Reader dismayed that Aossey is jailed

To the editor:

After having been away for most of the summer, I can only express my utter dismay and amazement to come home and discover that Judge Linda Reade has seen it necessary to keep Bill Aossey in jail until sentencing. It is especially disturbing after reading her justification based on innuendo and 'guilt by association.”

When I think of Bill Aossey, I think of his long-standing service and generosity toward this community in many different ways, including in the aftermath of the Flood of 2008.

I also remember a large feature in The Gazette a number of years ago marking the 100th anniversary of the Aossey family's settling in Cedar Rapids. This leads me to wonder if Reade believes that someone of Arab descent, no matter who they are, what they do, or how long their family has been outstanding members of our community, can never be considered truly 'American.”

Who knew that mislabeled Halal foods posed such a great threat to all of us. Obviously, Reade cares so much about the integrity of Muslim religious practices that she believes this a much worse crime than Quality Egg bribing food inspectors so that eggs infected with salmonella went to market and caused thousands of people to get sick with a life threatening disease. The penalty for that? Over in Sioux City, Peter DeCoster was not jailed until receiving his 3 month jail sentence. If this is what passes for justice, I am ashamed of my community.

Deborah Dakin

Mount Vernon