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That photo does not even begin to capture the innocence lost here. I drove through Bart Township on a long commute for a year. It is where I first realized the Amish will use a weed-whacker when I saw an old Amish man with a long silver beard and black hat using one to trim his front yard (I almost went into a bar ditch when I saw that). It is IMO the most typical and beautiful Amish township in Lancaster County because it has escaped the tourism just to its north. I saw kids walking to school every day as well as pushing scooters along (I guess they can have scooters but not bikes). The boys had straw hats and variously colored shirts, the girls had bonnets and dresses. Thye all carried small Igloo coolers with their lunches that their mothers had prepared for them.

All the kids exuded the kind of glow so often missing from the kids I see moping around suburbs. It was the glow of children allowed to be children - they worked hard but also got to play hard in an environment that doesn't exist any longer in the sophisticated world.

And now that has been shattered by a hammer blow of evil that is beyond human comprehension. I am physically sick seeing all this. It is a reminder that sometimes evil comes forth and thumbs its nose at us just to tell us that it still exists under the surface in places you least expect it.

We were in this area (but not this town) this summer. The thing that cracked me up was a horse drawn hay baler with a gasoline engine on it to power the baler.

We were told that scooters were OK and bicycles were not because you can travel faster on a bicycle than you can on a horse.

Also, it was OK for them to ride in a motor vehicle as long as they paid for the ride.

I expected the Amish to be reclusive and shy, but they were employed in many businesses we visited and were extremely friendly and polite, though a bit reserved.

It's hard to imagine such a horrific event befalling these private people.

"It was the glow of children allowed to be children - they worked hard but also got to play hard..."

Thanks dirtboy...that one sentence sums up so much of what makes this all the more tragic. A co-worker of mine lives about a mile from where this happened. He and I were pretty much in shock at what had happened; and certainly where. He often stops on his way to and from work taking digital photos of his traffic jams...they consist of herds of cows and sheep crossing the roads in Bart. He phoned me when he got home this afternoon, and needless to say the community is strong but shattered.

I looked for a while to find just the photo or portrait that would show those who may not know the Amish community; just the sheer innocence. The link under the photo has many more photos showing the Amish community. I have been close to tears many times today...words fail.

And now that has been shattered by a hammer blow of evil that is beyond human comprehension

Remember, the Amish are a culture within our own culture. They have rejected most of modern materialism and this incident will most likely strengthen their beliefs.