Constitutional amendment prohibiting slavery clears committee

[TexasTowelie]

The Senate Government Operations Committee unanimously approved a proposition Friday that would amend the Vermont Constitution to state that slavery and indentured servitude are “in any form, prohibited.”

Slavery was already illegal under the document, but the new language makes clear that it is prohibited regardless of a person’s age, not just for those over 21, and that indentured servitude is always illegal, with a person’s debts or consent having no bearing on the practice.

“We know that slavery happened,” said Sen. Jeanette White, D-Windham. “The Constitution expresses our ideals, not necessarily our behavior. We know that there are many things in here that we regularly misbehave about.”

The lawmakers heard testimony from many staunch advocates of the change, both at committee meetings and at a public hearing on the amendment.

Read more: https://vtdigger.org/2019/04/12/constitutional-amendment-prohibiting-slavery-clears-committee/

[pangaia]

1. Well, it is ABOUT time. Where has Bernie been all this time??

[sheshe2]

2. From your link.

“The thing that I hear from my friends of color is that it is so painful that this language has been there,” said Sasha Thayer, a resident of Plainfield. “My concern is that especially with what happened to Kiah Morris last year, not getting this done — and done right — is just so painful.”

Sally May, a pastor in Colchester, said her passion on the issue stemmed from listening to her black husband and black children speak about their experience of being people of color in Vermont and the racism they’ve been confronted with.

Also for those that do not know who Kiah Morris is:

Kiah Morris: The Vermont incidents that led to a black lawmaker's resignation

https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/2019/01/02/kiah-morris-vermont-incidents-led-black-lawmaker-resign/1990565002/

Kudos to them and I hope it passes the state senate.