1st Black Female Legislator in Vermont Resigns after White Supremacist Threats.

[ehrnst]

BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Voters in this very liberal, very white state made Kiah Morris a pioneer when in 2014 they elected her as its first black female legislator. Two years later, another Vermont surfaced: racist threats that eventually forced her to leave office in fear and frustration.

After she won the Democratic primary for re-election to the state legislature in 2016, someone tweeted a cartoon caricature of a black person at her, along with a vulgar phrase rendered in ebonics. The tweeter threatened to come to rallies and stalk her, Morris said. She won a protective order against him but once that expired, the harassment continued, she said.

The harassment escalated into a break-in while the family was home, vandalism and death threats seen by her young son. Even after she announced she wouldn’t seek re-election, despite running unopposed, a group of youths pounded on her windows and doors at night, forcing her and her husband, convalescing after heart surgery, to leave town.

Finally, in late September, she resigned.

“There’s obviously online harassment that can happen, and that’s a part of our social media world right now, but then when things started happening in everyday life, that’s when it becomes really worrisome and terrifying,” she said in a recent interview with The Associated Press.

https://apnews.com/e7d6a41a335b477698e818cae7c4e032

[uponit7771]

1. Where are Vermont's law enforcement ?!?! This is beyond disgusting !!!

[Initech]

19. They were probably encouraging it.

Remember 15 years ago when the FBI warned us that white nationalists were infiltrating law enforcement? I would be willing to bet there's more than a few "officers" in on it.

[brush]

37. Isn't this where Sanders is from? No wonder he didn't know how to court AA voters.

[Gothmog]

47. This does explain a great deal

[SidDithers]

2. The harasser is simply economically anxious, surely...nt

Sid

[ehrnst]

3. My understanding is that once white working class men are earning what they want to earn

All these other things "will be made right."

Just like things are in European countries with Socialist Democracies are for people of color, muslims and immigrants right now.

[Kurt V.]

4. so sad.

[ehrnst]

5. Now I wonder if this recent SNL skit was inspired by her story:

[Gothmog]

7. I really like this skit

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

8. LOL - but I bet people in VT didn't like this so much

I don't think they want to attract white supremacist types.

[ehrnst]

11. Looks like they already have plenty. (nt)

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

14. I'm sure they don't want to attract anymore of those type of people. n/t

[ehrnst]

17. Do you think that white supremacists regard SNL as a good resource

for where to vacation?

[Gothmog]

48. trump supporters lack a sense of humor and do not understand SNL

[Gothmog]

6. What is going on in Vermont?

[smirkymonkey]

42. I'm surprised, because Burlington is very liberal, but it must be the more rural areas that

are like that. Kind of like the contrast between NYC and upstate NY.

[Gothmog]

46. Evidently there is a great deal of racism in Vermont

[Ilsa]

9. This is MOB terrorism, and the perps need to be arrested.

The FBI wouldn't put up with that with anyone in Congress. Why isn't the Vermont equivalent going after these thugs?

[Wounded Bear]

10. Vermont has never been THAT Liberal...

[JHan]

12. true.

[uponit7771]

15. +1

[George II]

16. That's correct. Did a quick check on Senators and Representatives:

Representatives - republicans held the seat for 30 of the last 57 years, Democrats only 11 of those years (independent for 16)

Senators (2) - republicans have held one or both seats for 120 of the last 87 (174 total) years, Democrats only 43 years (independent for 11)

My experiences of Vermont is that they're more conservative than their neighboring states (New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts)

[Cha]

26. There's "liberal" and then there's

the polar opposite.. White fucking Supremacists. I can never spell that word.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

31. Were they civil citizens?

We are going to disagree. We have to get along. We can't be made to hate each other bc of don tr. We are stronger together. We don't have to agree. But there's so much more of us in common. We are not far apart on most things about life as American. We are a proud and generous people. We have to rein this stuff in. imho. The alt right always are violent in mobs, but, when splintered off run like scared teenagers. (remember that guy in Charlottesville who got cornered out of the crowd of nazis and he was repenting and running away in shame.)
These people committed crimes. If law enforcement isn't going to protect everyone zealously, then we need to defund them. Tax revenues dont just get to go to the military or the police wo some sort of boundries. The military need to tighten their belt to protect the people they are designed inherently, to protect...whatever form that takes.Military or humanitarian. But they swore an oath.
Vermont can be whatever they want, but, lynch mobs and assault crimes and property violations and damage are against the law. Terrorism is too.

[Wounded Bear]

33. I really wasn't defending the RW assholes for their violent actions...

I was just pointing out that the State has a strong conservative (the traditional type) presence.

I'm pretty sure the RW violence is a new thing, and yes, law enforcement should take them down.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

34. Right on.

[MagickMuffin]

13. Who knew there were racists in the North?

I did!

[Cha]

32. The Irony.. Stacy Abrams can run for Gov in Georgia

but fucking white supremacists stop Kiah Morris in Vermont.

[lovemydogs]

18. Her supporters should have done more to help

Vermont may have alot more liberal thinkers but, it also has it's share of racists. Just like Texas has its share of progressives.
However, those who supported Kiah needed to get loud in shaming the treatment and threats against her and show it won't be tolerated.
The only way to tamp down ugly behavior is to make it unacceptable, to shame those who are racist or hateful, ect.
When something is made unacceptable by the majority it usually changes behavior or tamps it down

[raccoon]

20. I am shocked, shocked that this happened in a non-Southern state.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

21. headline: Vermont Redraws Mason-Dixon Line

Obviously, Vermont regrets being the first state to abolish slavery.

This lady should have received protection.

[MariaCSR]

22. As a black woman, this breaks my heart.

I'm just so tired of this.

[Jamaal510]

23. Incidents

like these are why I roll my eyes when people blame only the South for racism. Racists are everywhere, even in "blue" states.

[JHan]

24. ain't that the truth.

[violetpastille]

28. +1000

[George II]

35. Vermont is surprisingly a very racist state, as is New Hampshire and Rhode Island. On top of that...

....Boston at one time was considered more racist than Atlanta.

For example, the Boston Red Sox were the LAST major league baseball team to integrate when Pumpsie Green played for them in 1959 - ELEVEN years after Jackie Robinson began playing for the Dodgers.

[oberliner]

25. Vermont is one of the least diverse states in the country

[violetpastille]

29. States with White Population over 90%

Maine
Vermont
New Hampshire
West Virginia
Iowa
Wyoming
Idaho
Montana
Kentucky
North Dakota

I was surprised by West Virginia, but I only every lived on the border of Maryland/W. Va

[George II]

36. The actual % of whites in the top states (2015 statistics):

Maine 95.00%
Vermont 94.90%
New Hampshire 93.70%
West Virginia 93.60%
Idaho 91.70%
Iowa 91.20%
Wyoming 91.00%

Three of the six New England states are in the top seven. Vermont and Rhode Island are extremely racist, as is the Boston metro area.

[smirkymonkey]

43. Boston has always had a reputation for being racist but it has mostly been concentrated in

working class neighborhoods, particularly in Irish working class neighborhoods. Then there are very liberal enclaves like Cambridge (which is it's own city), Brookline, parts of Boston Proper, Somerville, Allston, Bay Village, Brighton, Jamaica Plain and Dorchester. There are also many liberal suburbs surrounding the city as well. It's very split.

[George II]

44. Remember the Charles Stuart case, where he shot his wife and blamed it on a "black man"....

....in a bad neighborhood. That started a HUGE racial uproar that may have contributed to Boston becoming a little less racist.

[smirkymonkey]

45. Yes, I do. Many of us didn't believe his story for a minute.

It brought some much needed attention to the racial problems in this city. People were furious with him.

[Cha]

27. Too bad those Asshole kids who broke into their home

weren't caught and charged.. and spending time in prison.

The harassment escalated into a break-in while the family was home, vandalism and death threats seen by her young son. Even after she announced she wouldn’t seek re-election, despite running unopposed, a group of youths pounded on her windows and doors at night, forcing her and her husband, convalescing after heart surgery, to leave town.

Fucking Disgusting.

So ironic in Vermont.. can't even have a female Black legislator. But Stacy Abrams can run for Gov in Georgia.

[Ferrets are Cool]

30. This is America?

How long till journalist begin disappearing in THIS country?
I feel so sorry for Kiah Morris. This is not supposed to be allowed to happen.

[NurseJackie]

38. Vermont? Interesting. I don't know what else to say about that...

Vermont? Interesting. I don't know what else to say about that, and I have many questions. I do know that the state is one of the most homogeneous and lacks racial diversity... so I wonder, has the state has become a haven or a destination for White Nationalists? This isn't representative of Vermont as a whole, I hope!

[ehrnst]

39. Me too!!

[Hortensis]

40. Back in the '60s-70s a lot of white urban left-wing activists

chose to leave diverse cities for very white Vermont, very white NH, very white Maine. They were seeking more basic lives closer to nature, but they would have had much better soils in general and for sure much longer growing seasons and much gentler winters if they'd moved even a bit south.

The rural cultures north and south were both conservative and relatively poor to very poor, but those to the south were accustomed to living with, if not all that much among, POC, unlike rural residents of the demographically segregated very white states.

That said, there are a lot of good people up there, and this was a missed opportunity, and duty, to rally around something important to protect. These things always turn on something as simple as one person who steps forward and becomes a leader for the rest. That person obviously didn't materialize.

[NurseJackie]

41. Thanks for the insight.

That person obviously didn't materialize.

I believe you're correct about that. Thanks for the insight.