In a remote corner of Ohio, a traffic law brings Harvard to the aid of the Amish

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nn(RNS) — In bodycam footage from an April 2023 traffic stop in rural Ohio, an unseen law enforcement officer approaches a spartan black buggy, typical of vehicles used by the Swartzentruber Amish, and asks the two young men inside if they’ve ever received a ticket. “I think I’m going to tow your buggy, unless you got a light in there,” the cop says.
The driver, a young man named Ure Gingerich, looks perplexed, then defiant. “Tow it if you want it!” Later, he reminds the officer that he could fight back, but it’s against his faith. “I’m not getting a lawyer, but I’m just telling you that I could.”
The scene has become a common one in a handful of counties dotted around central and eastern Ohio, which is home to a significant population of Swartzentrubers — the most conservative sect of the Amish — who’ve found themselves running afoul of a new law that mandates all buggies be affixed with a flashing amber LED light for visibility. While the state claims the new measures are crucial for safety, the Swartzentrubers and other conservative Amish groups say it unfairly infringes on their right to freedom of religion. And though the Amish generally shy away from litigation, he …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]