WASHINGTON, DC – The day past, Oregon’s U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley known as on Congress to cross the Abolition Modification. He was once joined via Value Rises and MoveOn, who introduced a petition with over 200,000 signatures from around the nation echoing the decision. This tournament took place simply ahead of Charter Day (September 17) and 157 years after the passage of the thirteenth Modification, which abolished slavery for many. The exception within the thirteenth Modification makes slavery criminal “as punishment for against the law,” forcing predominantly Black and brown humans to paintings for little to no pay in the back of jail partitions. It’s time to Finish the Exception and abolish slavery for all.
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“This nation was once based at the stunning ideas of equality and justice—ideas that experience by no means been suitable with the horrific realities of slavery and white supremacy,” stated Senator Merkley). “The loophole in our Charter’s ban on slavery now not handiest allowed slavery to proceed however introduced an generation of discrimination and mass incarceration that continues to at the moment. To are living as much as our country’s promise of justice for all, we should do away with the Slavery Clause from our Charter. We should cross the Abolition Modification.”
“In states everywhere this nation, there are humans laboring in jail—in Texas, choosing cotton at a internet loss for the state—since the cruelty is the purpose. In 5 states, incarcerated humans aren’t even paid for his or her exertions,” stated Dyjuan Tatro, #EndTheException recommend and previously incarcerated person. “This is an abomination in america of The united states, and we wish to finish slavery—absolutely, in spite of everything, and with out exception.”
“As the rustic celebrates Charter Day on September 17, we should now not omit that many nonetheless lack the constitutional rights that many people dangle sacred, together with our proper to be secure from slavery. There are recently loads of 1000’s of incarcerated humans around the nation—disproportionately Black and brown—who’re pressured to paintings within prisons and jails for little to no pay below the consistent risk of torturous punishment because of the exception within the thirteenth Modification that also lets in slavery for use as punishment for crime,” stated Value Rises Government Director Bianca Tylek. “This exception has enabled the criminalization, incarceration, and re-enslavement of Black humans all the way through historical past. And these days, it nonetheless lets in those that paintings in our country’s prisons and jails to be exploited via a rigged machine—one who was once designed to prioritize benefit over humans. I am hoping that individuals be aware of the tales of those that have suffered below the exception and that lawmakers transfer urgently to cross the Abolition Modification. In conjunction with invoice sponsors Senator Merkley and Congresswoman Williams, we’re calling on Congress to do so this 12 months. It’s well beyond due that our country’s leaders put an unequivocal finish to slavery for all. Slavery is improper, always.”
“The truth that prisons in maximum states are nonetheless ready to drive exertions on incarcerated humans, oftentimes for the benefit of personal companies, is merciless and exploitative. Jail exertions is without doubt one of the worst facets of a prison criminal machine that dehumanizes tens of millions of humans each and every unmarried day. MoveOn contributors had been lobbying their contributors of Congress to finish this antiquated, inhumane apply as soon as and for all,” stated MoveOn Marketing campaign Supervisor Arvin Alaigh.
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