hate crimes against the Amish: a qualitative analysis of bias motivation using routine activities theory

The Intensification of Hating: A Theory

“…Although Byers and Crider (2002) do not delve deeply into internal dynamics, their use of the word ''thrillingÕÕ suggests a perpetrator's strong affect and desire to harm and hints at the underlying psychological complexity of hating. In Franklin's (2000) research on motivations for anti-gay violence, she finds that individuals with an anti-gay ideology, along with peer dynamics that included thrill-seeking and self-defense interests, are more likely to engage in anti-gay violence.…”

“…Bennett (1991) describes hate crime as resulting from three factors: proximity to potential victims, motivation to harm victims, and the number of potential perpetrators in the area to create a group-level behavior. Byers and Crider (2002) describe four factors that lead to bias crimes: perceived boredom, desire for excitement, lack of guardians, and perceived group difference.…”

Reliability and Validity of a Scale to Measure Prejudice toward Old Order Amish

“…Recent issues involving the deep well drilling for natural gas have created land use questions for both Amish and non-Amish farmers in Ohio and Pennsylvania (Scheyder 2013). Other arguments over land usage have resulted in harassment and even physical violence toward the Amish (Byers and Crider 2002).…”

“…"Social Categorization Theory" (Wittenbrink, Hilton, and Gist 1998) explains how groups are then organized into in-group and out-group formations or an "us or them" way of thinking. Byers and Crider (2002) reported misconceptions and prejudice have led to harassment, intimidation, and violence towards one cultural / religious group, the Amish. They stated that "perceptions of separation based on lifestyle and culture have been a common historical reason for prejudice and poor treatment of others who are considered members of a societal out-group.…”

A Drug and Alcohol Intervention with Old Order Amish Youth: Dancing on the Devil's Playground

“…As "the world" impinges in terms of physical proximity, the Amish manage to maintain their distance, not only through language, as noted above, but by increasing use of parochial schools, limited exposure to radio and television, and the increase in Amish publishing houses (Foster, 1984;Johnson-Weiner, 2007). The prejudice of "the world" may also take its toll; hate crimes against the Amish are more commonly targeted against youth, by youth (Byers & Crider, 2002), the same peer group into which Amish adolescents would need to assimilate. Factors that appear to influence the decision to permanently leave the Amish, rather than merely experience the world, may have more to do with birth order (older), gender (male), strictness of the home church rules (stricter), and schooling (public; Meyers, 1994).…”