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Official Statement on the Buffalo Shooting, Replacement Theory, and White Supremacy
With broken hearts we mourn the senseless loss of 10 beloved children of God who were killed in a grocery store in Buffalo, N.Y., on May 14. Celestine Chaney, Roberta Drury, Katherine Massey, Heyward Patterson, Aaron Salter, Pearl Young, Ruth Whitfield, Margus Morrison, Andre Mackneil, and Geraldine Talley were civil rights activists, community volunteers, parents, siblings, and friends. They were victims of a direct attack on a Black community — an attack that is emblematic of a rising wave of violence driven by white supremacists in the U.S. The alleged shooter sought to do more than kill. It was his intent to use this act of terrorism to promote the…
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‘The Restored Gospel and Good Government:’ A BYU Studies Feature
In late 2020, the editors of BYU Studies offered MWEG the opportunity to guest edit an issue of the journal focused on Latter-day Saint principles of good government. After more than a year of work, “The Restored Gospel and Good Government” was released last month, and we are thrilled to share it with you. It is a rich, nuanced, diverse meditation on the ways our unique Latter-day Saint culture and doctrine can inform our political engagement. The ideas of many MWEG members are found throughout the journal, beginning with the cover image by MWEG Founding Member Linda Hoffman Kimball. Kimball, along with MWEG Founder Sharlee Mullins Glenn, current MWEG Senior…
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Call to Action: End Using Title 42 as Border Immigration Policy
In March 2020 the Trump administration implemented Title 42, part of the 1944 Public Health Service Act, which “allows the government to prevent the introduction of individuals during certain public health emergencies.” This policy was not recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and has enabled both the Trump and Biden administrations to ignore long-standing norms and laws related to the processing of asylum seekers at the U.S. border. TO DO Contact your members of Congress requesting their support for our administration’s plan to end the use of Title 42 at the border on May 23. You can find instructions and…
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Earth Day Call to Action: Thank Elected Officials for the Environmental Provisions in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
As women of faith, our ethic of environmental stewardship is informed by scripture and prophetic counsel. President Russell M. Nelson proclaimed: “We should care for the earth, be wise stewards over it, and preserve it for future generations.” MWEG’s Principle of Ethical Government 2f states: “Governments and members of society have an obligation to exercise responsible stewardship of the earth, thereby protecting not only the wellbeing of their citizens, but also that of both future generations and other citizens of the planet (see D&C 59:18-21 and D&C 104:13-15).” We are at a critical juncture for taking effective action and implementing policy to mitigate the effects of climate change. The climate…
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Methane Matters: Let’s Learn Why
What is methane? Methane is the main component of “natural gas,” which is a significant source of heat and energy in the U.S. and globally. It is a colorless, odorless gas that is lighter than air and is chemically composed of one molecule of carbon and four molecules of hydrogen. Methane is generally stable but can be explosive if enough mixes with air. Because of its potential for combustion, natural gas utilities add scents to it as a safety feature. What does it do to our climate? Methane is a potent greenhouse gas. Anthropogenic methane emissions are likely responsible for 0.5° C of warming since the industrial revolution. After carbon…
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A Primer on the Utah Fair Districting Litigation
In the speech that resurrected his political career, Abraham Lincoln argued that Americans must “[a]llow ALL the governed an equal voice in the government, and that, and that only is self-government.” Similarly, the Utah State Constitution Article 1, Section 2 establishes that “[a]ll political power is inherent in the people; and all free governments are founded on their authority for their equal protection and benefit, and they have the right to alter or reform their government as the public welfare may require.” The vote is the critical mechanism that enables self-government and preserves citizen capacity to direct, alter, or reform their government. Drawing congressional maps: fair districting vs. gerrymandering Voting…
