Posted on 11/23/2011 3:51:21 PM PST by americanophile
MILLERSBURG, Ohio - The leader of a breakaway Amish group allowed the beatings of those who disobeyed him, made some members sleep in a chicken coop and had sexual relations with married women to "cleanse them," federal authorities said as they charged him and six others with hate crimes in hair-cutting attacks against other Amish.
Authorities raided the group's compound in eastern Ohio on Wednesday morning and arrested seven men, including group leader Sam Mullet and three of his sons.
Several members of the group carried out the attacks in September and October by forcefully cutting the beards and hair of Amish men and women, authorities said. Cutting the hair is a highly offensive act to the Amish, who believe the Bible instructs women to let their hair grow long and men to grow beards and stop shaving once they marry.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
How can it be a hate crime?.. no protected groups involved.
I hated driving on US 62 from Wilmot to Millersburg. Horse crap on the road everywhere. Der Dutchman in Sugercreek has some fine Amish fare, though.
Wow. When I was a teenager in the 60's and starting to grow my hair long, my Dad threatened me with giving me a "bowl cut". He never actually followed through, so I never knew quite what he meant (other than "Cut your hair!"). Now at last I know.
The one in the middle looks like Eric Idle. To the left of him in the picture looks like David McCallum. But I can’t quite put my finger on the guy on the right who looks like a serious, dramatic actor.
>My question is did these women consentially agree to be cleansed or were they raped, In which case this Mullett should be charged with rape.<
I don’t think that they can charge them with rape. It sounds as if the state is doing all the charging from the article. Without a complainant (victim) to make a complaint of rape, you have no crime.
That is not to say that the woman was willing, but her religious beliefs may not allow her to formally make a complaint to authorities of rape.
It is a bad situation all the way around.
On a personal note, when I was younger, we would ride our motorcycles through Amish country here. Stop at the farms and buy cheese, milk, bread etc and stop in those area’s in the mountains for lunch enjoying the scenery. These are just down to earth type people. Nice, easy going. Pleasant, friendly people. I never met one who was anything but polite and courteous. It is a shame that such things happen to people like this.
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