How did the Old Order Amish respond to the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack?
The unprecedented terrorist attack on the World Trade Center Towers and the Pentagon was a horrific, life-altering event for all Americans, including the Amish. Experts are still uncertain of precisely how this tragedy has psychologically impacted (or will impact, in the long run) America’s children and adults. However, since the Old Order Amish do not watch TV, nor read the daily newspapers, I am convinced that it did not affect Amish children nearly as negatively as it did non-Amish children. There is no doubt that this tragedy has forced Amish adults to reaffirm their pacifist beliefs more than at anytime in their history of living in America. And, like most other Americans, they have also struggled with how our country should have responded to the horrific event. But, the Amish were/are unequivocally opposed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and do not believe that peace loving, turn-the-other cheek, defenseless Christians can ever sanction the taking up of arms against their fel
