By Renee McGuinness
You’re a victim! and YOU’RE a victim! and YOU’RE A VICTIM!
That is, IF you are a member of a recognized class under Proposition 4, a proposed amendment to Article 7 of the Vermont State Constitution that intends to reassert that every named group is provided “equal” protections and common benefits. Religion is not listed among the groups, because according to common refrain during witness testimony, we’ve already got religion covered under Article 3.
Senator Virginia Lyons, lead sponsor, introduced Proposition 4 to the Senate Committee on Judiciary (@4:30), “We know how quickly the culture can change: 2016 – 2020 we saw a radical change in expressions of beliefs around individuals in our country and groups within the country.” In other words, we absolutely cannot have people expressing their “radical beliefs” unless those beliefs are expressed by rioting and setting cities on fire, and Proposition 4 will see to that!
Legislative counsel Erik FitzPatrick skipped the insignificant purpose section during the walk-through because, according to Chairperson Dick Sears (@10:20), who could not remember whether the purpose section of Article 22 appeared on the ballot in 2022, “let’s go to the meat of – the heart of the matter” by reviewing the amendment language only.
Let me make this clear: the Chair of the Committee on Judiciary does not know whether the Purpose section, which expresses the intent of proposed constitutional amendments, appears on the ballot presented to the voters. (Hint: it does not – nor do the courts make interpretations on the Purpose sections of constitutional amendments, because the language of the purpose section is not included in the constitution if the amendment is passed. More on that later . . .)
Reverend Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, stated @47:30 , “We need to double-down to include the protection of every vulnerable category – Mr. Chair – respectfully, that’s everybody that’s not a white cis man.” [insert awkward silence in a room filled with white cis men]
The reverend did not notice “religion” was missing from the list of protected groups and “punted” the question of exclusion of religion to witness Peter Teachout, Professor at Vermont Law School, who noted the “finite list” of protected classes and recommended a provision for open-ended application to include marginalized groups further down the road. Rest assured, those that worship YHWH or identify as Jesus freaks – the two groups that have the longest history of being marginalized – are never going to make that list. I’ll make my case for that in a bit . . .
Jay Greene, Racial Equity Policy & Research Analyst for the Office of Racial Equity, pointed out that some individuals identify under several categories of protected classes, therefore have a taller stack of victim chips and more protections and benefits under the proposed amendment. Greene stated (@59:45), “Repairing historical harm sometimes requires equitable treatment, not equal treatment, and equity sometimes means targeting programs to populations based on need rather than absolute equal treatment,” that religion is protected under the First Amendment of the United States Constitution, and according to his personal opinion, not necessarily the opinion of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, “I have concerns with some people using ‘freedom of religion’ as an excuse to deny the human rights of people like myself, transgender people and other people of the protected classes that are listed in Proposal 4.”
The case for marginalizing the religious:
”This proposed constitutional amendment is not intended to limit the scope of rights and protections afforded by any other provision in the Vermont Constitution” appears in the Purpose section of Proposition 4 but is not included in the language of the amendment itself: amendment language is the only language upon which State courts will be making their interpretations.
The amendment to Article 7 is intended to ensure that the Vermont Supreme Court has the final word in court cases regarding equal treatment, because the Social Justice Ruling Class is having a tantrum over recent SCOTUS decisions that “weaponize” the Fourteenth Amendment: I assume they are referring to Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College, in which the SCOTUS decided race as a “determining tip” for admission into colleges and universities is a violation of equal protections. Indeed, it would be unfair to expect people to exert grit, determination, and sweat to achieve the American Dream. Government-vigilante-style robbing of the privileged and giving to the underprivileged is much more virtuous!
State court decisions under Proposition 4 will be “Make them Bake Cake” mandates for Bible-following Christians and Jews, and Quran-abiding Muslims, with no recourse in federal courts, because federal courts do not have jurisdiction over interpretation of State constitutions. Protected classes will be empowered to claim in court their “dignity” and “respect” has been violated by others who refuse to use their preferred pronouns or fail to recognize more than two genders.
Virginia Lyons claimed that “religion is clearly protected in our federal constitution,” yet the rest of the discussion in the Judiciary Committee proves intent to prevent appeals to federal courts and the SCOTUS. Proposition 4 creates a hierarchy of rights, with religion either at the bottom of, or completely removed from, equal rights protections.
Isaiah 66:5; Matthew 5:10, Amen, Amen!
The author is a Monkton resident.
Discover more from Vermont Daily Chronicle
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Categories: Opinion
Throughout my life I’ve been discriminated against. I was that weird guy. Now often referred to as “neurodiverse”. Beaten and harassed continually in school. Not allowed to complete high school and receive preparatory education, which I desperately needed. Again and again being treated in a fashion which wouldn’t have been tolerated had I been part of a recognized “minority”. I came to understand this phenomena decades ago.
‘Nobody likes me. Everybody hates me. Guess I’ll go eat worms.’
Come on, man. Pick yourself up from your malaise. We’ve all (or most of us, at least) have been discriminated against. Someone always thinks the other guy is weird. The problem you cite is a two-edged sword.
That you were ‘beaten and harassed *continually* in school was almost as much yours and your family’s, or your guardian’s fault as it was the school’s. Unless, of course, you were, literally, a slave somewhere other than in the U.S.. What you describe, while it may be true, defies logic. The world is filled with personal injury lawyers who would have jumped at the opportunity to get 1/3rd of your settlement or jury award. Just look at the millions of dollars recently awarded to E. Jean Carroll.
Perhaps you were actually the lucky one, inadvertently saved from indoctrination disguised as the so-called preparatory education you thought you desperately needed.
Your experience, and mine, and everyone else’s, is unique and has nothing to do with being a ‘recognized minority’. We are all minorities of one. You have been indoctrinated, for decades. As have many of us in our own ways. Now is the time to warn others not to fall into the same trap. You are alive and well today. At least well enough to express your opinions here on VDC. Lead us by example. Rise above it, man. You can do it.
It’s all B S just more ways to stifle opinions that they don’t agree with. All our leaders are doing is taking away more of our freedoms ever day and we are letting them do it. Just keep voting the idiots in
Speaking of Oprah Winfrey…how are things working out in Lahaina these days? I hear the property owners are still waiting, still paying mortgage payments on non-existent structures, and insurance adjusters banned from surveying damages to pay the claims. In fact, the area is still locked down and no explanations? What up with that Oppie and mega-billionaire friends and co-conspirators?
Anyone who has lived for a bit has been on the receiving end of hate, discrimination, unfairness, bullying, pure bad luck as well as grace, kindness, good luck, charity and love. That’s just a fact.
Every group of people have also been in the same positions (in general) and in my experience, those who just get on with the business of living and try hard to do their best, despite the odds, always “wins”.
“Winning” being a subjective term.
For a culture to objectify an entire race as “victims” does no one, especially the “victims” any good and more importantly positively harms them further. Any person or group who would accept the “victim” status is morally and spiritually bereft.
We, western civilization, are way past the zenith of our course. Indeed, we are in a rapid freefall into destruction. So, pull up your big boy or girl drawers and get busy. Because the ride is about to get real tough. Not sure how long I’ll be able to hold on to this thing, but I sure am gonna give it a go.
Yeeehaww.
Great! Who woulda guessed entitlements would run amuck? Where do I get MY victim card? I’m a woman and therefore, decades ago, I was blatantly discriminated against and sexually harassed in the workplace – constantly. All four of my grandparents were vocally & publicly demeaned & also discriminated against in their own workplaces & in daily life based upon their ethnicities. The Irish were told they need not even apply, and the Italians were handed mops & buckets whilst they were informed that was all they were good for.
Somehow however, all my grandparent’s children & grandchildren & now great grandchildren managed to rise and climb the ladder of financial & social success in but one or two generations attaining professions that include physicians, doctoral degrees in varied fields, attorneys, etc. nary once accepting any social services benefits of any sort.
True – There will always remain periods of time and places wherein the USA did not comply with their testament to freedom & justice for all, yet as with all fledgling nations, gross errors are made, retracted, and corrected, UNLIKE most nations on this earth wherein peoples are held continuously under oppressive, dictatorial, and insufferable governmental regimes that never offer any remote hope for emancipation. It is this Constitutional Republic alone guided only by principled & moral representatives who each day seek to follow our foundation to the letter of the law that afford opportunity & advancement & equality (but NOT “equity”) for all.
Those screaming the loudest about Reparations and victim mentality are going after the wrong people.
See the successful hard word working Vermonters and Americans aren’t responsible for the oppression in the Black and Minority Communities.
It is the liberal, marxists and democrats who continue to force the Black and Minority Communities into poverty and State dependency.
Creating the hate and division they need because they have nothing positive to offer America.
The continual marginalization of Blacks and Minorities is pushed to the front.
Use Oregon for the latest example. Students no longer have to be proficient in Reading, Writing or Mathematics to ” Graduate ” High School.
All because the Social Justice Warriors claim these to be too difficult for students of Color.
Who is really the oppressor ?
The ones making you ignorant and completely dependent on the State or the ones trying to give you the opportunity to succeed ?
The ones forcing their agenda of abortion to the moment of Birth or the ones actually providing Women’s Health care ?
The ones burning down their neighborhoods ( peacefully of course ) or the ones giving you a hand up instead of a hand out ?
The enemy of Black and Minority Americans aren’t the ones that want you to get the education and skills need to survive.
It is those who want you to believe you can’t succeed.
So here, we’ll push the victim card and steal from those who were never responsible for the harm the democrats caused.
Awesome post Jim, (I cannot get “thumbs-up” to work) and straightforward & accurate!
thank you m. c. on the oprah thing/// smart city//// smart city/// smart city/// agenda 2030/// build back better///
Victims huh ? Like Corey Bush ? Poor Corey, she only wants the security she is denying all the little people by defunding the police. Like Fani Willis ? Poor Fani, she just wants the money to enable her boyfriend to be able to shower her with well earned gratitude. Poor, poor victims !
Cori Bush is under federal investigation for misuse of campaign funds. Allegedly, for hiring her husband for personal security detail. Fani Willis is in deep trouble now for helping herself, her boyfriend, and co-conspirators to public funds. Odd how BLM, the connected Representatives, et al., misappropriated millions of dollars for hiring relatives, purchasing elaborate homes, vacations, and designer swag as part of their salary. Seems a whole lotta connected social justice warriors got their millions in reparations and a few indictments to boot!
Vermont has pretty robust antidiscrimination laws I would figure, so what’s this really about? My guess is the removal of “religion” was not accidental, and in fact this proposal will actually be a license to discriminate on that basis.
Nice article Renee, thank you!
Jon