Louisville, USA - Kentucky’s Commission on Human Rights has ruled in favor of an ex-Amish woman who claimed she was discriminated against by an Amish thrift store owner who refused to serve her.
Erma Troyer, the store owner in an Amish enclave at Cub Run in south-central Kentucky, was ordered to serve Ruth Irene Garrett or others who left the Amish way of life and are shunned by those in the faith.
"It feels like a vindication because I just don’t see how it’s right or how it’s fair that they can do this," Garrett said by telephone Friday.
Meeting in Versailles, the commission also ordered Troyer to pay $100 to Garrett for embarrassment caused by the confrontation. Garrett, an author who lives near Glasgow, said she would donate the money to the Salvation Army.
Troyer declined comment Friday and referred questions to her attorney. Phone messages left with Troyer’s attorney were not immediately returned. Troyer can appeal the commission’s order to circuit court.
Troyer used a religious freedom defense, claiming that her church doctrine prevented her from taking money from those shunned by the Amish.
Garrett, an author who has written about Amish life, contended that the refusal to serve her was a violation of Kentucky’s Civil Rights Act for denial of service in a public place for religious reasons.
"It was never about the money," Garrett said.
The case stemmed from an Oct. 15, 2003, confrontation at Troyer’s Rocky Top Salvage store. Garrett attempted to purchase some groceries, but Troyer refused to ring up the items.
She recognized Garrett from one of the books Garrett wrote about the Amish life she left. Garrett claimed that Troyer embarrassed her in front of other customers and took her complaint to the Human Rights Commission.
Troyer had said she felt she did nothing wrong. She said that based on her church doctrine, she risked being thrown out of the Amish faith and damned to an eternity in hell if she took money from the shunned. Troyer had said previously that she even offered to give Garrett the groceries for free.
Garrett said Friday that she expected to shop at Troyer’s store. Although she left the Amish faith, she still cooks Amish-style and likes to shop at Amish stores to buy ingredients.
Emily Riggs Hartlage, a Human Rights Commission staff attorney, said the order could have a ripple effect for any others who were excommunicated from the Amish faith and are denied service at Amish shops.
"I hope it empowers other shunned Amish people to assert their rights," she said in an interview.