Posted on 01/12/2012 10:21:58 PM PST by george76
MAYFIELD, Ky. - A group of Amish men were sent to jail in western Kentucky Thursday for refusing to pay fines for breaking a state highway law that requires their horse-drawn buggies to be marked with orange reflective triangles.
The men have a religious objection to the bright orange signs, which they say are flashy and conflict with their pledge to live low-key and religious lives.
...
"I totally understand your objection," the judge told Byler. "But you're in violation, and it's not up to me to change the law. It doesn't really matter what I think about any of this."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
The old order has accepted the need for the orange reflectors in Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas.
“...perhaps letting them paint a reflecting paint sign on their buggies would solve this dispute....”
Yep...I was thinking a reflective hex sign...
Actually I think it is the role of judges, the only proper role of judges, to void laws improperly passed by a legislature. I'm not saying that I'm sure that would be the case with this triangle law here, but when the Supreme Court decides that an Act of Congress is unconstitutional and voids it, that is decidedly different from ordering a remedy (e.g. forced busing) which effectively becomes law.
ML/NJ
If Bubba were to pick a fight with the average middle aged Amish man, he would receive an unpleasant surprise.
“But when one decides to practice medicine one has not made a decision which submits him to that degree of regulation.”
I think that is in error.
Medical personnel, e.g., are subject to the draft in three ways -
The regular draft,
The Special Medical Draft,
And now, The Civilian Medical Corps Draft included in Obamacare.
All of this is in exchange for the “priviledge of practicing medicine.”
Amish farmers are off the grid, but for decades they have generally permitted diesel-powered generators in the barn to power refrigerated milk tanks. This was a concession to public health concerns, and thus a benefit to the community: it preserved their livelihood. When reflective triangles are perceived by the community elders as beneficial—say, because they prevent unnecessary deaths by enabling motorists to avoid rear-ending a dark, unlit buggy in the middle of the night—they'll be permitted. As other posters have already pointed out, some Amish communities already permit reflecters and battery-powered lights.
Also, the Amish drive black buggies and wear dark, plain clothing because of their tradition of modesty. Cars and clothing are amongst the most visible status symbols, and they wish to avoid class distinctions between them. It seems to me that if every Amish buggy had a bright orange triangle on it, that wouldn't be a problem, since no one would be any more "flashy" than anyone else. But, to be fair, I'm not necessarily thinking with their logic.
You quite blew away any consideration that this long extant, law abiding people group was overrun, by turning this into a strawman about their religion. How would you like if Islam overran you?
Dangerous because others chose to drive cars. If everyone drove buggies it would be safer still than having some drive cars and some drive buggies with orange stickers wouldn't it?
Assuming you are not prepared to force everyone to drive buggies, then why are you selective about the liberty that you oppose do to safety?
The amish here in Lancaster have no problem using the triangles. They would be roadkill without them!
They got about 1 day jail time per $50 of fine.
While most annual estimates peg a year in jail as costing $30k (or more)...or $82 per day.
By all reasonable comparisons it appears the thoughtful judge lengthend the stays to make it particularly painful in this case even for people of very limited income, however it still isn’t cost effective for the tax payer. The tax payer is paying $82 per day, to in essences forgive $50 per day.
So you support the Muslims who want exemptions from airport security for religious reasons?
So you support the Muslims who want exemptions from airport security for religious reasons?
And if these guys really want to live low-key, humble lives why were they in court fighting over stupid things and getting written up in the media all over the world?
Guess these Kentucky Amish are a bit uppity. No Problemo. The Law has a method for fixin that.
After 30 days in the hole these boys will be more than happy to slap the reflector on the family buggy.
And everybody LIVED happily ever after.
Got to teach these uppity Amish a lesson
After all, how do you expect people to see that there is a HORSE and BUGGY on the street if there is not a red triangle on it.
People should be requred to wear orange triangles too.
Mark 12:17
I can imagine driving a buggy at night on the street with no lights and no reflectors is very dangerous. Perhaps some kind of less garish reflectors might be a good solution. I would guess that the religious principles of drawing undue attention would not be violated by reflectors that were not very noticeable except at night with headlights shining on them.
I’ve come up on a buggie at night, especially this time of year when the days are short and I’m glad they have the orange reflectors. I can’t imagine driving on a windy country road a night and coming up on a slow moving horse and carriage with no reflectors
Interestingly one day I stopped at a grocery store near work that has special “Buggie Only” parking and, I’m not making this up, there was an open buggie parked that had a bright red gasoline can in full view in the back.
That was almost as strange as the afternoon I was leaving a golf driving range in NE Maryland and saw a pickup truck some sort of work truck, drive up with two black guys and a young Amish guy. They came to play putt putt.
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