But this wasn't the only news of merit for the day. Friday was also the day that sentencing came down in the Amish beard-cutting trial. Now, for those who might not be aware of this particular crime and those affected, let me give you a bit of background.
There are Amish communities throughout the US, so
I'm not guaranteeing that every pic below is from this
particular Ohio community, but the lifestyle of each
group is quite similar.
The Amish people are a pocket religious group who live several places in the US including this community in the state of Ohio where this crime took place. They are a Christian-based group who eschew modern inventions and try to live in rhythm with and close to the land. They use horses for transportation and in their farming, and they don't use the telephone or other modern electronic technologies. This particular group believes that women should leave their hair uncut (and covered) and men should grow their beards when they marry. Beards are one of many outward signs of the Amish (their clothing is also quite distinctive).
Samuel Mullet, Sr.
Samuel Mullet, Sr. was accused of running a cult because of the extreme control he held over hisfamily and extended family. He was the patriarch of the family and his word was law, at least for the fifteen people named in the court case with him. Those in the family who have already been tried received sentences ranging from one year (the women) to up to seven years (the men). Not all trials in this case have been completed yet. But Samuel Mullet, Sr, a 67-year-old deeply religious man who was accused of a hate crime was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for the crime of cutting the beards off several community men.
Samuel Mullet, Sr and the other defendants in the case.
The prosecutor and Justice Department presented this case as a hate crime based on religious differences between two splinter groups. The government said the attacks were retaliation against Amish who had defied or denounced Mullet's authoritarian hold over the splinter group he started in 1995. The government asked for a life sentence for Samuel Mullet, Sr., the defense asked for two years. Because this was a hate crime and presented as such, the jury agreed that religious differences were the reason for the attack which made this a First Amendment case.
Amish women entering the courtroom.
Do I agree with this sentence? Whether I agree or not makes no difference. What is important is one statement that the District Judge said. He stated "The victims were terrorized and traumatized," and noted that the same constitution that exempts the Amish community from jury service and gives them the right to pull their children from school when they reach age 14 was turned against the victims. "Each of you has received the benefits of that First Amendment."
The Amish lifestyle can be hard, but there is joy in
jobs performed well and the surrounding family and
faith. Those members I've met in my life have been
respectful and friendly.
Turning his back on the fact that the freedom to practice his faith allowed others in his small community to practice theirs as they also saw fit has now caused Samuel Mullet, Sr to be sentenced to a crime that will likely see him die behind bars. A simple crime of cutting the beards of those men who spoke against him has ended his freedom completely. Freedom is a bell that swings both ways and which has a clarion call spreading out throughout this nation. Something to think about on this snowy day.
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