• Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Peaceful Protest & Civil Disobedience

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (3)(f) states: 3(f) All people have a duty to obey the law (see D&C 134:6 and Article of Faith 12). This duty does not, however, preclude the possibility of peaceful protest against and civil disobedience to unjust laws (see Exodus 1:15-17). We believe in “obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.” The rule of law requires all people — elected officials included — to abide by the laws of the land. As D&C 134 makes clear, those laws are established to protect our “inherent and inalienable rights” (v. 5) and should operate “for the good and safety of society” (v. 1). We…

  • Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Reform Unjust Laws

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (3)(g) states: 3(g) When laws are unjust — especially when they violate the human and civil rights of vulnerable or marginalized groups — all citizens have an obligation to work toward reformation of those laws, whether or not they are directly harmed by those unjust laws (see Alma 30:7). We desire to work toward a more peaceful, just, and ethical world, one grounded firmly in a vision of Zion and a hope in Christ and His redemptive power. Zion will only be achieved when its people are of “one heart and one mind, . . . [with] no poor among them”…

  • Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Minority Rights

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (2)(b) states: (b) Special care should be taken to protect the rights of the minority from undue infringement by the majority (see Exodus 23:2 and Proverbs 31:8-9). Every human is a child of Heavenly Parents and must be treated with respect and love. There are religious and ethical foundations for ensuring that minority rights are safeguarded and that theagency, growth, and potential of all of God’s children are consequently protected. Resisting oppression lifts all members of society. Because living in and perpetuating structures that oppress minorities harms souls, safeguarding the rights of minorities enables the growth and potential of all of…

  • Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Maximize Participation and Equitable Access

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (2)(a) states: (a) Political structures and electoral systems should be designed to maximize participation of and provide equitable access to all citizens in a society (see Mosiah 29:32). The Book of Mormon instructs us to “do your business by the voice of the people” (Mosiah 29:26). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also works this principle into its governance, stating that “all things shall be done by common consent in the church” (D&C 26:2). America, the world’s oldest democratic republic, was likewise founded on this very principle. As citizens of such a democratic republic, we hold fast to our…

  • Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Combating Corruption

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (1)(a), (1)(b), and (1)(c) state: (a) People in positions of power should not lightly violate or discard long-standing political norms, especially norms that serve to limit the abuse of power (see D&C 121:39). (b) Government officials and institutions should be honest and transparent, insofar as possible without harming national security and individual rights (see D&C 123:13; Alma 37:25). (c) Elected and appointed officials and government employees alike must eschew conflicts of interest and avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest in fidelity to the public trust. Appointees to specialized government roles should be well-qualified to serve in those roles (see…

  • Education,  Principles of Ethical Government

    Principles of Ethical Government: Media Literacy

    Mormon Women for Ethical Government’s Principles of Ethical Government (3)(a) states: (a) All individuals have a duty to educate themselves about the actions of government officials and current events in the world, taking care to ascertain facts from reliable sources of information (see D&C 88:78-81, 118). As members of MWEG, our goal is to courageously advocate for ethical government, and in order to do that we need to be informed on what our government is doing and determine whether we agree with what it does. We are committed to learning more about government action, current events, and what constitutes ethical government. We also aim to develop the skills necessary to identify reputable news sources…