be tagged in the post to give the hate site credibility. Sad, really. There are other ways to ruin the pork plant development, and I’d think Dem’s would know better.
What have you been smoking, Matt? Better buy better stuff. This has nothing to do with democrats, nor, I suspect, did you take the time to verify that everyone listed is a democrat. It’s laughable what you’ve sunk to. Is it from reading your own site for too long?
The Rockford story seems to be bringing forth plenty of hate. So is this considered a hate site?
Leave it to Dimocrats. The most selfish, short sighted, me first, group the world has ever known.
Great reporting Matt. It’s much appreciated.
anonymous – All big corporate animal factory farms are the same, please watch this video, https://youtu.be/nEKpyzyn6N8.
anonymous – In my view it is about big corporate factory farming which is mostly owned by globalists, the GMOs they use for feeding the animals, the barbaric treatment of the animals, the stench, personally I am a vegan, there is much more to this than it appears it is about the New World Order, please watch this video in it’s entirety, https://youtu.be/V-U-Ov1Ay30.
Please watch this video, Sustainable Destruction – Exposing Agenda 21 in Rural America, this video explains the plans of the psychopaths, jump to the 30 mark, https://youtu.be/V-U-Ov1Ay30, also a note I am not a Republican or Democrat, I know the same entity controls both sides, this philosophy is called, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegelianism, and the ones who financially own this world are here Revelation 3:9.
Go away Peter.
Hey Petey, did you show your doctor at the mental health clinic your ramblings on this site? Did you tell them that in your eyes pedophilia is ok? Did you tell them that you believe illegal drugs should be legal? Did you mention anything that you rant about here? You must not have, because they would have locked your butt up instead of just giving you Prozac. Now, go back to the basement. None of this means anything to you. You don’t work, you don’t pay taxes, you sponge off your mother. When you become a decent human being, then maybe someone will care about your opinion. But as of now, no one cares what you think.
Mason City is already a craphole inhabited by the lowly skilled and poorly educated, yet people want to drive this business away. Dumb
The town is a running joke and it’s not because of the loss of union jobs by due to the people already living there and their proclivity for resisting any sort of progress.
Just an FYI I don’t support a boycott on Mason City. And I’m not going to sit and defend why I didn’t untag myself from one post when I get tagged in several each day. Myself, and many others on this list don’t support the railroading of the kill house being proposed in Mason City. Being tagged in posts like this makes it much easier to keep up on the conversation being had when you have other things going on throughout your day. I’m actually trying to find the source of the site but it’s whois information is proxied online online so I can’t actually know for sure. Contextually I can gather information from it and assume that it’s some who doesn’t like the Mayor, who has great experience in leadership in the past or present, sucks at making websites, and is probably involved currently. Maybe they want to cut the head off the serpent, I dunno. Either way my involvement is trying to keep this movement as non-radicalized as possible and I’ve created a petition online. I’ve obviously failed miserably in my first part.
Quinn, why were only Democrats tagged to the hate site that promoted a boycott of Mason City businesses? Can you explain that? Does the maker of the hate site feel like Dem’s are more likely to back the site? Why didn’t any of you DENOUNCE the hate site with a comment under the post? EXAMPLE: “I do not support boycotting Mason City businesses, please do not tag me in posts like this.”
Also, how long did you allow yourself to remain tagged in the post until you removed the tag, so your name was no longer linked to the hate site?
Hate site? I saw no hate on there when I looked at it earlier. Honestly I hadn’t even glanced at it until you shared the link with me on Facebook messenger. People have the right to express themselves as they wish just as you do on here and yet I have never denounced you. I think a boycott of Mason City is stupid and childish and plays into the hands of those we oppose, just as stupid contrived stories like these. I don’t support a boycott but I don’t denounce the idea of those that do, it is their right. If they think that will stop the kill house, well I don’t know what to tell them. It’s a stupid stupid idea. I don’t think by posting it and tagging people in it that means that Mr Petersen or those like myself support a boycott of Mason City either, and to assume so is just plain silly. But you have manufactured quite a controversy around something that really has nothing to do with the seriousness surrounding the issues of the politics and impacts to our region by the railroading of this issue, and for that shame on you. But I suppose you need to make your couple bucks too.
A website promoting the boycotting local businesses – an action which could bring irreparable harm to them – is not a hate site? What kind of site is it?
If these people want to boycott businesses in Mason City, why not start with Walmart. Walmart is the king of low wages. Not to mention, the nuisance that store brings. How many times have the police gone there for a shoplifter. If we’re going to boycott, let’s start with these bug companies that pay their employees wages they cannot live on, and still need assistance to put food on the table.
Why is it Wal Marts fault that people go there to steal. That’s like saying that it’s the beer joints fault that people go there and get stupid drunk.
Get your facts straight. Walmart has increased their pay and are now pretty decent. Kohls on the other hand doesn’t pay crap.
I say have an organized protest in front of the Mayors house and everyone on the council. Don’t forget to e-mail and call Branstad to voice your concerns about this plant. Remember, he was here not to long ago endorsing this.
And, there, you did it again…?
Matt, why do you post my name on 2 posts, but my attempt at an apology, you post as anonomous?
I didn’t change a thing with your comments.
How many people on this list eat pork products? Are they vegetarians? Probably not.
People complain there’s no jobs. Then when there an opportunity forbikbs, some are still complaining. And Joanne Hardy is Russ Hardy ‘s wife. It upsets me that they are a part of the problem in Mason City. They rent to drug dealers, get their HUD money, etc. They have gotten rich off the poor. They live in Asbury while their tenants live in homes that some are not fit to live in. They own property on the north end and do nothing to improve that property. There’s others on this list that should be ashamed of themselves. So just because this isn’t the kind of business that the elites of Mason City and Clear Lake want, they are against it. But they never speak up when a business comes in that will only pay minimum wage. I’m not educated in the impact of this type of business. I will brush up on learning. I do know that I grew up in the Mason City Era of Deckers, the cement plants, and we still have a pork processing plant on Eisenhower. Those were good jobs for many many people here. I don’t understand why so many are against jobs that pay a decent wage.
In retrospect, I don’t think it’s a good idea either..to punish local businesses. And am regretting signing it..an example of emotions getting in the way of rational thought…like ask you out there, if you spent your life working on a home you love, a nice place in the country..it’s all you have..and you face the impending onslaught of stink & flies..you can’t sell to move..no one else will want it either..would you get emotional about it? Might you sign on to something in the spur of the moment you’d later regret?
To the comment with the link to the Smithfield sow farm, I think you need to drive 9 miles south to Rockwell. There sewer system is on the west side of 65 in open lagoons and they do the same thing with human wast. All the small towns in the state have the same type of system and they smell just as bad as a hog confinement. I have heard a lot people complain about all the manure that is going to be generated at the facility and the truth is that the pigs would only be there about 4 hours from the time the truck drops them off and they go through the kill. Yes I said kill, I know a lot will take issue with that terminology but it’s what happens, so the production of manure is low.
PUT A MORATORIUM ON CAFOS IN CERRO GORDO COUNTY & HANCOCK COUNTY AND ALOT OF US WILL BE SILENT..I, FOR ONE..
The main sounds that make my anxiety worse are when i hear people yelling, fighting, screaming, hitting, swearing, slamming doors…i always end up having a panic attack when i hear those, even if its just one or two of them…
I also get really anxious/paranoid when i hear noises outside or around me that aren’t usually there, especially at night…
Both of them make me think that my trauma is about to happen all over again…it’s quite scary actually
Please turn off CAPS LOCK key
This is a means to draw attention, to try to get local businesses to pressure mayor & council to SLOW DOWN..This is a big deal with many, many ramifications to surrounding communities that haven’t had a say in this..Pretty inflammatory on your part as well Matt..this isn’t a partisan thing..dems, repubs & independent voters will all be affected..SLOW DOWN the process..if it’s a good deal, it should sell itself..if this is the best place for Prestage, WHY DO WE GIVE EM MILLIONS TO BE HERE?
Many miss the point, much of the objection is to the 100s of CAFOS that will be built in the area to supply the millions of hogs needed. North Carolina put a moratorium on hog confinements after many, many violations & spills that TAXPAYERS are left to clean-up. Iowa already has BIG issues with water quality NOW!
Discussing who pays to clean up? $28 million of TAXPAYER money just authorized for communities to clean up drinking water, while the other hand is handing Prestage $27 million in taxpayers money..?
WATER=LIFE..GOOGLE JORDAN AQUIFER & SEE HOW IT’S BEEN DEPLETED IN 20 YEARS..
Matt, you understand social media VERY WELL..YOU KNOW folks you mentioned were, as stated by others here, we’re merely TAGGED!To let them see it’s there..
Tagged, yes, but each person on the list is ALLOWING THE TAG TO REMAIN there. They could easily “untag” themselves and dis-associate themselves with this boycott. The tags give the appearance that those on the list support the boycott, and if you leave the “tag” in place, then in effect, you ARE supporting the boycott.
How many of them have you tried to contact, and get their version of the story?
No. I’ve got other work to do. I’m sure their explanations for allowing their names to remain connected to this boycott will come out soon, though.
I thought since this is news worthy, you might look into it. Maybe someone will post on their Facebook page and you can cut and paste.
Absolutely, this is a newsworthy story. As the story develops, it will be reported.
Matt – all the people on this list were tagged, they didn’t like the website. It is on Chris Petersons page and he tagged them. Kuhn, Ragan, Culver, Vilsack, etc all were tagged without knowing. That’s how Facebook works. This website is ridiculous and obviously none of them would sign on to this.
Tagged, yes, but each person on the list is ALLOWING THE TAG TO REMAIN there. They could easily “untag” themselves and dis-associate themselves with this boycott. The tags give the appearance that those on the list support the boycott, and if you leave the “tag” in place, then in effect, you ARE supporting the boycott.
I challenge that conclusion. Being tagged merely means someone wanted to bring your attention to the post. Chris had said, by the time I saw the post, that he didn’t support a boycott. I didn’t feel any problem being tagged by Chris saying he didn’t support the thing to which he drew attention. Didn’t give it much thought because my views are actually on record with the Globe Gazette. You’ve made a mistake here, are you going to keep doubling down on it?
Perfectly said, Doug. And once the post got your attention, where was your denouncement of this tactic? Did you untag? I can tell you, if I was tagged in a KKK site post, for example, I’d untag myself within a minute or so and tell the “friend” that did it NEVER to do it again.
As far as any mistake goes, the explanation was written into the story to clear up the “like” versus “tag” issue. You are still tied to the story ether way, and leaving yourself connected to a hate site is then your choice to allow.
Doug, remember, the Globe is a dinosaur. Just because you “go on record” there, who will see it? The mice on the floor at Hardee’s where the paper always ends up? You need to be quicker on the draw here to protect your name.
This is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Penalize people who have nothing to do with the decision by boycotting the place they work. This is so typical of the democrats and I hope the people refuse to ever vote democrat again.
You’re reading facebook on camera? How much more can you spoon feed us?
They can do what they want, but most of the people on the list are a reason to keep on buying Mason City. Besides, it will make no difference to the majority of the people.
Nothing wrong with this at all. This is the American way. This is a non-violent way to get their voices heard. If people are really against this project this is a good way to participate and to have an impact that our leaders will have to pay attention to.
Obvious bait is obvious.
2/10 got me to reply
I signed the petition, also please watch this video, Spy Drone Exposes Smithfield Foods Factory Farms, https://youtu.be/ayGJ1YSfDXs.
Get off it. Smithfield has nothing to do with this project. And, Smithfield is already here and has been. No one has even known a difference.