I suppose of all the characters on the hit cable TV reality show Amish Mafia – Freeman has always intrigued me the most.
The reason for this is because I believe Freeman Schmucker is SMI (“Seriously Mentally Ill”).
Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder.
Do I necessarily believe Freeman is possessed by the devil? I really don’t know that to be a fact to be completely honest with you – but he could be?
In one episode I watched during what was being billed as a “Amish exorcism ceremony” – which happens at 2 a.m. by candlelight – Freeman’s body convulses, as if a spirit has left his body. Afterwards, however, he does not appear to have changed. He spends the entire episode staring creepily in random directions, as Ester plans and plots to get rid of him.
I believe Freeman has been through a “hell” of a lot during last season on Amish Mafia.
For one he was accused of being “possessed by the devil”, he was then ostracized by the entire Amish community, betrayed by Ester his sister, chased down in a field by Amish henchmen and essentially kidnapped against his will.
I should remind readers that such a thing would be completely illegal anywhere else in the United States but Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where the police basically ignore such things as kidnapping by the Amish.
Sometime earlier Freeman was also arrested by the police http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR63fVrm9v8
See article: Freeman Biography http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/amish-mafia/bios/freeman.htm
Well this season he’s back!
I can’t help sometimes but admire Freeman in some ways. Especially in his ability to withstand criticism and the cruel verbal attacks and threats he receives on an almost daily basis from Ester who secretly despises him by the way.
I also notice that not once does he ever feel it necessary to respond in kind – “evil for evil.” Instead he always just stands there quietly and takes it without saying a word to anybody.
You also don’t see Freeman Schmucker, for example out there “hellbent” on revenge, like so many of the other cast members seem totally consumed by.
In this way Freeman seems a lot more sane at times than Lebanon Levi and his insane crew of psychopaths and misfits on Amish Mafia.