Dear Editor,
On Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, Article 22/Proposal 5 – actual name Personal Reproductive Liberty Amendment – will be on the ballot; “To see if the voters will amend the Vermont Constitution by adding Article 22 to read: (The explanation of wording is provided by VRLC)
“Article 22/Proposal 5 (Personal Reproductive Amendment) That an individual’s (Individual can apply to any age and gender) right to personal reproductive autonomy (Personal reproductive autonomy – will include abortion up to birth and more) is central to the liberty and dignity to determine one’s own course and shall not be denied or infringed unless justified by a compellingly State interest (Compelling State Interest – a directive to the courts to use the highest standard of review to prevent interference, restrictions, or limitations) achieved by the least restrictive means.”
As you can see, and in the words of Rep. Anne Donahue, spokesman for Vermonters For Good Government, “The proponents of Article 22/Proposal 5 are trying to hide the ugly nature of this amendment behind vague phrases like ‘reproductive liberty,’ and (the words ‘abortion’ and ‘woman’ appear nowhere in its wording) they are hoping that Vermont voters do not find out that this amendment is about Late-Term Abortion.”
Continuing again in the words of Rep. Donahue, “If this Amendment passes on Election Day, Late-Term Abortion will be permanently enshrined in the Vermont Constitution. That means our Constitution, which guarantees such rights as freedom of speech, the right to trial by jury, and the right to vote, will also now guarantee the right to abort a fully-developed baby that is just minutes away from being born.”
Because of these truths, I do not believe that Article 22/Proposal 5 has any place in the Vermont Constitution and I emphatically urge Vermont voters to voters “No” on Article 22.
Sincerely,
Mary Mayott
Springfield, Vt.