The Amish Civil Rights Movement

31. The Amish are the WORST PUPPY MILLERS in this country.

They torture dogs, sell sick dogs, they are cruel and terrible.

And they brag about not paying taxes on the income.

They treat their children terribly too.

Posted at 4:01AM on Sep 17th 2008 by Karen

32. To Mr. monkeynoodle Comment number 20. Where exactly may I ask, did you get your information. How many babies are born with deformities, what's the percentage and where exactly does this happen at? I want percentages and numbers on your extensive research! You're actually literally talking out of your ass!

Posted at 10:47AM on Sep 17th 2008 by Miss Dynamite

33. There is something about the original American experiment in frontier democracy that the Amish aren't exactly terrible at. I don't agree with so much forced communal activity, but at least they are agrarian and do interact with the people in their area at markets and sports and schools. Much of our city life is lost as to how to raise a community and we have to look back to examples from the past for lessons sometimes. The agrarian days have a few lessons. THen again, maybe just watch The Waltons? Nah, TMZ would be taking photos of Mary Ellen getting out of a buggy at Brit Brit's party and the whole thing would be ruined. How about North American aboriginals then, and Celtic and African ways to raise kids and create a society?

Posted at 6:23AM on Sep 17th 2008 by PolarBear

34. I live near this Amish community and this fight with the Sheriff has gone on for a long time. Things are not what they seem to be. There are serious allegations of abuse of the children involved in the custody dispute, and the Sheriff's goal was to protect them. The Muletts are like the FDLS of the Amish community! The wife in the dispute already sued the Sheriff once and then withdrew the suit, and the community just wants to cover up any wrongdoing. They just had one of their own convicted of sexual abuse of two young children just last week, And you might remember our Sheriff from a national case a few years back. He jailed a woman for allowing her two baby sons to get severely sunburned while carting them around the Jefferson County fair. The national media got ahold of the story and crucified him, even though he said he had proof she was neglecting the kids. She sued, got a ton of money, then proceeded to continue to neglect her whole brood of kids until one of them ended up dead two years later, after she didn't bother to take him to the hospital when he got sick. So sad....

Posted at 8:11AM on Sep 17th 2008 by princessgina

35. I agree with Shawn who said they are like a cult. I live in the middle of a very heavily Amish populated area. They are a very rich group because they don't have to pay taxes and charge a little higher on most everything they sell (horse feed, lumber, etc) than everyone else around them. When one inexperienced man put shoes on our horse and hurt her, we stopped going to them to get shoes put on her. It took months for her to heal and the young gentlemen (non-Amish) who does it now is cheaper and a thousand times better at it than the Amish people we were taking her to. They are taking over the whole town, they throw their trash into the woods behind their houses. The ones who live behind us let their dogs run all over the place tearing up your trash cans or anything else they can destroy and the owners don't care. They are NOT environmentally friendly by any means and for some reason, will NOT take care of their property to keep it or the house looking good. House falls apart, they let it go. It is pretty bad. They are hard workers and will have someone run heavy equipment until midnight no matter if they are disturbing neighbors or not. We moved to the country to get away from noise of the city and are constantly bothered by the Amish neighbors. Who'd have thought?

Posted at 10:34AM on Sep 17th 2008 by ME

36. Isn't the use of SWAT a little excessive for use in a mere custody battle?

Let's hope the Sheriff's loses and whomever authorized this gets "put out to pasture".

Posted at 9:24AM on Sep 17th 2008 by Brisk

37. '10. hmmmm, No the court system is not new technology. The US court system is a descendant of the English Common Law which is a descendant of the Norse Common Law which is almost 2000 years old. Not exactly new, idiot.

As far as spending the money, do you have any idea what purebred farm animals cost? Try going to a farm auction and you might learn a few things.

Go Sox

Posted at 5:55PM on Sep 16th 2008 by Baseball Junkie'

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I'll go you one better as an articling student: What you refer to as Norse Common Law was based on English Common Law AFTER the Norse had invaded the British Isles. It was even in place when the Romans and Hadrian go there. It was brought to the British Isles by Jeremiah (yes, that Jeremiah!), Tea Tepi, and Brian Baruch (spelled in various ways).

Thus, it was exported from Israel to what is known as Ireland, through to Scotland, then to England and the rest of Great Britain.

It was based on the first 5 books of the Bible, alternately known as the Pentateuch / Torah, that was in place at Mount Sinai when Moses when up to the mountain to get the 10 Commandments.

The 4th Commandment states 'REMEMBER' the Sabbath day and keep it holy.' One could not remember to do something if that something had not been taught beforehand.

...and that goes all the way back to the Garden of Eden when God, who created Adam and Eve - taught our ancient ancestors. Thusly all the original laws point back to God.

--

As for the Amish, Mennonites, Hutterites and other so-called 'primitive' religious groups take it literally to keep unspotted from the world and it's negative influences.

...and when you look at the dolts that pass for 'stars' and how they 'behave' on blogs like this one, I would make a good, strong case that the Amish are NOT the 'primitive' ones: they believe in worshipping God, have a strong work ethic, cherish family and are generous and helpful. It's the 'stars' and 'famous' that bloggers come here to bash and laugh it, obviously.

So when some of you mouth off about things you imagine you know about (like technology), keep in mind that the Amish have head above shoulders such things as work ethic and morals.

I'm not Amish, but I admire them immensely!

Posted at 9:36AM on Sep 17th 2008 by Renee

38. I live about 50 miles from this community. From what I remember seeing in the local news, the Sherif's Dept. was ordered to remove these two children because the Amish Mother and her family would not turn them over to their Father, who left the Amish life and was given custody. The family refused to cooperate, that is why force was used at the school. I believe an earlier attempt was made at the family property, but the Mother didn't cooperate, so a second attempt there would have been more dangerous because the family made threats. It also came out in the news not too long ago that there is problems with molestation within some of the Amish communities in this area of Ohio, arrests were made and I remember there being a trial. If I remember correctly the community forgave the molester. Why not forgive the Sheriff and his Dept. for doing what they were ordered by the courts ? Would they disapprove of force being used if the Mother had custody and the Father refused to cooperate? Makes you wonder.....I have visited some of these communities as a tourist, which is how most make their living. This is big business, they mass produce jams, candles, cheese, meat, the list goes on. They talk of a simple life, but actually, they are probably better off financially than most of the average Americans, who will be the one's to pay if this lawsuit goes through. My heart goes out to the children affected by all of this, but the parents make their choices for this life.

Posted at 9:45AM on Sep 17th 2008 by Suzanne

39. Cops in this country are nothing but FILTHY PIGS! They abuse their power and are corrupt and just disgusting. And no, I'm not Black...I'm White! The cops in the United States ARE THE CRIMINALS!! Pigs.

Posted at 9:56AM on Sep 17th 2008 by PIGS

40. i live in an amish community, and my parents are mennonite, and i would just like to clarify that the amish are just like the rest of us...i've worked with them, currently one cleans my house....anyways they get dirty drunk, smoke like crazy and let their horses sh!t all over the roads...oh and own cell phones...my bro hangs out with one whose cell plays a country tune when u call him...haha. anyways abuse and incest is rampant, i've heard this from their own mouths people. the problem with this schoolhouse sh!t is that they shouldn't be allowed to have these "amish" schools. These children need to be exposed to the real world so they can make an informed choice at 16 as to whether or not to stay in the religion. also as a side note they should have to get licenses to drive on our roads...i dont care that its not a car, they are a danger to society when they don't know the rules of the road.

Posted at 1:20PM on Sep 17th 2008 by canadian mennonite

41. It was said that the Amish don't pay Social Security Tax because they do not' receive the benefits. Government employees are required to pay Social Security Tax but they are not allowed to receive Social Security Benefits. What is the difference?!?!

Posted at 3:07PM on Sep 17th 2008 by Loser

42. I live in Ohio, in a community where there are Amish EVERYWHERE. Not only do they get away scott free on taxes, even while they are using the roads and tearing them up... on dumpster day, they are there picking through what everyone else is throwing away. Also, I object to Amish not using MODERN TECHNOLOGY. I've personally had Amish people come to my house and ask to use the telephone. Get you're own damn telephone!

Posted at 8:32PM on Sep 18th 2008 by OhioResident

43. You're full of the same sh*t you claim horses leave behind.

All these people who are indulging in gossip and character assassination against the Mennonites and Amish don't know what they're talking about. They are doing this just because they're different, clean, sober, honest, hard-working, religious Christians, family oriented and they DO pay taxes. (Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's).

I guess you people prefer slander, gossip and lies to the truth because you live it, breathe it, eat it and feel oh! so superior to others.

Let's see you put in a full day's work on a farm day after day instead of sitting on your backsides watching Oprah and yelling Obama's name endlessly, brainlessly over and over, again and again.

I'm Canada too btw - and would prefer living amongst Mennonites and Amish any day over self-satisfied idiots like you, or Muslims who - take a good look) blow things up and kill people every day.

So why don't you all just have a nice hot cuppa STFU.

...oh and one more thing 'Canadian Mennonite' - you sign your nym as if you were one, but you slip up and refer to 'their own' and 'they' thus proving you are a LIAR.

Posted at 9:30AM on Sep 18th 2008 by Canadian Mennonite is a liar

44. #42...like i said before my parents are mennonite...i never said i was a practicing menno. further dumb@ss menno and amish are still two different things, that's why i refer to them as "they". as for the sh!t they leave on the road...true story pal...i know in some places the horses are required to wear diapers, but not where i'm from...so y dont u stfu?? oh and btw...u dont have to be amish to work on a farm...my grandparents own one and i'm willing to bet i've baled more hay, shoveled more sh!t and generally spent more time on a farm than u ever have...

Posted at 11:50AM on Sep 18th 2008 by canadian mennonite

45. Actually, the sheriff in this story is a hugely respected lawman who has the reputation that he would do anything to protect little kids. His life was threatend, and I think something else is going on too, like what happened to those kids in Texas.

Posted at 1:45AM on Sep 20th 2008 by Young22