July 2025 letter to members of the general assembly

​July 1, 2025
 
 
Members of the General Assembly,
 
                  I write again to remind you that in the midst of everything else going on, we still have the unfinished business of harboring crimes against humanity in our KY Constitution. Many of you have said to me that we need to take care of this. Indeed. In these letters I am laying out many reasons why so that open discourse on the topic can occur. 
Many of you are aware that Section 25 in our Constitution names slavery and involuntary servitude as appropriate punishments for a crime. This was written in 1891, and we have failed to change it, even though our understanding of what is appropriate punishment has changed over the years. Two other guiding documents highlight that change in thinking. 

• First, in 1948, the US ratified the UN Declaration of Human Rights statement that slavery and involuntary servitude are crimes against humanity and should not be perpetrated anywhere on any person at any time. 
• Second, the current Department of Corrections mission statement contradicts Section 25 by saying that DOC strives “…to provide a safe, secure and humane environment for staff and offenders…”  

                  Documents that are out of alignment with other guiding documents only confuse matters. Amending Section 25 would bring all guiding documents into alignment, and would create a strong basis for decision-making going forward. Is this something you and your caucus members think would be worthwhile? How do you envision it being accomplished?
If you have lent your support to abolishing slavery in the past, thank you! We look forward to continuing our work with you until slavery and involuntary servitude are abolished once and for all.
 
Patricia Gailey, President
Abolish Slavery KY, Inc