| One looking at the Amish today, one would believe | | | | meals during the summer and canned or frozen for |
| that their culture is as strong as ever. They still do | | | | the winter. They use lockers to store the frozen |
| not condone cars or electricity, but their culture is | | | | foods. |
| slowly changing more toward "English" mannerisms. | | | | But how do we see the change. I noticed it in the |
| "English" is the name for outsiders. | | | | recession of 2010. The RV factories had shut down |
| I work with the Amish selling their handcrafted | | | | and devastated many lives. They were ill prepared. |
| products for the past 4 years and consider myself a | | | | Amish furniture craftsmen were hurt doubly because |
| student in their ways and I respect and advocate | | | | of the high wages they had to pay employees to |
| their culture and way of life. | | | | prevent them working at the RV Company who |
| The Amish still do not have personal cars not use | | | | place plants right in the middle of their community. |
| electricity or listen to radio or television, but some | | | | Many have lost focus of family, just like we have. |
| changes over time. They use LP gas for cooking and | | | | The second component to the cultural attack is |
| refrigeration, but not for heating. The wood cook | | | | Wal-Mart. I am not picking on Wal-Mart, but the |
| stove and locker plant for their frozen meat is gone | | | | Amish love it for its prepared foods, breads, pies and |
| but the coal heater in the middle of the main floor | | | | other items that taking away from their basic |
| remains. | | | | premise of the Amish leading a hard life. Now I see |
| The changes are small and some might argue | | | | trash pickup at their homes to dispose of the waste |
| miniscule, but these are major changes to the culture | | | | as that of the English as was not before. All waste |
| over the 25 years ago. I am not against these | | | | was returned to the earth. |
| changes, that is their decision, I just an observer and | | | | I say this as a lesson to us. The life style today is |
| love to study their life and culture and want them to | | | | not of family, but is selfish and destined to be |
| stay whole. | | | | controlled by others. Out homes are nothing more |
| 25 years ago the Amish were independent of the | | | | than a hotel these days, because we are no longer |
| English world by earning income from some small | | | | families. How very sad. I hope that the Amish realize |
| furniture businesses or were farmers of corn or grain | | | | this and make changes before they become "English". |
| and animals, and some worked in a local factory., | | | | Maybe we can also wake up also, but I know it will |
| They made their own bread for the morning | | | | not happen. |
| breakfast and worked their small family garden for | | | | How so very very sad. |