Democrats in Congress have introduced a resolution to remove the “punishment” exception from the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, calling their proposal the “Abolition Amendment.” While eliminating this constitutional loophole is indeed a moral imperative, co-opting the name “Abolition Amendment” is misleading and problematic, stripping the name of its original meaning.
The Abolition Amendment was developed and promoted by the Humane Party years prior to the Democrats’ proposal. The Abolition Amendment eliminates the punishment exception—thereby already accomplishing what Democrats now propose—but goes much further in that it actually ends slavery. Unfortunately, the Democrats’ proposal only addresses the punishment exception while leaving slavery of all creatures except humans fully intact. The Democrats’ use of the term “abolition” is, therefore, false on its face.
By co-opting the name “Abolition Amendment”, Democrats have created confusion in public discourse. This usage misleads voters, journalists, and activists, while profoundly watering down the Humane Party’s message and work. Ultimately, creating such confusion serves the animal-exploitation industries by undermining the centerpiece of the animal rights movement in the U.S.: the Abolition Amendment.
The Humane Herald 
