This story is a local story that has gone national… I’ve seen it on Fox, CNN, Drudge, The Blaze, Daily Caller and several others. I’ve read 100′s of comments both left and right and it amazes me just how stupid both sides can be, a few get it but most are clueless. Why? Because they don’t live here and they don’t understand it…
Now keep in mind the Amish do NOT pay a road tax, vehicle tax, usage tax or any tax for that matter so their using the roads is a privileged and not a right. They want to be apart and separate from the rest of the folks here until they need to use the road, the hospital, the police, the fire department or other public services they pay no taxes or fees to support.
From the Blaze -
Religious Discrimination? 8 Amish Men Jailed After Refusal to Post Safety Signs on Buggies
In a story that perfectly illustrates the potential clash between religious adherence and government policy, nine Amish men who refused to display an orange reflective triangle on their horse-drawn buggies have been ordered to jail for not paying court-imposed fines.
The men belong to the ultraconservative Old Order Swartzentruber Amish sect in western Kentucky. While other Amish sects in the area do comply with the regulation, the especially-strict order objects to the triangles because the bright color violates their modesty code.
The Courier-Journal reports that the men say paying the fines would amount to complying with a law they believe violates their religious strictures. Levi Zook, one of the individuals who was sentenced, explained to the court his views on the matter.
“I don’t think it’s right to put somebody in jail for practicing their religious beliefs,” he said. “But that’s what we’ll do if that’s what it takes to abide by the biblical laws.”
Here is the deal.. it’s an safety issue – PERIOD! You want to obey your religious beliefs Levi… stay off the damn roads! I live here and I see these buggies all the time and if you come up on a black buggy traveling 3 MPH on a blacktop road and you are driving a car or truck traveling 55 MPH – you don’t see them until you are on top of them. We have a lot of tree lined roads in the country and they are dark at all times of the day. We’ve had several Amish killed of injured in traffic accident because when buggy verses vehicle the buggy loses every time and without a safety triangle they will get closer to God in a hurry.
I’m a Libertarian, I believe in less rules and far less government regulation – but I have common sense and I use it. The Amish are ignoring common sense and someone else is going to be killed and then they’ll want to file charges against the “outsider” because they couldn’t put a damn triangle on their buggy!
Another point – we use to require safety lights… red running lights powered by battery the Amish protested and fought that so us “modern folks” compromised with the agriculture safety triangle and now they are protesting that… the community has to draw the line somewhere. Let me tell you I generally like the Amish and know a few, but they can be bigger hypocrites than Liberals – remember the 5 Amish guys drunk and groping little girls? Would these morons defend them if they said that was a religious right?
Here are a couple of the idiotic arguments I’ve heard…
“Well what about cars with burnt out taillights?”
That’s illegal too and a car is bigger, traveling at the same speed, still illegal but less like to cause an accident.
It’s a violation of their religious right!
If they don’t want to have a safety triangle on their buggy then stay off the roads… no one is forcing you to travel on the roads.
It’s government oppression!
No it’s common sense – if you are traveling at 3 MPH on a road with cars traveling 55 MPH you are a hazard and at risk!
Now this is the same evil “modern” community that came together to help the Amish when they tried to cross a flooded stream and several of their children were washed away…
Four Amish children drown in flooded Kentucky creek
The local community held fund raiser and helped the Amish family in many, many ways. So the least they can do is obey the damn traffic laws and put a safety triangle on their buggy.
Just a thought – what if I said it was my religious belief to drive as fast as I want? Or ignore stop signs or stop lights? Would I have a right do drive like idiot and I own the road and the rules of the road don’t apply to me? Like I said no one forces them to use the roads… so if they do they have to follow the rules. It’s like this they need Ag safety triangles on their buggies and they can’t grope little girls.
It’s that simple.
Amish men jailed over refusal to use orange safety triangle on buggies
Amish men jailed after refusing to pay fines for not displaying safety triangles on buggies
