Faith

FBI Arrests 7 Amish Men on Fed Hate Crimes Charges for Hair-Cutting Attacks

Amish Men Arrested By FBI on Federal Hate Crimes for Cutting Hair, Beards

Sam Mullet stands in the front yard of his home in Bergholz, Ohio. (AP Photo/Amy Sancetta)

BERGHOLZ, Ohio (The Blaze/AP) — Authorities raided the compound of a breakaway Amish group in eastern Ohio on Wednesday morning and arrested seven men on federal hate crime charges in hair-cutting attacks against Amish men and women.

Among those arrested were the group’s leader, Sam Mullet, and three of his sons, said Mike Tobin, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Cleveland.

The Blaze has been covering this story for months. Several members of the group carried out the attacks in September and October by forcefully cutting the beards and hair of Amish men and women, authorities have said. Cutting the hair is a highly offensive act to the Amish, who believe the Bible instructs women to let their hair grow long and men to grow beards and stop shaving once they marry.

The attacks struck at the core of the Amish identity and tested their principles. They strongly believe that they must be forgiving in order for God to forgive them, which often means handing out their own punishment and not reporting crimes to law enforcement.

Mullet told The Associated Press in October that he didn’t order the hair-cutting but didn’t stop his sons and others from carrying it out. He said the goal of the hair-cutting was to send a message to Amish in Holmes County that they should be ashamed of themselves for the way they were treating Mullet and his community.

“They changed the rulings of our church here, and they’re trying to force their way down our throat, make us do like they want us to do, and we’re not going to do that,” Mullet said.

Seven men were in custody and expected to be arraigned Wednesday. They include Mullet and sons Johnny, Lester and Daniel, Tobin said.

All of the men were sleeping when the FBI and local police showed up at their homes before dawn Wednesday, Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said. Three men initially refused to come out of their rooms, but all seven were arrested without incident, he said.

 

The attacks came amid long-simmering tension between Mullet’s group, which he established in 1995, and Amish bishops. Arlene Miller, the wife of one victim, said several bishops had condoned Mullet’s decision to excommunicate several members who previously left his community, saying there was no spiritual justification for his action.

Five men were charged in state court last month in Holmes County, the heart of Ohio’s Amish country, in an attack on an Amish bishop and his son. They allegedly were held down while men used scissors and a clipper to cut their beards. Similar alleged attacks were under investigation in Amish communities in Carroll, Jefferson and Trumbull counties in eastern and northeastern Ohio.

Amish Men Arrested By FBI on Federal Hate Crimes for Cutting Hair, Beards

Authorities have said some Amish refused to press charges, following their practice of avoiding involvement the courts.

One couple refused to press charges even after acknowledging that their two sons and another man came into their house, held them down, and cut the father‘s beard and the mother’s hair. But others have said they decided to press charges to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.

Ohio has an estimated Amish population of just under 61,000 – second only to Pennsylvania – with most living in rural counties south and east of Cleveland.

They have a modest lifestyle and are deeply religious. Their traditions of traveling by horse and buggy and forgoing most modern conveniences distance themselves from the outside world and symbolize a yielding to a collective order.

Comments (48)

1 2
  • Bob W.
    Posted on November 24, 2011 at 12:38am

    If Mullet is against shaving why doesn’t he have a long white mustache?

    Report Post »  
  • flattop
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 11:51pm

    Miracles do happen!

    The DOJ under Obama and Holder actually filing hate crime charges in defense of white people. And Christians at that. WOW !!

    Report Post »  
    • Secret Squirrel
      Posted on November 24, 2011 at 12:59am

      .
      Finally Janet Napolitano and Eric Holder have some “home grown”
      sleeper cells that they can admit to.
      Janet:, “Nothing to see here folks, wait…they’re Amish? Alert the media,
      we got us a terrorist group right here in Pennsylvania. Whoo-Hoo!”
      “Call Obama, Amish are Christians, right? So it‘s okay to say they weren’t “lone wolves, phew.”

      Report Post » Secret Squirrel  
  • Cuthalu
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:01pm

    Anyone else find it strange the federal government is involved in a local matter or that they are pressing charges of “hate crime” when the normal crimes of assault or battery would have been fine? Also, this is not the first act by the federal agents against the Amish in the last few months. Something smells funny here.

    Report Post »  
    • dwh320
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:36pm

      So a judge in Florida ruled that Sharia law should be used to resolve disputes between Muslims. Perhaps in this case they should let the Amish resolve this according to their own customs.

      Like there is a chance of that happening…

      Report Post » dwh320  
    • RossPoldark
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:49pm

      Anyone find it strange the leader of the capers last name is Mullet!!? Maybe he wants to bring back a fad!

      Report Post »  
    • RossPoldark
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:56pm

      Anyone find it strange the leaders last name is Mullet? Maybe his quest is to revive a fad?

      Report Post »  
    • Secret Squirrel
      Posted on November 24, 2011 at 1:01am

      .
      “Something smells funny here.”
      Amish are non-union.

      Report Post » Secret Squirrel  
    • Deaf Ranger
      Posted on November 24, 2011 at 3:30am

      The Obama regime always smells to high heaven, or rather, it smells of sulfur, to low hell. OOPS, IS THAT I HATE CRIME?

      Report Post » Deaf Ranger  
  • 7thAvatar
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 9:50pm

    Well, they aren’t half as bad as the Skopts or Cathars. They used to castrate themselves. Cathars were also a suicide cult. It must be extremely difficult for sects like the Amish in this day and age to try and preserve their antiquated way of life and customs. Cutting off the beards and hair of their own refractory sect members hardly qualifies as a ‘hate crime.’ Hell, it was commonplace to lop off the hair of poor women who fraternized with German soldiers in Western France during the Second World War -would that not qualify as a ‘hate crime’ today? In fact, the very idea of ‘hate crimes’ is just another idea concocted by silly liberals who ought not be allowed any voice in government whatsoever since they have repeatedly proved how irresponsible, immoral and impractical their ideas are when put to the test.

    Report Post »  
    • Deaf Ranger
      Posted on November 24, 2011 at 3:33am

      Most Amish are fine. I have many friends that are Amish, and they’re not radical like these people. To put them all in a box, would be like saying all Blacks are bad because of Eric Holder.

      Report Post » Deaf Ranger  
  • TT1488
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 9:46pm

    So this is classified a hate crime? What about all the videos/stories on the worldhiphop site that always shows blacks attacking and degrading Whites? This is video evidence and proof. But that means nothing. But heresay of a White saying a “slur” or possibly defending himself ends up being a hate crime. Any crime of violence amongst any race is a “hate crime” No one commits violence out of love. Repeal the hate crime law and leave the barbers alone.

    Report Post » TT1488  
    • RossPoldark
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:52pm

      What you are saying is happening, because the media and the US are under lib turd control. Sad but true.

      Report Post »  
  • becca_leigh
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 8:54pm

    using that logic, Obama is guilty of hate crimes against Catholics by forcing us to help pay for abortions, something considered to be a mortal sin by the Church!!

    Report Post » becca_leigh  
    • NoRoomForSocialismHere
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 9:32pm

      But support Illegal Alliens and murdered millions of Christians until Queen Elizabeth stopped them.
      The word church was added to the original text and the premis is that Gods things are BUILT ON FAITH such as PETER demostrated to Jesus which is GOD

      Report Post »  
    • RossPoldark
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 10:55pm

      NoRoomForSocialismHere
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 9:32pm

      But support Illegal Alliens and murdered millions of Christians until Queen Elizabeth stopped them.
      The word church was added to the original text and the premis is that Gods things are BUILT ON FAITH such as PETER demostrated to Jesus which is GOD

      Sorry no room for socialism, but Elizabeth did some mass killing of her own.

      Report Post »  
    • txdawna
      Posted on November 24, 2011 at 8:07pm

      Very Good Point!

      Report Post »  
  • ed0315
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 8:19pm

    So let me get this straight. The FBI can arrest a bunch of people for cutting someones hair but they decide the guy that wanted to blow NYC is not a credible threat? Okay, cool. I think I understand…not!

    Report Post » ed0315  
    • NoRoomForSocialismHere
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 9:34pm

      Interfering with religion it seems but of course their leader is anti American and anti Christian and so it goes. We know the drill, be ready the Red Coats (stars) are comin

      Report Post »  
  • opnsrcsurvival
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 7:51pm

    Well phooey, this steals my plans for post collapse Ohio…..I was going to start the Amish Taliban! After all they already have the proper facial hair etc.

    Osama Bin Yoder

    http://www.opensourcesurvival.com
    Skills are the currency of the future

    Report Post » opnsrcsurvival  
  • mijaboot
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 7:48pm

    I will get a good nights sleep knowing that our governments protecting me from these crazed barbers.

    Report Post » mijaboot  
  • Walkabout
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 7:44pm

    The assailant will make great liberals. there are things to like & dislike about the Amish ethos IMHO. The way the assailants went about the things, they disliked about Amish life, is just plain wrong. If they dislike it so much just leave. But no they have to force their views on other people, which makes them good LIBERALS.

    Report Post »  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 7:19pm

    http://youtu.be/-VAp62IfXkI Amish Paradise

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • Ghandi was a Republican
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 7:15pm

    Among those arrested were the group’s leader, Sam ““Mullet”” < PRICELESS!

    Report Post » Ghandi was a Republican  
  • Git-R-Done
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 6:29pm

    I’m against hate crime laws b/c it’s punishing the beliefs of the criminal rather than the crime itself.

    Report Post »  
  • RestoreFederalism
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 5:13pm

    This is ridiculous, no part of the constitution justifies federal involvement in this case.

    Report Post »  
  • Mandors
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 4:02pm

    “several bishops had condoned Mullet’s decision to excommunicate several members who previously left his community, saying there was no spiritual justification for his action.

    YOU MEAN CONDEMNED!!

    Report Post » Mandors  
  • MrMagoo
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:50pm

    I like the Amish up here in Michigan.They’re mostly friendly to outsiders(when doing business transactions for sure) and there’s a lot to be learned from how they live off the land.They are very efficient without all the modern gadgetry.

    I’m stunned that forceful hair cutting is considered a hate crime though.Assault seems more appropriate.

    Report Post » MrMagoo  
  • This_Individual
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:44pm

    “Hate crimes” huh? That’s a pretty broad term. I wonder about the possibilities.

    Report Post »  
  • Ducky 1
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:41pm

    Any one else a bit amused by the guys name “Mullet” ?

    Report Post » Ducky 1  
  • lukerw
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:35pm

    But… we cannot close the Mexican Boarder… arrest Illegal Aliens… or stop the Drug Gangs! Wussys!

    Report Post » lukerw  
    • lemmings4obama
      Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:40pm

      Title should read, Mullet family charged with distasteful hair-cutting. LOL

      Report Post » lemmings4obama  
  • ENTP
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:33pm

    Hitchin’ up the buggy, churnin’ lots of butter
    Raised a barn on Monday, soon I’ll raise another
    Think you’re really righteous? Think you’re pure in heart?
    Well, I know I’m a million times as humble as thou art
    I’m the pious guy the little Amlettes wanna be like
    On my knees day and night scorin’ points for the afterlife
    So don‘t be vain and don’t be whiny
    Or else, my brother, I might have to get medieval on your heinie- Weird Al/Amish Paradise

    Report Post » ENTP  
  • sawbuck
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:32pm

    Huh
    Just when you thought you seen it all.
    Now if we can get them to infiltrate the OWS movement and shave the womens armpits.

    Report Post » sawbuck  
  • ENTP
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:30pm

    Terrorist bushwhackers. Brings to mind the weird al song “Amish paradise”
    “As I walk through the valley where I harvest my grain
    I take a look at my wife and realize she’s very plain
    But that’s just perfect for an Amish like me
    You know, I shun fancy things like electricity
    At 4:30 in the morning I‘m milkin’ cows
    Jebediah feeds the chickens and Jacob plows… fool
    And I‘ve been milkin’ and plowin’ so long that
    Even Ezekiel thinks that my mind is gone
    I’m a man of the land, I’m into discipline
    Got a Bible in my hand and a beard on my chin
    But if I finish all of my chores and you finish thine
    Then tonight we‘re gonna party like it’s 1699″

    Report Post » ENTP  
  • PATRIOTGRUNT
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:29pm

    Does this mean that Black on Black , Qu___er on Qu___er crime will now be classified as hate crime ?.What about Black on White crime ?. What’s that , no, oh whitey deserves it. How is this a hate crime.? It was Amish on Amish crime.

    Report Post » PATRIOTGRUNT  
  • pennsy.357
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:29pm

    I‘m surprised to read that they’ve been charged with a hate crime? Is this the only charge the D/A could come up with to charge these hair cutting bandits?

    Report Post »  
  • 13th Imam
    Posted on November 23, 2011 at 3:28pm

    Mullet‘s are today’s whipping boy’s. Can’t eat em. Only good for Striper or Bluefish bait. Always gets a laugh as a hair style. Ask Joe Dirt. And now Mr. Mullet and his breakaway band of rogue barbers! Is cutting other peoples hair a gateway crime to full body shaving?

    Report Post » 13th Imam  
1 2

Sign In To Post Comments! Sign In

Sign Up For Our Newsletter!

Glenn Beck Radio

Listen to Glenn Beck 24/7 Listen Now
Restoring Love