https://cleverpeople.com/blog/view/148764/13th-amendment-loophole-doesnt-end-slavery https://cleverpeople.com/blog/view/148764/13th-amendment-loophole-doesnt-end-slavery Sat, 06 Dec 2025 13:40:01 -0500 https://cleverpeople.com/blog/view/148764/13th-amendment-loophole-doesnt-end-slavery On December 6th, 1865 the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified to end slavery, but they left in a loophole that we need to someday soon close.

Section 1 of the amendment says: "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction."

We need to strike the part that says "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted" because that is what allows the jails and prison systems to use forced slave labor to generate millions in revenue while only paying between 2 cents up to $2 per full day of work. Slavery should not be a punishment for crime!

If a prisoner wants to work (and I'm sure most of them do) then they should get paid the normal wages for that particular job. Anything less is just legalized slavery...

]]> Gary Wright II