In 2006, in a rural community (Nickel Mines) in Lancaster County, one lone man (Charles Carl Roberts IV) went into a Amish school house, took hostages opened fire and shot ten students and five innocent girls’ lives were tragically lost that fateful day five years ago on October 2nd. A tragedy that was heard around the nation. A senseless and violent crime that hasn’t revealed the answer to why it happened.
Much emphasis was placed on the ability of this small Amish Community to forgive and reconcile so quickly. The families reached out to the shooter’s wife and family, comforting them and attending the funeral of the gunman.
This past Saturday I attended a lecture by Bruce Becker. Bruce has written a book, “Kindness and Compassion” about his own unique experience that intertwined with this Amish community.
Pictured is Bruce and his painting of an Amish school house bell that he found at a flea market in 2006 prior to the tragedy. He was in the process of painting this bell when he received a phone call on October 2nd from his brother-in-law telling him what happened.
Bruce knew in his heart he needed to reach out and use this painting to help others during the aftermath of the shootings.
Little did he know his painting would be symbolic for so many and receive worlwide attention. He has been interviewed by all national networks and a documentary about the tragedy. He has met the grandmother of the gunman during a signing. She didn’t want to give her name for fear of others retaliating against her. Bruce embraced her.
He eventually met the Amish families and they embraced him which is basically unheard of since they don’t bother with people outside of their community. He has become friends with them. He has been in their homes.
Bruce said the compassion and forgivness they showed was remarkable. Bruce was so touched by their outpouring of kindness which I feel led to the writing of his book.
I remember that day. My heart went out to the girls and their families. It was a horrific tragedy that makes no sense. I knew of the accounts of forgiveness and compassion they showed through media reports.
As I sat there Saturday, I was wondering how the Amish can be so compassionate and forgiving toward other people including a deranged man who killed their daughters but yet have the capacity to run puppy mills and allow these dogs to live in deplorable conditions and live their lives without ever knowing what it is to be loved. And when they no longer need the dogs, they are able to kill them without a second thought. Where is their compassion?
Since I wanted an answer, I asked Bruce. I told him and the audience about puppy mills and how the Amish run most of the puppy mills in PA, the puppy mill capital of the East. I told him I have no information on these families and I wasn’t accusing these families of owning any puppy mills. I also made it known that I do have a heart and am very sorry for their losses.
I told him how I was the first person to interview Elmer Zimmerman from Maxatawny Township. You remember him. He and his brother, Ammon, shot and killed 80 dogs instead of doing minor changes to their “commercial kennel” in 2008. This caused outrage among animal advocates. I attended the vigil and waited after it was done when Elmer emerged. He talked to me. My interview was used nationwide and reached other countries as well.
A gentleman in the audience looked toward Bruce and said a relative of his owns a pet store in New Jersey who buys puppies from an Amish puppy mill. He said each dog is inspected. He continued to say it was “a good puppy mill”.
A good puppy mill- if that isn’t a contradiction in itself. There is NO good puppy mill. Bruce thought that was good. I didn’t proceed any further because this was not the forum for that discussion. From that one man’s statement, it made me realize we have a long road ahead of us.
So, the question remains in my head….how do we convince people puppy mills exist and all of them are bad?
Two women approached me after the lecture and praised me for bringing up this topic. One woman said she has been to Ethiopia and tells of the compassion they have toward other people but animals are completely separate and are treated accordingly. She said it’s a paradox. And it is.
How do you separate compassion for people from animals?
“Our task must be to free ourselves… by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.”
Albert Einstein