-
Official Statement from Mormon Women for Ethical Government on Confronting Systemic Racism
The women of Mormon Women for Ethical Government join our voices with those calling for justice and accountability following the deaths of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black Americans at the hands of law enforcement officers and self-deputized citizens. The wave of widespread human despair triggered by the callous killing of George Floyd has been overwhelming. That both the brutality of his killing and the depth of public response were inconceivable to so many should stand as a profound indictment of white American indifference to the suffering of people of color. The inhumanity displayed by four officers of the law brought into focus the myriad ways…
-
MWEG Deep Dive Recap: Immigration Op-Ed Tutorial with FWD.us
For our inaugural Deep Dive event, MWEG hosted two communications professionals from FWD.us to talk about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program â and how to advocate for it. FWD.us is a bipartisan organization working to fix the failed immigration and criminal justice systems that have locked too many out of the American dream for too long. In their presentation, Leezia Dhalia, immigration press director, and Alexis Sosa, communications fellow, shared the facts about DACA and why defending it is important. Leezia is a DACA recipient herself, having been brought to the U.S. from Canada as a pre-teen. DACA protects 750,000 young immigrants â Dreamers â who have…
-
Encouraging Local Police Reform: Letters to Local Officials
After the death of George Floyd, Charlotte Mountain, MWEG’s anti-racism lead, has invited all of us to write letters of witness. MWEG has taken up her charge to confront systemic racism, starting by encouraging local police reform. Follow the six steps below to get started. Then, click over to the “Confronting Systemic Racism” call to action page on our website to share your letter. 1. Decide on your audience. You could write to the chief of police, the mayor, the city council, the city manager, county commission, etc. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper. Share your message in more ways than one! 2. Find contact information…
-
Media Literacy: Ethical Coverage of Police Violence â Reporting on George Floyd and Beyond
When it comes to reporting on the police killings of and violence toward black and brown people, news coverage can provide important background and context to the national conversation, sparking a wide range of actions and reactions. But that news must adhere to certain standards in order to contribute meaningfully and minimize bias. In the Society of Professional Journalistsâ Code of Ethics, reporters and editors are urged to âboldly tell the story of the diversity and magnitude of the human experienceâ while at the same time âavoid stereotypingâ and âexamine the ways their values and experiences may shape their reporting.â Likewise, photojournalists should, âBe complete and provide context when photographing…
-
Call to Action: Investigate Inspectors General Firings
On May 15 President Trump fired the nonpartisan inspector general of the State Department. This is the fifth inspector general Trump has fired in the past two months. Trumpâs firing of five inspectors general continues a pattern of behavior intended to shield the presidency from oversight and should be deeply troubling to all Americans. Congress must hold the Trump administration accountable for these unprecedented and unethical firings. To Do: Contact your members of Congress to investigate these firings and ask that the investigations overseen by the terminated inspectors general continue unimpeded. In five minutes or less, submit a letter to all of your elected representatives at once via our website.…
-
Constitutional Literacy: Supreme Court Cases on Presidential Immunity
On Tuesday, May 12, 2020, the Supreme Court heard arguments for three related cases regarding the release of President Trumpâs financial records, including tax returns. In the short-term, these cases will decide whether third parties who hold Trumpâs financial records are required to release them to investigators in response to congressional and grand jury subpoenas. In the longer-term, these cases will define the contours of presidential immunity from congressional and criminal investigation. In reading about these cases and considering the rulings when they come out, it is important to remember that when deciding constitutional cases, the Supreme Court must consider not only the specific facts of the case presented â…
