BRATTLEBORO — Whereas, present racial inequity stems from the history of enslavement;
Whereas, 400 years of racism in the United States has divided humanity and denied the dignity due every human being;
Whereas, the whitewashing of Vermont's history with abolitionist movements made it seem that it fully eliminated slavery in its constitution, and this whitewashing creates a division between White and Black Vermonters;
Whereas, when a people try to hide the reality of oppression, it distorts the relationship between people;
Whereas, the Vermont State Constitution does not clearly ban enslavement or indentured servitude but allows exceptions, e.g., “no person born in this country, or brought from over sea, ought to be held by law, to serve any person as a servant, slave or apprentice, after arriving to the age of twenty-one years, unless bound by the person's own consent, after arriving to such age, or bound by law for the payment of debts, damages, fines, costs, or the like”;
Whereas, the 13th Amendment in the United States' Constitution allows slavery or indentured servitude “as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted”;
Whereas, indentured servitude can never be fully voluntary;
Whereas, every human being is created with equality and worth;
Whereas, the elimination of racism requires conscious attention and action;
Whereas, this Nov. 8, 2022 (and after early voting begins) voting ballots will provide the voters of Vermont the opportunity to amend the Vermont Constitution to abolish slavery and enslavement in any and all forms;
Therefore, be it resolved that we encourage voters to vote for passage of Proposal 2, which prohibits slavery and indentured servitude in any and every form throughout Vermont.
Adopted Sept. 25, 2022, by the Executive Committee of the Windham County Democratic Committee.