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More Amish Clashes....
Okay, we have two simmering disputes regarding Amish vs. English in the news today.
This one we have followed for sometime: a member of the ultra-conservative Swartzentruber Amish sect in Pennsylvania is choosing jail over complying with state law regarding raw sewage disposal. Raw sewage from a school had been being just dumped out in a field behind the building. Non-Amish neighbors complained last yer, and this has been grinding through the judicial system ever since. Honestly, I am normally very much on the side of the Amish on something like this. But, sheesh...it really, really appears that the judge in this case has tried to move mountains to reach a compromise and has been rebuffed each time. I'm sure there's some sort of compromise that can be reached, I hope they finally find one. Click here to read the latest.
Now, a different matter involves a New York business that has caused a stir by putting a sign up in his parking lot that says "no horses allowed." Some are taking the sign as "anti-Amish." I would think this one would have an easy solution. I understand why the business owner might not want horse manure all over his parking lot, but this is an organic substance that, to my knowledge, causes no environmental damage. He ought to just create a separate parking area for buggies in a corner of his lot. It's win-win. He would be complimented for accomodating the Amish with a safe, buggy-friendly parking area and any droppings would just stay in this section of the lot. I see many businesses doing this in other areas with large Amish populations and it's no big deal. Everyone wins. Click here to read about this idiot business owner in New York.
Re: More Amish Clashes....
Peace in a community is essential to happiness. Peace will never visit NY (or anywhere else) as long as each side takes the attitude that when the other side sees it my way, we will have peace. There has to be a shared desire to live at peace with your neighbor. That sometimes comes at our own inconvenience. I don't know Greg and Molly, but I do know a lot of Amish folks. In fact I was born Amish. We can be kind and gentle. We can also be stubborn, pigheaded and push for our own agenda. That can all happen in one day. But still we are human. We can learn, if we have to. But we won't want to learn if we only speak to those who say we are right. We often tend to see issues only in black and white.
Trust has to be there, and it seems some on both sides of the issue do not trust the other side. If either the Amish or Greg have done something to cause distrust, I can't fix that. Only they can. But everyone has to want to do that. If neither side will work on restoring broken relations, you will have more of what you have now. Choosing a side and laying blame will not help. Where is our sense of civic responsibility? Unfortunately, the Amish probably won't read this, but it is addressed to them as well.
Re: More Amish Clashes....
If I read the comments on the papers page it seemed that he has a shack out back for them to put their horses. I might be wrong on that but one of the comments said something about carring kerosene to the buggy. We have an amish group around here and the walmart and meijr both have places for them to park their buggies even with cover. I don't blame the guy for telling them not to park their horses in front. I don't think he is an idiot either.
Re: More Amish Clashes....
SIGH, you are right...I should not call people idiots...it's not nice....I should simply describe someone's actions and others can decide whether someone is an idiot...the internet simply doesn't breed civility.....too easy to just type and post without thinking...
Re: More Amish Clashes....
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift... that's why they call it the present."
The store owner should plant a rose garden beside his parking lot and take advantage of the free fertilizer!
Re: More Amish Clashes....
We had a similar controversy in our town last Fall regarding horses going through the drive-through at Starbucks. Some customers complained about horse poop getting on their cars, so the management banned horses in the drive-through. The riders were mad, but then a nearby supermarket with its own coffee shop decided to put in a hitching post, and invited all the riders to come get their coffee at the supermarket.
Re: More Amish Clashes....
Perfect example of how an enterprising entrepreneur can turn a minus into a plus, that is exactly what that New York proprietor should have done!
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