His audiences appeared to be made up of row upon row of surgeons.

This has to be one of the dumbest lines ever printed. Uggh.

I suspect the Japanese interest also has something to do with a fascination with the innocence of Amish life. Japan is innocence lost, defined. The regal, deeply traditional culture that was Japan replaced by post-modern insanity. Ever seen a Japanese TV show? That's just the beginning.

When I was driving cab, I picked up 2 young Japanese women at the train station who had seen the movie "Witness" and wanted to take a 1 hour tour of Amish country.

As we cruised down Irishtown Rd, drifting towards Leola, and admiring the well-kept farms, I tried to describe the charms of country living.

I told them of that from my home, I cannot see any other house, but my neighbors were still within hollering distance.

I heard then whispering between themselves, then one of them leaned forward and asked "What is hollaling".

I tried to explain, then decided to demonstrate. My "hollaling" appeared to frighten them.

You hit the nail on the head. Notice...the Amish don't generally seem v. interested in other cultures except themselves.

I also hate how the writers of such articles use the 'Amish people's * immediate forgiveness* to Charles Roberts & his family as a means to put them on a pedestal as a whole. Forgiveness is an individual thing. Its a blemish that that horrible shooting is thought of with reverence to the Amish by outsiders.