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Thursday, October 25, 2018

Slavery Is Still a Legal Punishment. Voters in Colorado Have a (Second) Chance to Abolish It.

In 2016, Coloradoans voted against abolishing slavery in prisons -- a clause that exists in the U.S. Constitution and several states'. This year, the issue is back on the ballot.

Americans learn about the 13th Amendment as the signature measure outlawing slavery throughout the country. But what most Americans likely don't know is that slavery is still legal in the U.S. Constitution as “a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” In other words, slavery is legal in federal prisons.

Similar language exists in a number of states' constitutions, including Colorado, Nevada, North Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. There have been attempts to change this -- most unsuccessful. In 2016, Colorado voters rejected a ballot measure that would have removed the language. A bill with similar goals failed this year in Wisconsin and stalled in Tennessee.

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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This is what Kanye was talking about when he said the "13th amendment needed to be abolished." He then changed that statement to "amended." But meanwhile the left was having a fit. "Kanye is off his meds again. He's crazy."
Looks like he knew what he was talking about, huh?