Donald Trump has been declared the winner of the US elections and will return to the White House four years after leaving office. Republican overtook Kamala Harris in all ‘swing states’ and will be the 47th President of the United States.
A key state for Trump’s victory is Pennsylvania, which hands out 19 delegates and was decided by a handful of votes in favor of the Republicans. Amish residents of Lancaster County are the ‘culprits’ of victory in this state.
According to a report from Elizabethtown College, 90,000 Amish voted for Trump. This allowed the Republican to overtake Kamala Harris by a single point. What is significant is that this community is apolitical and generally does not vote.
The Amish, anchored in the 18th century
The Amish are a religious community (Anabaptist) which has its origins in the 18th century. during the Protestant Reformation. They arose from a division among followers of Jakob Ammann, a Swiss leader who demanded more discipline from the Church.
At the end of the 18th century They began to immigrate to North America to have more freedom in choosing the way they lived their religion. The Amish are distributed throughout the United States and Canada, although the largest communities are in Pennsylvania and Ohio.
Religion is the basis of the Amish and they read the Bible accurately. They consider themselves pacifists and are against all violence.they therefore also refuse military service.
The most common jobs in this community are those related to agriculture, carpentry and other very ancient trades. Their culture is also reflected in the very classic way of dressing, with straw hats, suspender pants and men’s shirts. The women wear long dresses and scarves.
One of the most striking aspects of the Amish is their refusal to embrace technology. This population does not use vehicles or electricity nor any technological devices, such as cell phones.
They reject these changes because they see them as a way to connect with the rest of the world. The Amish live on the margins of society and defend a simple way of life, therefore all the innovations and advances would complicate their way of being and living.
