Vermont's Only Black Female Lawmaker Withdraws Re-Election Bid After Racist Attacks

TerminusFox · Aug 30, 2018

"The state of Vermont's lone black female lawmaker, Rep. Ruqaiyah "Kiah" Morris (D-Bennington), announced that she will not be running for re-election this year, in part because of the overwhelming amount of racist threats she's received.

"It may be easy to think of this as everyday political dissent until one examines the reality that not one other legislator is facing the same level of vitriol or personal attack," the Aug. 9 press release read.

"No other Vermont state lawmaker's family is the target of hate filled verbiage, such as 'go back where you came from" or racist remarks referring to her child as an 'ugly mongrel'—a well-known epithet used to disparage children of mixed race," the press release said. "Let us not forget that more than a few non-native Vermonters serve in our legislature and vote similarly to Ms. Morris, yet none are being attacked or threatened racially, nor are they told to return to where they came from."

More at the link:https://www.theroot.com/vermonts-on..._medium=socialflow&utm_source=theroot_twitter

Tell me more about how white liberal states can't be super racist

808s & Villainy · Aug 30, 2018

ShadowFox said:
Tell me more about how white liberal states can't be super racist

I don't think anyone even still says this
I hope

Slayven · Aug 30, 2018

That is goddamn shame.

NoKisum · Aug 30, 2018

Politicking While Black

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

zero_suit · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

And what was King's ultimate fate?

Qwark · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

I can see that perspective, but when they also make comments about her child, that's tough. People are awful.

Stardestroyer · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

I agree, how dare she prioritize her safety along with her child's. She should be taking the risk while we post on a random forum.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

zero_suit said:
And what was King's ultimate fate?

Martyrdom? His own national holiday? Civil Rights Bill? A countries openly racist laws torn down? There shouldn't be any fear of her getting assassinated.

808s & Villainy · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

People don't become lawmakers to be martyrs

platocplx · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

Nah, she shouldnt have to shoulder this burden alone, and i hope someone else steps up in her place but i can see why she feels its not worth it.

excelsiorlef · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Martyrdom? His own national holiday? Civil Rights Bill? A countries openly racist laws torn down? There shouldn't be any fear of her getting assassinated.

Grow a strain of empathy

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Stardestroyer said:
I agree, how dare she prioritize her safety along with her child's. She should be taking the risk while we post on a random forum.

Many persons of color get racists threats every day. But that doesn't deter most of them from their goal. Hell to most us, it happens daily...sounds like a Tuesday morning to me.

skillzilla81 · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Martyrdom? His own national holiday? Civil Rights Bill? A countries openly racist laws torn down? There shouldn't be any fear of her getting assassinated.

Wow.

sphagnum · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

She's not under any obligation to die for a cause.

Double 0 · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

The fact that you can say this and bring up a dude who got killed is mindblowing.

Quit victim blaming.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Look nothing would ever get done in this damn country if all our PoC lawmakers, news anchors, mayors and politicians were to back down and cowtow to racists threats given to their them and their families.

AlteredBeast · Aug 30, 2018

In today's world, I wouldn't blame her. Too many absolutely insane people with access to firearms, knowledge of bomb-making, and so on. Some loon could easily target her family because of a position held by many of her colleagues. :(

maxxpower · Aug 30, 2018

Did I wake up in the 1920s?

Daniel Westlake · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Many persons of color get racists threats every day. But that doesn't deter most of them from their goal. Hell to most us, it happens daily...sounds like a Tuesday morning to me.

You're young aren't you? Because you sound extraordinarily childish and lacking in perspective.

Bio · Aug 30, 2018

808s & Villainy said:
I don't think anyone even still says this
I hope

Unfortunately they do. Too many people seem to think that racism only happens in red states, and too many people forget that when Obama was running for his first term in 2008, over 20% of democrats polled said they would not vote for a black person.

OrdinaryPrime · Aug 30, 2018

ShadowFox said:
Tell me more about how white liberal states can't be super racist

Who says this?

Also, Vermont isn't made up of 100% liberals. What a weird strawman.

G_Shumi · Aug 30, 2018

That really sucks. People are awful. Having hate comments directly at you and your family is the worst. It lingers on well after the comments are made too and just fester in your brain. I hope she'll try running again in the future under better circumstances.

Stardestroyer · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Many persons of color get racists threats every day. But that doesn't deter most of them from their goal. Hell to most us, it happens daily...sounds like a Tuesday morning to me.

Except that isn't really true. People have priorities, it just so happen that running for election isn't hers. Not everyone can be MLK Jr. Not everyone wants to be MLK Jr. Also being a Rep. in Vermont a state with 98% white population will not lead to some revolution.

We (blacks) should not expect or demand someone to do something they don't want to. She doesn't want to risk her life for a shitty job. Why are you expecting her to carry the mantel, when you don't do anything relevant?

0VERBYTE said:
Martyrdom? His own national holiday? Civil Rights Bill? A countries openly racist laws torn down? There shouldn't be any fear of her getting assassinated.

People more prominent than her have died and not gotten all those things. Besides martyrdom isn't going to keep her family warm at nite.

LucidMomentum · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Many persons of color get racists threats every day. But that doesn't deter most of them from their goal. Hell to most us, it happens daily...sounds like a Tuesday morning to me.

She's done more than her fair share to support this country. She's received more than her fair share (i.e. ZERO) of harassment for it.

Yeah some people put up with more than she did, but that doesn't make it right and that doesn't make it implausible that she's tired of it.

The systematic racism in the US should change, we shouldn't ask her to endure any more than she's willing to.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Daniel Westlake said:
You're young aren't you? Because you sound extraordinarily childish and lacking in perspective.

I'm not saying she isn't wrong to protect her family. And ultimately shell do what she needs to. But to let racists win like this is what's fucked up in this country. So now in Vermont it's ok to threaten black lawmakers out of a seat.

Apath · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

This is really easy to say when you're not the one going through it. A bunch of racist, unhinged assholes threatening your safety and your family's safety? I can't say I'd have the resolve the weather that on a regular basis.

8byte · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

This...is pretty tone def.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

LucidMomentum said:
She's done more than her fair share to support this country. She's received more than her fair share (i.e. ZERO) of harassment for it.

Yeah some people put up with more than she did, but that doesn't make it right and that doesn't make it implausible that she's tired of it.

The systematic racism in the US should change, we shouldn't ask her to endure any more than she's willing to.

Okay so what of the next black lawmaker to try in Vermont? What happens then? Because now racists have won and it's open season to threaten people of color who go for positions. crazy.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Apath said:
This is really easy to say when you're not the one going through it. A bunch of racist, unhinged assholes threatening your safety and your family's safety? I can't say I'd have the resolve the weather that on a regular basis.

If you arnt a person of color in this country then you wouldn't really have a clue would you? This type of stuff is done a damn regular.

808s & Villainy · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Okay so what of the next black lawmaker to try in Vermont? What happens then? Because now racists have won and it's open season to threaten people of color who go for positions. crazy.

Then the next black lawmaker can decide for themselves whether they want to take the threats seriously or not

Boiled Goose · Aug 30, 2018

ShadowFox said:
"The state of Vermont's lone black female lawmaker, Rep. Ruqaiyah "Kiah" Morris (D-Bennington), announced that she will not be running for re-election this year, in part because of the overwhelming amount of racist threats she's received.

More at the link:https://www.theroot.com/vermonts-on..._medium=socialflow&utm_source=theroot_twitter

Tell me more about how white liberal states can't be super racist

~30 percent of the state voted for Trump
More liberals, doesn't mean all liberals.

Violence reducing participation in politics is unacceptable. The government of Vermont should immediately investigate and prosecute

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

808s & Villainy said:
Then the next black lawmaker can decide for themselves whether they want to take the threats seriously or not

And who says there will be a next given the gravity of what they know they'd face? You understand how this can hurt an area right?

Luchashaq · Aug 30, 2018

Qwark said:
I can see that perspective, but when they also make comments about her child, that's tough. People are awful.

I just wish she made up some other fake reason to not run again because this emboldens these fucks "see it works let's double our efforts on person x", but she can do/admit whatever she wants. She's the one who got put in a trash situation.

Poppy · Aug 30, 2018

hey that's my shitty county

rest assured vermont has a lot of racists and assholes in it. it is omega white.

i like my state (not that i would wanna live there) but i am not surprised this garbage happened, it is a real disgusting shame.

Deleted member 4034 · Aug 30, 2018

808s & Villainy said:
I don't think anyone even still says this
I hope

Of course they do.

808s & Villainy · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
And who says there will be a next given the gravity of what they know they'd face? You understand how this can hurt an area right?

So why would her staying or dropping out change anything? Regardless any other black lawmaker running knows they'll have to deal with it

Rover · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Okay so what of the next black lawmaker to try in Vermont? What happens then? Because now racists have won and it's open season to threaten people of color who go for positions. crazy.

I don't know man, if you have to insist that people of color have to bleed and die to get anything changed, you have let the racists win. Last I heard, violence and threats were illegal. Why exactly is the victim being lectured here?

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

808s & Villainy said:
So why would her staying or dropping out change anything? Regardless any other black lawmaker running knows they'll have to deal with it

Because it would let racists know that they can't dictate the makeup of the system to their own racist agenda.

0VERBYTE · Aug 30, 2018

Rover said:
I don't know man, if you have to insist that people of color have to bleed and die to get anything changed, you have let the racists win. Last I heard, violence and threats were illegal. Why exactly is the victim being lectured here?

I'm sorry what? Have u missed the whole decade of the civil rights movement? That's exactly what happened to get to where we are now. And it seems we went back into remission.

The only violence here it seems is the ones actually making the violent threats.

LookAtMeGo · Aug 30, 2018

The racists didn't "win" because she stepped down due to threats to her and her family. The racists "won" when a racist fuck got elected into the white house. Thats not her fault. I wouldn't be pointing my finger at her for emboldening these fucks. Thats on the voters and your backwards electoral system.

Masoyama · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Get a backbone girl, fuck the haters. Dont let them shake your resolve. What if Dr. King would have gave up because of all the racist threats he received.

Fuck right off.

Deleted member 4034 · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
I'm sorry what? Have u missed the whole decade of the civil rights movement? That's exactly what happened to get to where we are now. And it seems we went back into remission.

The only violence here it seems is the ones actually making the violent threats.

It's sad that it takes all that, but I can't expect someone to take all of that abuse.

T'Chakku · Aug 30, 2018

It's been a while since a string of posts made me shake my head in disbelief the way OVERBYTE's just did.

dyst · Aug 30, 2018

these people are scum and much of the worlds problem can be attributed to them

KoopaTheCasual · Aug 30, 2018

0VERBYTE said:
Look nothing would ever get done in this damn country if all our PoC lawmakers, news anchors, mayors and politicians were to back down and cowtow to racists threats given to their them and their families.

Look, 0VER, I know you're super down to go down guns blazing and be a martyr, but you need to understand its fine to fear that fate, especially when it also involves your children.

Commander Quackers · Aug 30, 2018

Overbyte we ain't a monolith dude

TheLetdown · Aug 30, 2018

808s & Villainy said:
I don't think anyone even still says this
I hope

They might not say that outright but there's a heavy implication of it when people are half-cocked and ready to slander the South for its racism.

fluffydelusions · Aug 30, 2018

OrdinaryPrime said:
Who says this?

Also, Vermont isn't made up of 100% liberals. What a weird strawman.

IKR. Voter map for perspective

Muppet of a Man · Aug 30, 2018

The people in VT who are liberal are out of staters and people in the cities. Native Vermonters are in rural insular white communities like every other rural place in the US and tend to be Republican/Libertarian and many times racist.

That being said, VT is probably majority out of staters and people in cities at this point.

Vermont's Only Black Female Lawmaker Withdraws Re-Election Bid After Racist Attacks

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