Kitchen Chat

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

MOMTLJK — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:21:16 GMT

bobs_mom_OK:
The judge was much more lenient than I would have been in the same situation. The family may forgive the boy, but "feeling bad and being forgiven" is not punishment enough.

ITA.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

jetluvs2cook — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:52:17 GMT

yes the legal age is 21, but the older ones usually supply the drinks i believe.

in this area is usually last until they decide to marry and then thats when they join the church.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

SpicyChicken_SoCal — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:48:50 GMT

I cried reading this. At least the young man seems sorry. Many accussed act like they should not receive whatever the judge hands down, no matter what they did, it's all a game of trying to get the lowest sentence possible.

So rumspringa starts around 16 and lasts for approx 2 years ---- yet they drink?? Something doesn't match up. What is the legal drinking age in that area? Isn't it 21 years in all states now?

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

shelleyjCA2AZ — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:24:13 GMT

I guess I see this as a murder case.....as he killed someone...and the penalties for drunk driving and then killing someone should be tougher....IMO....

my husband spent 32 + years as a fire fighter and saw many many drunk drivers and the mess they caused...so we have no sympathy for these people....my aunt was killed by a drunk driver and several years ago my parents were hit by one and thankfully they were not hurt...they were in a big newer truck so that most likely saved them....

now that said...it's a nice thing the family can forgive....but he must pay for what he did.....

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

bobs_mom_OK — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:17:11 GMT

The judge was much more lenient than I would have been in the same situation. The family may forgive the boy, but "feeling bad and being forgiven" is not punishment enough.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

ReneeC___NCalif — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:11:51 GMT

Any drinking, then driving, then an accident, is a sad situation.

The only slight possibility of something good happening now, will be if Swartzentruber comes out of prison having been counseled and has learned a lesson....to lecturing others (Amish, Mennonite or anyone) about the reckless disregard & the selfishness that comes from drinking & driving.

Again...just a sad situation all the way around.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

sstetzel — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 19:58:08 GMT

jetluvs2cook:
some that all they live for is to party on weekends and there are some that are sensible, good, hard working people.

Sounds like most of society.

We used to live in an area heavily populated with Menonite & people would complain that their farms were messy. There were just as many messy traditional farms as there were messy Menonite farms and plenty of Menonite farms that were neat & clean.

I still think people are people.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

Bad_Karma — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:50:08 GMT

stewiesmom:
Yep which is kind of what I think his family is thinking...he said he's sorry why does he have to have such a harsh punishment?

Which is their mindset with alot of things (naive & unsphisticated).

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

stewiesmom — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:32:54 GMT

Yep which is kind of what I think his family is thinking...he said he's sorry why does he have to have such a harsh punishment? Well becaue he drove drunk, killed a woman and injured a bunch of kids!

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

jetluvs2cook — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:26:07 GMT

BK and oeg1kalle are both right about the rumspringa. this article says it lasts about 2 years, but I know for a fact that it last longer then that. Take this boy/man for instance. this happened in 2006 and he is 25 now. And the Amish and Mennonite both drive cars/have cellphones during this time. I have both Amish and Menninite friends and there are some that all they live for is to party on weekends and there are some that are sensible, good, hard working people. Just because a lot of them do party during this time, doesn't mean that they all do.

I posted this because I was sad that this boy/man made bad decisions and now has to pay for what he did and also because it was horrible for what the Knepp family had to go through.

RumspringaRumspringa is the term for Amish teenagers' period of experimentation and freedom from religious rules, when they are able to live on their own, drive cars, drink, and experiment with other aspects of mainstream American culture without worrying about consequences from their elders. The term rumspringarumspringarumspringa is a literal translation of the Pennsylvania German expression, "running around."

Traditionally, the AmishAmishAmish family is tightly bound, and obeys religious rules, such as forgoing the use of electricity, cell phones, and cars, and wearing modest clothes at all times. Women wear long dresses and bonnets, while men wear suits and beards. They are devoutly religious, and go to church often. During the period of rumspringarumspringarumspringa, however, young people are excused from all of the traditional behaviors and rules of the AmishAmishAmish community.

RumspringaRumspringaRumspringa is a coming-of-age experience that generally begins around the age of sixteen. Though many AmishAmishAmish teenagers will continue living in their parents' house during this time, others may move out. During rumspringarumspringarumspringa, teenagers often experience the "English" way of life, which is how they refer to mainstream American culture. They may go to bars or nightclubs, drive cars, and date non-AmishAmishAmish people. At the end of the rumspringarumspringarumspringa period, which traditionally lasts about two years, teenagers are expected to return to the AmishAmishAmish community so that they can be baptized, after which point they are expected to follow all the laws of AmishAmishAmish society.

If an AmishAmishAmish teenager chooses not to be baptized, he will be shunned from the AmishAmishAmish community. His family and community will refuse to speak to him or associate with him ever again. For many AmishAmishAmish teenagers, even if they enjoy the freedom of "English" life, the threat of being shunned by their community is enough to lure them back to the AmishAmishAmish lifestyle. Though a few AmishAmishAmish teenagers will decide to marry "English" partners and assimilate into American society, or decide to live independently, the vast majority of AmishAmishAmish teenagers return to their communities, though some may extend the rumspringarumspringarumspringa period for many years before returning home.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

Lady Fingers — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:17:11 GMT

I share your problem if it's "sorry, but..." or if they act like saying it ends the matter.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

stewiesmom — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:09:29 GMT

Oh I'm sure he is sorry...it's just that he knew the consequences that could happen from his actions. And I'm sure he feels remorse and regrets his decision. I think I just have a problem with the word "sorry"! LOL!

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

Bad_Karma — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 18:02:50 GMT

oeg1kallee:

I was told that until thier youth take a promise, or vow....they look the other way during the "rebel" years- and allow them to drive, go to movies, drink etc.... but once you take the vow, you leave all "worldly" things behind. Some of the youth do not take the vow till early adulthood.

Its called rumspringa or some simliar nonsense.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

oeg1kallee — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:58:09 GMT

I was told that until thier youth take a promise, or vow....they look the other way during the "rebel" years- and allow them to drive, go to movies, drink etc.... but once you take the vow, you leave all "worldly" things behind. Some of the youth do not take the vow till early adulthood.

Re: This was a sad thing that happened. :( Amish boy sentenced....

Lady Fingers — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 17:52:01 GMT

Stewiesmom, you say it bugs you that people say they are sorry. Would you rather he say his was not sorry? He's not the one asking for a lighter sentence. He said he's sorry and that he wishes he was the one who died.