Today marks the anniversary of the 2006 chilling murders of five Amish school girls at the West Nickel Mines School, Bart Township, Lancaster County, PA.
The gunman, Charles Roberts IV, ordered all boys, three parents with infants and a pregnant woman to leave before barricading himself with the girls inside the one-room schoolhouse in the Old Order Amish community.
Roberts shot ten girls (aged 6-13). Five died. The murderer then committed suicide.
This unbelievable, heinous and tragic crime against humanity received national and international media attention. The girls’ deaths came in the same week as two other school shootings occurred. What was even more shocking is how these killings were handled by the Amish community.
The emphasis was on the immediate forgiveness and reconciliation by the Amish community which reached out to Roberts’ widow and family the same day. They consoled them. One cannot help but be moved by this tremendous outpouring of compassion during a most horrific time when young lives were snuffed out or injured by a man who was on a mission to kill these young girls on this fateful day.
My heartfelt thoughts and prayers have always gone out to those girls and their families.
While the world viewed their behavior as Amish grace, for me, I feel a conundrum when it comes to the Amish.
There have been several books written and a movie based on the Amish shootings and their undeniable compassion and forgiveness towards the killer, his wife and family. Some felt they forgave too early and didn’t properly remorse. According to author Donald Kraybill, “They live in a society where harmony, positivity and quiet discipline are the norm rather than aggression and hostility.” He continues saying the Amish are simply taught to obey Jesus instructions to love enemies and forgive transgressions.
While I can applaud this way of thinking, I couldn’t help but wonder how the Amish in Pennsylvania are the largest group of people responsible for operating puppy mills where dogs are treated horribly and live under the most disgusting conditions imaginable. Animal advocates know this fact very well. They are hostile toward the dogs. They shove pipes down the throats of dogs to debark them. When the female dogs are no longer viable to breed, they have been known to hit them on the head with a rock to kill them, or they drown them or lastly, as what happened with a Mennonite family in Maxatawny township in 2008, two brothers shot 80 dogs to death instead of fixing minor repairs as requested by dog law enforcement.
Does this resemble a peaceful and grace-filled community?
While it was inappropriate to make this point at the time of the shootings, I feel the truth of a portion of the Amish needs to be revealed. I’ve been disappointed when I hear the media speak of the Amish as peaceful, loving people without describing what I just wrote.
The Amish are a conundrum to outsiders because of their way of life. Anyone who isn’t Amish is considered English and they keep their associations with them to a bare minimum. They sell their products to the English as well as puppy mill puppies.
There is even further proof that all is not what it seems with them. Many men treat women and children badly. The case of Mary Byler, a former Amish woman, received national attention when she went to the police to report that she had been repeatedly raped by family relatives including three of her eight brothers. After she wore a wire supplied by police, her brother, Johnny, openly admitted he raped her. He disagreed with the number of times he had raped her. He said it was between 50-75 times while Mary said it was well over 100 times. She had been raped from childhood through adolescence.
Three of her brothers were charged and convicted of raping her. David received four years in prison, and Eli received eight years. When Johnny, who raped her the most, was to be sentenced, the Amish community filled the courtroom. They weren’t there for Mary but to support him. He received ten years of probation. Mary’s mother who told her to forgive her brothers and said she wasn’t praying hard enough during the time of the rapes received probation for not stopping the rapes. The stepfather who also knew received a probation sentence.
Is this compassion? Is this forgiveness? Is this how Jesus would want Mary to be treated? Of course not, but the media doesn’t report these accounts.
In New York, Jonothan Eicher was asked to kill a litter of puppies and their mother by the owner. Their bodies were found in January of this year. According to Eicher, it is acceptable to put dogs down. “I thought as long as you did it out back, it was okay”, he told police. He also referred to the three S’s- shoot, shovel and shut up. It is acceptable to shoot dogs in the Amish community. I ask, is this peace-loving and nonharming? Eicher and the owner were charged with animal cruelty.
How are any of these actions one of submission, simplicity, humility and living by Jesus instructions?
The Amish live by their own rules and some of their actions are truly heinous.
How can a community that received international attention for their forgiving nature toward the wife and family of the killer who brutally gunned down their daughters execution- style be so horrible to their own people and animals?
A puzzling and confusing conundrum indeed.
I’ve always felt the same way about them. I know the truth about them. They have been portrayed by so many as gentle people when in reality a certain percentage of them are abusive towards animals including their horses and women. The women are taught to be submissive and obey. I don’t know how anyone could stay under those conditions. They treats the dogs like crap.
How can they forgive somone who did that to their own flesh and blood but do horrible things to their own flesh and blood? I’ve never understood it.
They sound so hypocritical. They sound awful. They present to the world what they want everyone to perceive. Many secrets will go to their graves with them for their actions against man and pets. They think they must only stand up and confess in church and be shunned. There is a higher authority and they will be judged.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. It’s a good article where you definitely have a better understanding of the Amish than other journalists. They keep saying how the Amish had grace but neglect to tell the whole picture. These Amish may not have been puppy mill operators but you darn well they know others who run them. It’s a small community of around 60,000 in PA. Lancaster County is where a large percentage live. So they know. They keep everything hush-hush just like they do of the abuse towards people. They’re not even ashamed. Showing support for the rapist and not the victim. Sounds like true grace to me-NOT!!
I look forwards for your further post thanks once again.
Amish Grace= Amish DISgraceful!
The Amish keep their lives secret so they can do things to their families and animals. They put on a fake persona and the rest of the world think they’re so nice. What goes on behind closed doors with some of the Amish is reprehensible. The mistreat their kids, sexually abuse as you have written, there’s no real love between many husbands and wives. It’s the wife duty to obey the husband. He is the head of the house. Their behavior is not Godly and they will find out their fate on judgment day.
I’m amazed at the number of books writing about Amish Grace after the killings. The authors explain the simple lives they lead. How many have cell phones? Some have electricity, computers and more. It’s a false image they portray. They keep their sect closed off to outsiders so they can get away wiht the horrible things they do. These authors didn’t research deep enough. I don’t find them credible since Amish are well-known for having puppy mills. It’s disgusting what they do to the dogs but to hear they rape their own children or siblings and the community comes out for the guilty party and not the one wo was repeatedly raped completely boggles my mind. They arne’t a peaceful group of people.
I can’t believe how the media is fooled by the Amish. Many people still don’t understand that pet store puppies come from these puppy mills that the Amish in Lanaster County run. It makes me sick to my stomach! Peaceful people- what a joke!
Couldn’t have said it any better. They are a cult as far as I am concerned.
The Amish don’t care about the puppy mill dogs they keep. They are livestock. They are looked upon to make them money. That’s all. They could care less about the care of them. Despite our new dog law, many mills have gone underground. It breaks my heart to know how these “Godly” people treat these poor dogs. Puppy mills should be outlawed. The Amish any all puppy mill operators should be charged with animal cruelty and shut down!
Thanks for finally writing about the Amish. There’s so much more to this story. Such hypocrites. Loved it!
The Amish put on a good show for all to see. They don’t let you see what goes on behind closed doors. Same goes for the doors to the tightly closed doors to barns that warehouse their puppy mills. They’re cruel and deceitful. The media does a poor job by not getting to the truth of who they really are. Therefore, most people think they’re God-fearing, gracious people. What a farce.
Don’t get me started on the Amish. They are not what they appear to be. They are NOT who they claim to be.. They aren’t nice to their animals, let alone their own people. Bunch of hypocrites.
Very very true.
Yeah, they forgive the person who gunned down their children, the very children who rape their siblings and are taught to be just like them and have no regard for animals’ lives!
Hello,I log on to your new stuff named “Amish- a forgiving and cruel community | A Closer Look At Animal Welfare Issues” daily. This is good work!
Wow, I will never visit Amish country again or shop at their markets! Wow! I’ve been doing animal rescue for 9 yrs and have never heard that.
I have emailed different people that live in the Amish country and write about them. They don’t want to hear or accept anything about them running puppy mills. They bury their head in the sand.
This exposé is clear and well-written. It is a verifiable, accurate piece and it will be an honor to include it in full on Amish Truths.
Thank you.
Also wanted to note it was a very good expose, and the animal mentioned above would be one of America’s most magnificent creatures a horse.
I suspected that much about them. What can you expect from the Stone Age? Absolutely awful – sounds like hell for the animals in their possession
Amish people are not to be trusted. Especially when it comes to animal welfare. Trust me I know this from firsthand experience. After working an animal for the better part of its life, they have no moral issue with selling it to kill buyers (slaughter). Nothing says job well done…. Like being tossed out like old shoes (auction at New Holland), sent on a 2000 mile journey on a dark metal “double decker” meat hauler, to then be funneled into Mexico, to be screamed at in another’s language, forced into a stock and stabbed repeatedly in the upper portion of the top line (neck) until a kill shot lands(spinal cord) this sometimes takes more than 20 stabs(uncoordinated Mexican stabber guy ).
So the next time you wonder to yourself or aloud
” the Amish must really care for their animals” , You will know better.
I find the Amish to be a filthy, ignorant, perverted cult – similar to Isis,Hamas, Al Qaeda …etc.
*They’re not too good with puppies either.
Also as far as honesty and integrity look up Monroe beachy.
Jake
Lancaster Pennsylvania
I have volunteered at my local animal shelter for 15 years. Last week a woman came to adopt an animal from us and enlightened me about the dark side of the Amish and their many puppy mills. Curious, I went online and found your well-written blog. Kudos to you for exposing the ugly truth of “Amish Grace.” I am sure not all of them are engaged in such behavior but those that are should be exposed for their cruelty and hypocrisy.
I live in the amish community in holmes county ohio and know of dozens of puppy mills that are horrible. I have made several calls to authorities but it seems nobody cares. The amish get away with so much crap that we would be jailed for. It makes Me sick !!!
This blog was… how do I say it? Relevant!! Finally I have found something which helped
me. Kudos!
lookie here- the Amish disguise who they really are behind their plain clothes and horse and buggies. Their outward appearances can’t change what they’re like inside. Hiding behind God, church and the Bible doesn’t change how a good portion are cruel to animals. Those who don’t are still guilty for not doing anything when they know others are cruel. Such a hypocritical group of people. It makes me sick.
What’s up, just wanted to mention your article was compelling and on target. The Amish don’t and can’t show the real them to the public. They hide their deceitful ways behind the guise of God. They are protected. They’re not dumb people. They know how to get the most out of people and animals. Working them and using them until they’re no longer viable.
Hi, I just wanted to tell you, you’re dead wrong.
You made a number of nice points there. I did a search on the issue and found the majority of folks will agree with your blog.
Touche. Sound arguments. Keep up the amazing spirit.
Really informative blog.Much thanks again. Great.
The Amish live secretive lives. They don’t want you to know how cruel they are to their animals or their own people. They’re not allowed to go to the police if there’s a problem. An elder in the church decides what happens to them. That’s crazy. Someone can commit a felonious crime and the church punishes them. They can get away with horrible things like rape and they’re not supposed to go the cops. Get real. The news makes them out to be holier than thou and ever so gracious when many are anything but that. They make me furious. They treat animals like garbage. Tricky, sneaky people.