History of Social Injustice with Old Amish Heritage
Old Order Amish who reside in the United States are descended from the Swiss Anabaptist movement found in 16th century Europe and can be traced back to the Swiss Brethren of the early 16th century. They became known as "Anabaptists” which means “re-baptizer” because these individuals were first baptized within the Catholic faith but believed in adult baptism. The Anabaptist beliefs include non-violence, refusal to take oaths, and the belief in adult, rather than infant, baptism. These very different ideas from Catholicism made them the targets of much abuse that included torture and persecution.
The stories and history of the way the Anabaptists were treated during this time period is complied into a 1,000 plus page book of images and descriptions called the Martyrs Mirror. Copies of this book, along with the Bible, can be found in many Old Order Amish homes today.
Menno Simons and Jacob Amman, Anabaptist leaders, are very important to understanding the Old Order Amish because they became major influences within the Anabaptist church. They made the active decision to go against Catholicism and support and preach for the Anabaptists.
The stories and history of the way the Anabaptists were treated during this time period is complied into a 1,000 plus page book of images and descriptions called the Martyrs Mirror. Copies of this book, along with the Bible, can be found in many Old Order Amish homes today.
Menno Simons and Jacob Amman, Anabaptist leaders, are very important to understanding the Old Order Amish because they became major influences within the Anabaptist church. They made the active decision to go against Catholicism and support and preach for the Anabaptists.
How today's Amish came to exist
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Amish do not forget how their ancestors were treated and focus their teachings around "the ban" where they were excommunicated from society because of their beliefs. They believe that communion is only for true believers who are baptized as adults and ostracize those who do not follow the rules of the faith.
The Amish we know today are stemmed from the ideas and beliefs of these Anabaptists. This separation from Old Amish in creation of New Amish began in 1693 by Jacob Amman through a strict interpretation of Anabaptist doctrine. Amman advocated foot washing, simple grooming, emphasis on humility, and what is called "Meidung" which refers to strict social avoidance of the excommunicated unfaithful. Some Amish will shun members of their society if they choose not to follow Amish customs yet become baptized. This leads to the individual leaving the society indefinitely. If they choose not to be baptized and at the same time not follow Amish beliefs, they may not be ostracized from their society.
The Amish we know today are stemmed from the ideas and beliefs of these Anabaptists. This separation from Old Amish in creation of New Amish began in 1693 by Jacob Amman through a strict interpretation of Anabaptist doctrine. Amman advocated foot washing, simple grooming, emphasis on humility, and what is called "Meidung" which refers to strict social avoidance of the excommunicated unfaithful. Some Amish will shun members of their society if they choose not to follow Amish customs yet become baptized. This leads to the individual leaving the society indefinitely. If they choose not to be baptized and at the same time not follow Amish beliefs, they may not be ostracized from their society.
The Amish Population
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Amish are represented in 24 states and in Ontario, Canada totaling nearly 180,000 people in 250 settlements. There are many more, smaller settlements in numerous states around the country including those in the southern states of Kentucky, Missouri, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, and Mississippi. Smaller settlements are often created due to migration of Amish families to seek farmland or to begin new settlements resulting from conflicts over various aspects of Gelassenheit, which is a compilation of beliefs.
Amish as an Agricultural Society
Farming is considered an honorable vocation and toiling the land brings the Amish male closer to one of God’s creations–earth. Working the land also reinforces the tradition of being good farmers, and also conveys the message of self-sufficiency, independence, and the desire to perpetuate the farming trade to future generations.
Several issues have come about for the Amish farmers in the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of the biggest problems are dwindling farmland and rising prices for land. This has forced some Amish to gravitate to other occupations to support families or migrate to new areas. If the Amish venture out of their communities for work, which is becoming more common, contact between Amish and non Amish naturally increases. This also causes the need for the Old Order Amish to continually negotiate with the larger culture and society in concerns to the modernization and social change of the world around the world.
Several issues have come about for the Amish farmers in the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of the biggest problems are dwindling farmland and rising prices for land. This has forced some Amish to gravitate to other occupations to support families or migrate to new areas. If the Amish venture out of their communities for work, which is becoming more common, contact between Amish and non Amish naturally increases. This also causes the need for the Old Order Amish to continually negotiate with the larger culture and society in concerns to the modernization and social change of the world around the world.
The Amish and the Law
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Amish storage barn
The Amish respect the law due to it reflecting the Ten Commandments. However, they do not actively seek help from the law and run the risk of being ostracized from their society if they do. They believe that God will take care of people who do wrong to them and do not wish to create conflict with others.
“The Amish are taught to bear abuse and suffer insult rather than to fight injustice through legal means.”
“The Amish are taught to bear abuse and suffer insult rather than to fight injustice through legal means.”
Crimes against the Amish
There have been cases reported in the news media of hate crimes against the Amish occurring in Wisconsin along with a rash of Amish barn burnings in Pennsylvania. However, the best-known case of Amish victimization came in the fall of 2006 with the West Nickel Mines school shooting. Charles Carl Roberts IV opened fire on a school house taking ten girls hostage, shooting five, then killing himself.
Harassment
Most harassment of Amish occurs when they are traveling in their buggies. It is popular for non-Amish youth to yell "bushhog" or to "baa" like a goat at the bearded Amish male. Some have been seriously injured when their horses spook at firecrackers, eggs, and stones being tossed at them by people driving passed. The more bold vandalists take action by turning out livestock, upsetting outdoor toilets, and burning corn and wheat shocks. There was even an incident where a boy was killed when struck by a rock thrown from a passing car in Indiana.
Murder in the Amish Community
An Amish family was on their way home in their buggy from a friend’s home when a red pickup carrying four young men drove near. They threw pieces of clay field tile at the buggy. One of the pieces of clay hit the youngest, Adeline, in the head. Upon arriving home, the Schwartz family realized that Adeline was dead. They called the police from a neighbor’s phone and the youth were quickly arrested. However, the most anyone involved in the incident got was a 5 year suspended prison sentence (which they never served; instead they had 5 years probation) and a $5,000 fine. Even after, they expressed no remorse and stated that they were out to get some “Clapes,” which is a derogatory term for the Amish in the area. The people of the non-Amish community were outraged but all the father of Adeline could say was now if they went to prison, they couldn't blame the Amish. One of the boys after the incident even went to work for Adeline's father.
Burglary and Robbery Against Amish
Sometimes the Amish are targeted for burglary and even robbery. However, many cases may have gone unreported. Knowing that the Amish often carry cash since they have no other means for payment, the assailants would drive by the Amish men riding their bicycles, club them (sometimes with tire irons) causing the men to stop, and then rob them. Most people within the criminal justice system fighting for the Amish found much frustration over a lack of participation in both reporting and cooperation with prosecution. The Amish did not wish to pursue prosecution and because of this, they were perceived as “easy prey and forgiving” because they wished to leave justice to God.
More Harassment of Amish Culture
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Flour is the weapon of choice for youth harassing Amish. They think it's great sport to throw bags of flour at buggies from a moving vehicle as well as swerving their cars at buggies, Amish bicyclists, and pedestrians. It was even more "fun" when they jumped out of the way and ended up in the ditch. In one incidence a bunch of youth took a video camera and tried to film the Amish families. Knowing that Amish do not wish to be filmed, they took great joy in watching them duck and run away from getting their faces captured from the video camera.
Vandalism
Another event occurred when a group of youth, one of which lived on a chicken farm, acquired an old-fashioned fire extinguisher. The youth placed chicken droppings mixed with water in the fire extinguisher and spent the rest of the day spraying the mixture at buggies they drove past. Another incident happened in northern Wisconsin when a neighbor of an Amish family set a buggy on fire.
Reasons Why Youth Act Out Against the Amish
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Belgian Horse and Marv in the background helping his brothers
When the youth were asked why they did these crimes, they showed no remorse and described the Amish as dirty, dumb, and easily identifiable because of their clothing. They also knew that they would probably not take retaliation and their slow moving vehicles were easy prey. In addition, they had a better chance of getting away with the crimes because the Amish do not have phones to call for immediate assistance, and since they live in isolated rural areas, it would take awhile for them to find one.
Trying to Help the Amish
"The Menno-Hof Center is an educational and cultural center which was created to inform tourists of Amish, Mennonite and Anabaptist ways with the specific intent of providing a counter-balance to the extensive tourism in the area. The Center has an interactive display of Amish history. Included in this tour is a torture chamber to educate visitors about the Amish history of persecution and it also includes a brief slide show of a truck full of youth harassing Adeline's family in the buggy" (Byers 2008).
Amish Helping Amish
When a crime occurs within this culture, Amish family members look to each other for comfort, and families within the society reach out to those affected by a hardship in order to find the strength to give forgiveness. This illustrates how the Amish is a collectivistic culture.
Violence Going Unnoticed
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Harry's sons and Grandpa securing the wagon
“No one will ever know how many crimes are smothered in silence” (Byers 2008). We may never know how much harassment, intimidation and vandalism the Amish face as long as they choose to stay silent.
Sources- Byers, B. D. (2008). AMISH VICTIMIZATION AND OFFENDING: A RURAL
SUBCULTURE'S EXPERIENCES AND RESPONSES TO CRIME AND JUSTICE. Southern Rural Sociology, 23(2),
226-251.