Black Lives Matter

We find ourselves in an important moment in history. It's been three weeks since the murder of George Floyd. While George's death sparked the most recent outcries for systemic change, the treacherous reality is that this country suffers from persistent and systemic white supremacy, and the only solution is to deal with this issue.  Like many of you, we are called upon to stand up for change.  We are called to stand up for the sanctity of life, and the belief that the exclusion of whole groups of people on the basis of race is an affront to all of our humanity.  Not only does white supremacy result in violence and the death of innocent people, but it is inconsistent and at odds with democracy - the two systems point in opposite directions and cannot be reconciled. One cannot pursue a democratic ideal while still holding the values and beliefs of white supremacy. 

While we are encouraged by the statements of our fellow Vermonters and Vermont businesses, and even more so by actions that are being taken both within our 'mighty state' and beyond, we need to dig deeper as a community and respond comprehensively to this moment and what it is telling us. Actions speak louder than words, especially now. Now is not the time to be complacent.  

Beginning this week, we will be including Black Lives Matter inserts in all of our egg cartons, encouraging folks to listen, learn, and act. This simple phrase, Black Lives Matter, is the most simple reminder that the sanctity of all life is not valued and protected equally in our culture and society.  Unlike our pink carton campaign, we are not raising money through this endeavor. Rather, we hope to keep Black Lives in the spotlight and continue to support the national efforts to address root-cause issues, such as redistributing law enforcement funding to programs that will invest in people and create real change rather than perpetuating repression and violence.