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Amish shunning is central to Ohio hate crime trial
Associated Press ^ | Sep 15, 1:23 PM EDT | John Seewer

Posted on 09/15/2012 11:15:03 AM PDT by Olog-hai

Six years ago, about 300 Amish bishops gathered in Pennsylvania to discuss the group's leader, Sam Mullet Sr., who had ordered the shunning of families that left his settlement near the West Virginia panhandle.

Mullet had come to the attention of the bishops because, according to witnesses at his trial, there were concerns he was brainwashing community members. Prosecutors would later say he forced men to sleep in chicken coops as punishment, and one woman testified that Mullet coerced women at his settlement into having sex with him so he could turn them into better wives.

The bishops eventually vetoed Mullet's shunning of the others, infuriating him to the point that he sought revenge last fall in a series of five hair-cutting attacks, prosecutors say.

They charged Mullet and 15 of his followers with hate crimes because they contend they acted over religious differences and targeted the hair and beards of the Amish because of its spiritual significance in the faith. All could face lengthy prison terms if convicted on the charges that also include conspiracy and obstructing justice. …

(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; US: Ohio
KEYWORDS: 14thamendment; amish; antireligion; hatecrime; shunning; thoughtcrime

1 posted on 09/15/2012 11:15:11 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

2 posted on 09/15/2012 11:17:47 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (CrossFit.com)
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To: Olog-hai
The whole hate crime thing is bogus, because it considers similar criminal acts but imposes different penalties based on motivation, i.e. thought.

It is, as I would understand it, assault and battery to hold somebody down and cut their hair or beard. Let the perps be tried and convicted for assault and battery. If there was conspiring, maybe you can get some kind of criminal conspiracy in there, too.

But "hate crime"? No. Neither hate nor love, nor color, race, sex or religion, are the concern of the law.

3 posted on 09/15/2012 11:31:29 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.)
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To: Olog-hai

How is this a “hate crime”?

Is it a hate crime when the Catholic Church excommunicates someone?


4 posted on 09/15/2012 11:44:54 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: a fool in paradise

The notion of “hate crime” comes from the European Union. The left is using it here to dismantle the “equal protection of the laws” clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, among other Constitutional protections.


5 posted on 09/15/2012 11:49:45 AM PDT by Olog-hai
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To: Olog-hai

Shunning, . . is that like the liberal boycott of Chick-Fil-A?


6 posted on 09/15/2012 11:52:55 AM PDT by aimhigh
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To: a fool in paradise

Well,if the Catholic Church excommunicated someone, then the Pope got angry that person was accepted into the Lutheran Church and got a bunch of his followers to attack Lutheran ministers and rip off their collars it might be.

That’s about the best analogy to this situation.


7 posted on 09/15/2012 11:55:49 AM PDT by GrootheWanderer
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To: a fool in paradise

They’re not just talking about excommunicating. (”Shunning” would be harmless: it involves no aggression.) What they’re talking about is seeking others out, holding them down, and cutting off their hair and beards.


8 posted on 09/15/2012 12:33:19 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Physically assaulting someone is a bit more than “excommunicating” someone. These people were assaulted.


9 posted on 09/15/2012 12:37:51 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

Domestic squabbles are never called hate crimes even when their is physical abuse and mixed race couples.


10 posted on 09/15/2012 7:15:47 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: a fool in paradise

This was not a domestic squabble. These were assaults.


11 posted on 09/15/2012 8:58:41 PM PDT by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

So black on black violence is evidence of hate crimes too?

Are crimes of passion (jealous husband) the only love crimes?

The language is bullstalin.


12 posted on 09/16/2012 9:17:29 AM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: a fool in paradise

When you can explain the difference between assault and excommunication get back to me.


13 posted on 09/16/2012 10:27:28 AM PDT by vladimir998
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To: vladimir998

Assault is a crime in every damn state. What the hell is a hate crime?


14 posted on 09/16/2012 12:01:19 PM PDT by a fool in paradise (Obama likes to claim credit for getting Osama. Why hasn't he tried Khalid Sheikh Mohammed yet?)
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To: a fool in paradise

Do you know the difference between excommunication and assault? If so, state the difference. If not, find out what the difference is.


15 posted on 09/16/2012 12:08:12 PM PDT by vladimir998
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