Governments in Wisconsin, Amish clash over religious freedom

JSOnline ^ | July 13, 2008 | Meg Jones

[wolfcreek]

I just remembered a trip to a PowWow in Danbury, WS when we were visiting friends in Minnesota.

You’re right about the background.

[sbMKE]

My family to the north is Prussian. They mixed with Hessians. I am Prussian-Hessian and spent a while growing up spent a lot of time in the communities “at odds” (your depiction) with the Amish.

Again, contrary to your depictions, my ancestors were people who homesteaded rocky land and built their own homes from the stones from their fields, not “Junkers” (nobility) setting up local colonies.

These are environments that support fierce localism, see Posse Comitatus, but I don’t see them pushing for unnecessary interventions - especially with folks that prefer to practice an even more strict brand of localism.

I think you’re trying to force larger context onto isolated incidents. It’s really just a matter of a few local government folks getting carried away, not a de facto campaign against a certain group.

[muawiyah]

I grew up on a staple diet of news that included "more Amish relocate to Indiana" and the issue was usually education.

BTW, all those rocks in those neat piles? Guess whose fields got cleared first. And yes, there are vast areas of Wisconsin where the ratio of Pomeranian Polish surnames to Pomeranian Prssian names is like 80 to 1.

Most of that history is forgotten these days unless you take a close look.

[Bryan24]

Ultimately, the only way we will deal with Muslims is to strip Islam of it’s recognition as a religion.

Call it a cult.

Them we can deal with it.

[muawiyah]

The Amish should be using a German language Bible.

[muawiyah]

They'd still feel bad about it. Either the game animals must all be highlighted and marked or the hunters must be highlighted and marked.

It's not fair for the Amish to make someone feel bad about killing one of them while hunting. Besides, they don't cook up all that well; are too fat, and taste gamey (so I've heard).

[sportutegrl]

How did they get to opt out and can I get in on that deal?

[MissouriConservative]

IRS Form 4029

You have to be a member of a "Recognized religious group. A recognized religious group must meet all the following requirements:

● It is conscientiously opposed to accepting benefits of any private or public insurance that makes payments in the event of death, disability, old age, or retirement; makes payments for the cost of medical care; or provides services for medical care (including social security and Medicare benefits).

● It has provided a reasonable level of living for its dependent members.

● It has existed continuously since December 31, 1950.

Once you do this, you file it with the IRS and you're done once it's approved.

[timm22]

They'd still feel bad about it...

It's not fair for the Amish to make someone feel bad about killing one of them while hunting.

I guess that's where "Know your target and what is beyond" comes into play.

I'm not comfortable with the state mandating certain behavior to make sure other people's feelings aren't hurt. Just my ornery libertarian nature, I suppose.

[El Gato]

Maybe they are Texan deer.....rumor has it everything in Texas is bigger....

Deer are an exception to the general rule. The bucks are intimidatingly well muscled though.

[El Gato]

Running around through the woods in dark clothing, while other people are looking to shoot a deer, is a *very* stupid idea. But if someone wants to be exposed to that risk (or hang around someone that does), what business is it of the state to tell them they can't?

Especially on their own land, where they could control whether there would be any other hunters on the property.

That said, I remember hunting pheasants on a friend's place. A very foggy morning it was, I was wet up to mid thigh from the dew on the brush. My Dad and I knew he was out there somewhere, since his wife told us when we stopped by the house, but we also knew that he didn't know we were there. Sure enough we met face to face, in the fog, with birds up between us. Fortunately we were just barely close enough to see a man shape, and were watching for him, so no shots were fired and we didn't end up like VP Cheney's friend with a load of birdshot in one or more of us.

[muawiyah]

Uh, in this case even a Libertarian should be concerned beause the nasty little Amish guy who refuses to differentiate himself from game is going to be dead. Blood and guts all over the place. His family upset. His sister crying. His mother dropping the harness to accompany pa back to the barn for the funeral.

Oh, it is a ghastly thing. And when they're done they'll hire an English to bring in Round Up and exterminate all the brush where he fell.

Definitely time for an advisory ~ were blaze orange.

[jws3sticks]

That's a great collection but I still like Dick, so to speak.

That as in Cheney, of course.