AMISH FARMS STILL TARGETED BY DATCP
Wednesday, July 2nd, 2008 -- 12:59 PM
A state official isn't backing down from his request for a local prosecutor to cite Amish farmers who don't comply with premise registration requirements.DATCP's Paul McGraw has been in contact with Clark County District Attorney Darwin Zwieg since last November.
At first, he requested Zwieg discuss the matter with Amish Bishops, but implied the next course of action should be to charge the approximately 40 or so Amish farmers that haven't complied with the state requirement to register their properties.
Some Old Order Amish believe the requirement is the first in a five-step process that will eventually lead to mandatory "tagging" of humans, often referred to as the Mark of the Beast.
In replies, Zwieg questioned if the rule could withstand a Constitutional challenge, but in the memo dated June 27, McGraw reiterates DATCP doesn't believe the rule is "burdensome" to the Amish faith.
"It is our understanding that the Amish's religious beliefs lead them to reject identifying their livestock with identification numbers?However, premises registration law only requires that a number be assigned to a property location where livestock are kept," McGraw argues.
He notes such numbers are already assigned to Amish properties, such as fire numbers, addresses, and tax parcel numbers.
"The assignment of numbers to property would seem to be an accepted practice that would not burden the Amish's sincerely held religious beliefs."
Zwieg says he is still mulling his options.
A Clark County judge recently ruled Amish hunters must wear "blaze orange" when hunting.
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