From: altheimm@nextnet.csus.edu (Murray Altheim)
Newsgroups: alt.pagan
Subject: Re: 	Don't mention Ben & Jerry's in Vermont
Date: 7 Oct 92 01:22:42 GMT
Organization: California State University Sacramento

In article <1992Oct6.170731.29888@nntpd.lkg.dec.com> boylan@ljohub.enet.dec.com (Steve Boylan) writes:
>
>Murray,
>
>Welcome back - sounds like you got quite a load of decision-making
>done.  I expect the scenery was rather spectacular up there!
>
>You've got at least ME curious - how did the daughter of "the woman
>you love" end up with her brother?  although - you may not want to
>"talk" about what's happening in a public forum like this . . .
>I hope this works out well for all three of you - those old family
>values are essential, you know!  :-)
>
>But what really got me wondering was your subject line - you never
>explained it in your message.  Why "Don't mention Ben & Jerry's in Vermont"??
>
>				- - Steve
>
>				boylan@ljohub.enet.dec.com

Well, since you asked, here goes...

First question. The father of her daughter comes from a wealthy Syrian 
family. They were married but he did not want a child. He beat her up
pretty regularly, even tried to "cause" an abortion by hitting her in
the stomach on at least one occasion. They split up rather quickly,
needless to say. She doesn't like to talk about it much, but she did
describe bruises from nose to ear, etc. You get the picture.

About five years ago she was living near her brother and his wife, and
they were on good terms. She wanted to go back to school, but not being
able to afford child care, sent her daughter off to live with them in
Maine. Being a respectable Baptist family, this probably didn't seem like
too bad an idea until a year later they filed for adoption. Relations got
worse, and they set the conditions for her visitation -- she was "allowed"
to call and talk every third Sunday morning. Her financial situation and
another even more violent relationship kept her from tackling the problem.

I don't really have a problem talking about it (other than it might not 
seem relevant here) because none of the parties involved know me, and I
don't plan to divulge her name publicly. From the standpoint of letting 
people know the kind of things she's been through (she's past her ninth
cat life she'll admit if asked), I hope information like this DOES reach
the public so they can see the incredible brutality of not only some men
but our supposedly "just" institutions of medicine, religion, and justice.

She is a good writer, and I encourage her to write about her experiences.
Many of them she cannot yet deal with; others are still too private.

And on a lighter note, Question Two:

Apparently, the growth of Ben & Jerry's ice cream empire forced them to 
build (or buy) a plant in Indiana while the new one in Vermont is being
built. Almost EVERYBODY I mentioned B&J's to while there had only 
scathing criticism for their hypocritical attitude towards supporting
local and state business. Vermonters take care of each other, and here
was their most visible business (not including IBM), who claimed to be a
Vermont business, doing part of their manufacturing in Indiana.
 
While there, the Burlington paper divulged that the department of tourism
in Virginia was using pictures of Vermont maple trees to advertise their
own countryside. Again, Vermonters are very proud (rightfully so) of their
beautiful state.

Blessings,

Murray

-- 
Murray M. Altheim      "Ils ont l'orteil de Bouc, & d'un Chevreil l'oreille,
Instructional Consultant    La corne d'un Chamois, & la face vermeille
CSU, Sacramento          Comme un rouge Croissant: & dancent toute nuict
altheimm@csus.edu       Dedans un carrefour, ou pres d'une eau qui bruict."