John Klar: Vermont’s governor calls his own state’s people irredeemably racist

By John Klar

In a June 21 press release, Vermont governor Phil Scott announced his decision to hire Xusana Davis, a thirty-year-old from New York City, as “the state’s first executive director of racial disparity.” Ms. Davis has been commissioned “to identify and address systemic racial disparities and support the state’s efforts to expand and bring diversity to Vermont’s overall population[.]”  But it is far from clear that there are any “systemic racial disparities” to address.

Governor Scott and Vermont attorney general T.J. Donovan have vocally condemned the Green Mountain State and its inhabitants as racist, based on statistics that show that blacks are incarcerated at a higher rate than whites and are more likely to be stopped by police. But there has been no analysis of whether these disparities are due to higher arrest rates of “people of color” as a consequence of a thriving opioid crisis.

Vermont’s culture is one of dairy farming, verdant mountain scenery, maple syrup, and small-town hospitality.  Both the governor and the gubernatorial hopeful who may oppose him next year openly characterize Vermonters’ culture as innately racist. Scott praised Donovan’s Report declaring Vermont a “White Supremacy Culture” and proudly signed a law March 29 that will create a school curriculum designed to “change the underlying culture of our state.”

Like all states, Vermont has racists. But slavery was never legal in Vermont, being banned in the first state constitution in America. The first (and only pre–Civil War) black elected to a state Legislature (in 1836) was Vermont’s Alexander Twilight, who was also the first black college graduate in America (Middlebury College).

When statistics other than arrests and incarceration are considered, Vermont remains distinct for its egalitarian, “live-and-let-live” culture. It has the smallest income disparity in the country between blacks and whites, and a higher percentage of black residents hold college degrees than whites. As one of the most tolerant states toward redefining marriage, it is incongruous to suggest that this flaming progressive haven for decrepit hippies is some sort of newly discovered Confederate state. Vermont nearly elected a transgender governor and overwhelmingly voted for Barack Obama in two elections (67.46% in 2008; 66.57% in 2012 — only Hawaii and D.C. voted in higher support).

The actual cause of disproportionate arrest and incarceration rates in Vermont is likely the swelling drug trade, in which cartels move cheap Mexican White heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine throughout New England. There is less competition (and prices are higher) in Vermont’s high-demand towns than in the cities where the dealers travel from — Springfield and Boston in Massachusetts; Hartford and Willimantic, Connecticut (the heroin capital of the East Coast); New York City; Newark, N.J.  Inner-city gang violence and murder rates are not a product of race — they are a product of culture.

To label the state’s police, judges, juries, and attorneys racist without examining the geographical origin or past histories of the defendants is more than reckless — it is sabotage. This undermines morale and criticizes police and others on the front line who have constitutionally enforced important criminal laws, at risk to their own safety. Yet Donovan has had the audacity to say “that respecting the work of other prosecutors is crucial to maintaining the public trust.”

Governor Scott’s Opioid Coordination Council has called for increased investigations of drug-trafficking. But if, in fact, much of the drug traffic is conducted by non-white gangs, or thugs from neighboring (disproportionately black and Hispanic) urban cultures, increased investigations will likely yield more stops and incarcerations of “people of color.” Will Governor Scott, the ACLU, and A.G. Donovan cry foul yet again, without examining geographical origin or past out-of-state conviction history as possible correlative links?

Vermont’s culture is nonviolent, with one of the lowest violent crime rates in the country. Drug-dealers find easy prey in such safe “territory,” and, if apprehended, they will get lighter sentences than in those more battle-worn states — in safer, more comfortable prisons.  Experienced street cons know that running an illicit narcotics operation has nothing to do with race. But white dealers in Vermont can’t invoke skin color as a last-ditch shield against detention, or search, or sentencing.  Those defenses are only available only to “the systemically oppressed.”

Could Vermont’s attorney general and governor do any more to expand the sales force dispensing fentanyl to Vermont’s guilted, white-privileged children? Indeed, they have!  Both have opposed federal immigration enforcement.  Governor Scott vowed noncompliance, then championed legislation that defied federal registration of illegal aliens. Both advocated for special driver’s licenses for illegals, even as Vermont law suspends the licenses of native white men for nonpayment of child support. Both have called for illegals to relocate to Vermont.  Scott’s recent press release recites his goal of increasing “the state’s efforts to expand and bring diversity to Vermont’s overall population.”

Forced busing of schoolchildren was premised on the idea of rectifying economic disparities between races, not disparities in rates of commission of felonies. Governor Scott is essentially advocating for forced busing of adults of color from around the country to Vermont, solely because Vermont is predominantly white. As the Vermont people’s self-declared, virtue-signaling apologist, this pseudo-Republican garners great admiration for offering up the scapegoat of collective white guilt on behalf of the native-born citizenry. That is, Scott employs contrition toward blacks to manipulate and obtain power over whites. Perhaps he should mandate a Black Lives Matter symbol on the Cabot Cheese label, or erect billboards depicting barefoot slaves hauling wooden sap buckets through deep snow to the old sugar house, sporting a race-healing slogan: “We’re so sorry!”

Like the wave of fentanyl being funneled along the heroin pipeline to Chittenden County, Vermont’s enlightened progressive conquerors have found willing naïve slaves in the likes of Scott and Donovan, to usher in “greater diversity.” Meanwhile, the number of American Indians residing in Vermont has declined precipitously. The native Abenakis, having been wiped out by whites, are utterly ignored by Progressives (there are approximately four times more blacks than American Indians in Vermont).

What is not clear is whether Governor Scott’s paternalistic expansion of Vermont’s diversity on behalf of its residents will embrace Ugandan orphans, Rohingya refugees, Somali Muslims, or maybe some Pacific Islanders (a paltry 0.03% of the state’s population).  Perhaps he will pay them $10,000 each to relocate — passport not required; criminal record erased; “driving privilege card” provided; no questions asked about unpaid child support.  The (systemically racist?) government will defy federal immigration law enforcement efforts; the police will hesitate to stop and search “minority offenders.”

Sadly for Vermont and the future of its indigenous white population, these “diversity” policies invite criminal elements among illegal aliens and inner-city blacks to Vermont, like a tourism brochure for gangsters. Vermont police must err on the side of avoiding detention of blacks and Hispanics (“the Ferguson effect“) because of a racial mischaracterization of a cultural problem, by those charged with protecting the citizenry. Street violence is caused by poverty and an “honor culture,” not race.

Scott and Donovan haven’t enumerated what quota of token (inner-city?) blacks will be statutorily required to sufficiently “increase the representation of people of color in the State” to rectify Vermont’s systemic cultural deficiencies. But as more Vermont-born white kids die than blacks from narcotics overdose, those numbers should balance out. Perhaps that’s the “white fragility” that Vermont’s new teaching curriculum requires be taught to K–12 children?

Calling people racist who are not is ignorant. Calling all people of one race privileged, or inherently racist or guilty, based solely on skin color, is racism. Defaming Vermont’s rich tradition of hard work and rugged individualism without evidence, is indefensible. As Governor Phil Scott has insisted, “we must speak out against racism and fascism in any form, at any scale, any time they rear their ugly head.”

Phil Scott is using false allegations of racism to dismantle Vermont’s culture, after promising that he would “[n]ot support, or carry out, experiments at taxpayers’ expense.” Instead, Vermont is now America’s Petri dish, incubating a new racist virus that enables opioids to be funneled from the ghettoes to the privileged backwoods redneck children.

May God help us.

John Klar is an attorney and farmer residing in Brookfield, and pastor of the First Congregational Church of Westfield. This commentary was originally published at American Thinker.

Image courtesy of U.S. Army National Guard/Michelle Gonzalez/CC BY 2.0

30 thoughts on “John Klar: Vermont’s governor calls his own state’s people irredeemably racist

  1. The governor is just another Democrat. What can we expect when the Dems & GOP have agreed to swap the position between them every so often?

  2. Outrageous and way over the line for a sitting governor to make these kind of remarks. Governor Scott and AG Donovan owe the people of Vermont an apology.

  3. Black people do not like long winters. Nor do they culturally practice most of Vermont’s traditions. Because they prefer warmer climates and more urban environments. Duh….what about these simple realities Phil the Liberal Pill? They will import so called “refugees” that have no choices. Then pat themselves on the back for their progressive victory.

  4. Our governor and his left wing cronies are creating a problem that does not exist in Vermont. Crime is committed by who it is committed by and people in poverty tend to stay in poverty due to a mind set. These are facts and trying to blame them on our citizens by calling us racists does not fix the problem. Some folks will always look for the easiest way to slide through life and we cannot change that. I am an immigrant that moved to Vermont 30 years ago and I am offended for the people of Vermont……kind caring and sharing folks.

  5. Phil and TJ, Vermont’s most prominent black nosers, have insulted every one of us and guaranteed that the opioid crisis will get much worse. These two political hacks are classic examples of Alinski’s useful idiots. It’s also curious how they exempt themselves from the racist category while condemning the rest of us.

  6. I had a changeable sign outside my business. I once posted..
    ‘Crime Photos show Some Vt Diversity”
    Two letters to editor called me evil names. 25 letters thereafter supported the sign and my use of it. Editor said no further letters please!

    If a person shots another to death, they are presumed innocent, get counsel , maybe out on bail, have a trial, etc. BUT, 150,000 law abiding gun owners are threatened with the crime – perhaps with gun confiscation., without a trial

    Solution. Every time a person of color shows up in a crime news photo, the police should immediately round up 10 White persons off the street and charge them with crimes also.
    PERFECT PROPORTION!!

  7. Oh my…where have I heard that before…spoken like the true-blue Killary supporter he clearly was and is…so long Phil you will not be missed by those who truly love our state

  8. I also noticed that the racist convenience stores refuse to have their refrigerated cases dominated by 40oz. Beers,particularly of the Malt Liquor variety.

  9. Those who commit crimes get charged, tried and sentenced regardless of race. Let the chips fall where they may.

  10. In the same reports you’ll find that officer pulled over 80% men and 20% women in certain categories, you’ll notice there was no discussion about the police force being sexist do you? Should men and women be pulled over at the exact same rate?

    We need our populace educated better so they can sift through the propaganda with Bette results.

  11. Remember when Gov. Dean said “we need more diversity” in Vt.? I guess you grow what you sow.

    • This is the result of diversity, here and nationally. And why is the Milton school system planning to fly the Black Lives Matter flag? Does anybody even hear about them anymore? This is nothing more than STIRRING THE RACIAL POT! What is wrong with these people?

  12. What an ugly, disgusting, thoughtless place the halls of civic virtue have turned into. Their solemn charge to honor the principles of a representative government that’s of the people, by the people and for the people has been completely supplanted by a totalitarian mind-set that’s systematically dismembering our way of life. This is completely unconscionable and must be stopped. However, how do you put together the winning hand when the majority appear to be oblivious to the decay?

  13. Some like our governor call themselves Republicans, but does that really make him what he pretends to be?

    The Vermont I grew up in was once a strong Republican state with a strong work ethic and if there ever was a race problem in those days it was virtually undetectable.

    Then we imported and employed the Liberal Democrat, the progressive, and the offended class to run our state, my how times have changed!

    Should we really be surprised?

  14. I took my kid shopping at the mall months ago and he pointed out to me that we are a minority. People are crazy to say that we need to be more diverse.

      • Go to Costco on any given day and you have to wonder what country you are in. Remember John Rocker on NYC? Yeah…well that’s Burlington. John Rocker was right. Only now it’s not just NYC …the whole country….. IS THIS AMERICA? We have become nothing more than a FLOP HOUSE for the willful indigents of the world.

  15. I knew Scott was a RINO but this crap is what the slimy leftards spew.. What VTers
    ARE is FED UP with the whole Race card being played like a fiddle at the barn dance.
    I’ve been BLACKED OUT by the whole obsession with race which is being spew 24/7/365/1/4 non stop since the Obomination administration put it at the
    forefront. I think zukeman has been bringing the bong to Montpelier where they all partake.. Vt led the nation in support of the war to free the slaves, wheres the thanks for that? Vt led the nation in the underground railway, wheres the thanks for that? You can stuff your race card where the sun don’t shine
    Scott, Tjay, and all you leftarded feakshows…

  16. I grew up in Vermont and so did the governor. He has gotten lost along the way . He was a Republican at one time and now plays whichever way the wind is blowing . Racism is the “new” dirty word and he and TJ. are playing along. How sad and terrible for the people of Vermont to be labeled by their own governor. I have lost all respect for both of them

    • Scott has been this way all along, only now it is opportune for true colors to show.
      The first showing of his true colors was in the first gubernatorial primary when he was sooo reluctant to state his positions for governing. That plus a few other things did it for me.

      • Personally was hoping for a Phil Scot run during the Shummy years following Governor Shnoz’ fall from whatever little grace he may have possessed…huge supporter cried at ‘Fight Song’ video of campaign party and was amazed by the lack of support w/in party ranckers…I now know why…he was an empty pair of CarHarts before becoming an empty necktie-wearing suit…he like Shummy cannot be trusted and will end up banished from public, civil life and discourse due to the fraudulence and harm inflicted by each which they will never live down as life isn’t that long…am now more abgry than sad bc I wholeheartedly supported each

  17. Benedict Scott should just drop the pretense and go ahead and join the Commiecrat party . If anyone who is not of the left had supported and voted for the Constitutional candidates that ran this last election,we maybe shed of the likes of Benedict Scott and his other fellow leftists.

  18. Could the rate of blacks being incarcerated and getting stopped by the police possibly have anything to do with the FACT that they commit the most crimes?

  19. Thank you for the reality check. This is well written and an unfortunate truth. Someone has finally stepped forward to tell the truth about Vermont racism and crime. We know where the crime is coming from and at the same time the legislature pushes for gun control from the people who are not the problem. I hope the governor decides to not run for reelection. He is not a republican. Take back Vermont!

    • He’s not an American, either. Or a good person. Anybody who votes for infanticide in lacking in morality.

  20. We have no one to blame but the voters who voted these people in and more importantly the ones who didn’t support them and didn’t show up to vote for their challengers.
    Are you familiar with the story of the scorpion who asked a turtle for a ride across the water? The turtle refused at first but the scorpion assured him he would not sting him. Halfway across the scorpion did sting him. The turtle asked why he did it, now they will both die. The scorpion said he couldn’t help himself, that was just his nature.
    These two are just being who they are.

    • Yup, a rino is a Republic’s worst enemy. These Now Prssc groups will be our down fall. The press was very interesting in your run, they constantly kept articles, questions away that would be to your benefit.

  21. So now we have Phil ” Turncoat ” Scott and TJ ” I want to be a Senator ” Donovan calling
    the Citizens of Vermont Racist, I have never been so appalled.

    I grew up in Vermont and only knew three black families, we never had an issue playing
    with when growing up, we mentioned color, I guess kids are colored blind and I grew up
    in a different time …….

    Today in Vermont what I see, is a cast of characters from the Cities ( NY, NJ, CT, PA ) and
    when you see a twenty-year-old driving an $80K car, with blackened windows stopped at a
    street corners………. I don’t believe they are selling Girl Scout Cookies !!

    Oh yeah, most not all are black, maybe I’m wrong, and they are up here going to UVM working
    on a Medical Degree and just looking for directions…..

    Maybe the Governor & AG are correct about being racist, but if it looks like a skunk, smells like
    a skunk it’s probably a skunk ……… Not a Girl Scout !!

    Shameful remarks from our Leaders, but they’re just following the current Agenda, you need
    the black vote.

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