Latest news with #MormonWomenforEthicalGovernment
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Where are the compassionate and moderating voices on Trump's travel ban?
Before he secured the Republican nomination for president in 2016, Donald Trump announced that he would seek 'a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States.' Reaction, including from human rights organizations and fellow Republicans, was swift, and, for the most part, was characterized by astonishment, outrage and condemnation. Marco Rubio posted online, 'I disagree with Donald Trump's latest proposal. His habit of making offensive and outlandish statements will not bring Americans together.' At that time, Trump was an unknown entity in politics, and many believed he would never actually seek to implement the outrageous things he said. Unfortunately, one of Trump's first actions as a newly inaugurated president in January 2017 was to sign an executive order banning nationals from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the U.S. This was immediately met with lawsuits and protests. The order was amended two different times in response to court challenges; eventually, a scaled-back version was upheld by the Supreme Court. To their credit, many leaders and members of the president's party were dismayed by this ban at the time. They saw it for what it was — a threat to the religious freedom guaranteed by the Constitution. They could see it as a clear attack on the pluralism that has long guaranteed that our nation — a nation of immigrants — remains a haven for people seeking to practice their religion according to their conscience while also contributing to society. When candidate Trump first voiced his pledge to prevent Muslims from entering the U.S. in 2015, Utah Governor Herbert spoke out strongly against this idea: 'I am the governor of a state that was settled by religious exiles who withstood persecution after persecution, including an extermination order from another state's governor. In Utah, the First Amendment still matters. That will not change so long as I remain governor.' We remember both the early rhetoric of candidate Trump and the later actions of President Trump well. It was shocking and disorienting to watch his efforts to discriminate against others. It was disheartening to watch a political party descend into unchristian and uncharitable legalese, all with the aim to exclude others based solely on their faith or nationality. Mormon Women for Ethical Government was born in response to these efforts. At the outset, MWEG's founders envisioned a small group of women working together through peaceful, faithful, nonpartisan and proactive ways to counteract the unbelievable turn the government was making. But these women were not alone in their desire to take action. They were quickly joined by thousands of other women of faith who were ready to work for a more peaceful, just and ethical world. Over time, MWEG has become a strong voice in advocating for compassionate and moderating forces in government. The organization continues to attract women who want to proactively and peacefully support systems rooted in constitutional principles and the rule of law. We now have women in all 50 states engaging in the political arena as informed and principled citizens. Though much has changed since the formation of MWEG eight years ago, immigration remains a central and divisive issue. Immigrants, including refugees and asylum seekers, have been victims of dehumanizing language and unfair stereotyping. The current administration has invoked the Alien Enemies Act to deport people without due process. It has detained students without cause, deported a man by mistake and refused a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return, attempted to end birthright citizenship, revoked student visas, ended temporary protected status for many, and suspended the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). This week, President Trump signed another proclamation that bans citizens from 12 countries from entering the U.S. In comparison to eight years ago, the large-scale response has been muted or even resigned. As the world has changed and political rhetoric has become ever more extreme, have we changed with it? Do things that were once the source of personal outrage and deep concern still concern us? Has our once-strong commitment to love our neighbor as ourself weakened? And, if we cannot love them, are we at least as committed to maintaining their claim to Constitutional protections as we were eight years ago? As an organization, MWEG is committed to amplifying the best aspects of our Christian faith. That faith is rooted in a gospel of generosity. We are also committed to preserving the Constitution that, among other things, protects our ability, as members of a minority faith, to participate freely in civic life, to express our views and to practice our religion without fear of repercussions. Actions like this ban seem directed at a particular group, but they actually undermine the constitutional rights that protect all of us from government overreach. As citizens of a free nation, we can and should speak out when we see those rights being violated. In 2017, the threat was widely recognized by leaders and citizens from both parties. It is worth contemplating why this is no longer the case.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'No one is illegal': Mormon women stage patchwork protest in Washington
At the base of the Capitol in Washington, dozens of Mormon women gathered Tuesday for a unique type of protest: meticulously sewing together giant quilts to call on legislators to protect the US Constitution as Donald Trump gets closer and closer to ignoring it. The assembly involves thousands of quilt squares submitted by women across the country, all of whom are concerned about the political situation in the United States as Trump cracks down harshly on illegal migration, fires tens of thousands of civil servants, challenges institutions like the news media and universities, and seemingly tramples the rule of law. Organized by members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, a nonpartisan faith-based political advocacy group, the patchwork included messages like "No one is illegal," "We are all immigrants," and "A government of laws and not of men." Although Mormons -- formally called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- generally align with the US religious right, the women who came to Washington felt compelled to defend the Constitution, regardless of their party affiliation. "I think as Latter-day Saints, participating in the process is kind of an extension of our faith," said Chelsea Robarge Fife, a 49-year-old woman from Salt Lake City, Utah. "We believe in shared principles of kindness, of respect, of doing our part, and so engaging with our elected officials is kind of an extension of the principles we try to live anyway," she continued. Robarge Fife said "many of us have very different politics" about the women quilting in protest, "but the one thing we all agree upon is that the Constitution keeps us strong." - Speaking through fabric - "The Constitution is our common thread, and so preserving the checks and balances that are outlined there is the surest way to ensure a healthy democracy." Since his return to office in January, Trump has sought to expand executive power to an extraordinary extent, undermining the checks and balances inherent in America's co-equal branches of government. Among other things he has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of judges who rule against him and ignored some of their rulings. On Sunday, when asked whether he would respect the Constitution, Trump replied: "I don't know." The group will deliver 68 quilts to a variety of elected legislators, asking each of them to take action. One quilt destined for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson from Louisiana, addressed the Trump administration's anti-migrant policies: "You cannot take dignity from others because you have none." "Let's revive this tradition of speaking through fabric," said Jessica Preece, 44, from Utah. "I think that part of the reason it works so well is because so many women are very comfortable with fabric. "They're comfortable with this, with this craft and so it feels very safe and normal and authentic to do this," she continued. Jennifer Thomas, another Mormon woman standing next to Preece, nodded in agreement. She said the best way to be heard politically is to remind lawmakers "that the best way to defend that is together, not alone." "We've become so polarized, and this has just been, I think, an experience for people to depolarize and say, what do we actually share in common?" pno/ev/jgc/dw
France 24
07-05-2025
- Politics
- France 24
'No one is illegal': Mormon women stage patchwork protest in Washington
The assembly involves thousands of quilt squares submitted by women across the country, all of whom are concerned about the political situation in the United States as Trump cracks down harshly on illegal migration, fires tens of thousands of civil servants, challenges institutions like the news media and universities, and seemingly tramples the rule of law. Organized by members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government, a nonpartisan faith-based political advocacy group, the patchwork included messages like "No one is illegal," "We are all immigrants," and "A government of laws and not of men." Although Mormons -- formally called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- generally align with the US religious right, the women who came to Washington felt compelled to defend the Constitution, regardless of their party affiliation. "I think as Latter-day Saints, participating in the process is kind of an extension of our faith," said Chelsea Robarge Fife, a 49-year-old woman from Salt Lake City, Utah. "We believe in shared principles of kindness, of respect, of doing our part, and so engaging with our elected officials is kind of an extension of the principles we try to live anyway," she continued. Robarge Fife said "many of us have very different politics" about the women quilting in protest, "but the one thing we all agree upon is that the Constitution keeps us strong." Speaking through fabric "The Constitution is our common thread, and so preserving the checks and balances that are outlined there is the surest way to ensure a healthy democracy." Since his return to office in January, Trump has sought to expand executive power to an extraordinary extent, undermining the checks and balances inherent in America's co-equal branches of government. Among other things he has repeatedly questioned the legitimacy of judges who rule against him and ignored some of their rulings. On Sunday, when asked whether he would respect the Constitution, Trump replied: "I don't know." The group will deliver 68 quilts to a variety of elected legislators, asking each of them to take action. One quilt destined for the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson from Louisiana, addressed the Trump administration's anti-migrant policies: "You cannot take dignity from others because you have none." "Let's revive this tradition of speaking through fabric," said Jessica Preece, 44, from Utah. "I think that part of the reason it works so well is because so many women are very comfortable with fabric. "They're comfortable with this, with this craft and so it feels very safe and normal and authentic to do this," she continued. Jennifer Thomas, another Mormon woman standing next to Preece, nodded in agreement. She said the best way to be heard politically is to remind lawmakers "that the best way to defend that is together, not alone."
USA Today
06-05-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Stitch-by-stitch, women's group quilts for democracy
Stitch-by-stitch, women's group quilts for democracy American women have long used quilts to send messages to lawmakers, from abolitionists and suffragettes to the AIDS Memorial quilt. Show Caption Hide Caption Women's quilt campaign urges Congress to protect the Constitution A politically bipartisan group of quilters are asking Congress to recommit to Constitutional government and rule of law. HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO ‒ Christina Marriott held up a piece of crookedly cut fabric and contemplated how to best to stitch it into a quilt headed for Congress. The square of white cloth was about to be sewn into a bigger pieces displaying political messages, but the ragged edges didn't neatly line up with the other pieces. "The perfect union comes from imperfect people, right?" Marriott, a schoolteacher, 46, asked aloud as she held up the square in the library of a Denver suburb, surrounded by a small group of women, fabric markers in hand. Stitch by stitch, square by square, across the country, hundreds of women ‒ and a few men ‒ are crafting handmade quilts covered in bipartisan political messages urging members of Congress to more effectively exercise their power as an equal branch of government. The "Peace by Piece" effort sponsored by Mormon Women for Ethical Government and the Jewish Partnership for Democracy has been holding quilt-ins around the country, and will deliver the fabric messages to Congress May 9. On May 6, organizers are holding a quilt-in near the U.S. Capitol. While not overtly targeted at President Donald Trump, the group's messages indicate broad concern over the way he's leading the country. Among the messages: "Separate of powers defends liberty and democracy" and "the greatest danger to American freedom is a government that ignores the Constitution." Trump in a "Meet the Press" interview aired May 4 said he's unsure whether he's required to uphold the Constitution. A message in a quilt On a recent Saturday, dozens of women passed through the library's multipurpose room, writing messages with markers on the white fabric squares before organizers, including Jillaire McMillan, stitched them into bigger quilts. McMillan said she joined the effort because she felt like the pace of change from the White House is so fast at a time when it seems like Congress isn't doing enough to serve its Constitutionally mandated role. Organizers have held quilt-ins in 30 states, evoking the image of repurposing scraps of otherwise unwanted fabric into something worth more than the sum of its parts. "We want to join a lot of little voices because alone it's hard to feel like you're making a difference," said McMillan. "It's about doing something unique but also historical. There's a long history of women quilting as a form of activism." 'Textile narrative' throughout history American women have long used quilts to send messages to lawmakers, from abolitionists and suffragettes to the AIDS Memorial quilt. The Smithsonian's National Quilt Collection contains about 500 historically significant quilts. "The collection incorporates quilts from various ethnic groups and social classes, for quilts are not the domain of a specific race or class, but can be a part of anyone's heritage and treasured as such," the Smithsonian says. "Whether of rich or humble fabrics, large in size or small, expertly crafted or not, well-worn or pristine, quilts in the National Quilt Collection provide a textile narrative that contributes to America's complex and diverse history." At the Denver-area quilt-in, Marriott's iron hissed as she glided it over each cut piece of fabric, readying it for participants like sisters Kate Waters, 56, and Carol Summers, 52. The sisters heard about the quilt-in via social media and felt compelled to participate. "I have felt as I get older that women's voices matter less and less," said Waters. "That's scary." Walters and Summers learned to sew from their grandmother and mother, and saw the Peace by Piece initiative as a constructive way to participate in politics. "I have felt helpless, and I felt like I needed to do something," said Summers, a middle-school teacher. "This is something positive, to share a message."
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion: Why Republicans should stand for PEPFAR
If you had asked me this time last year what I knew about PEPFAR, I would have had no idea what you were talking about. By autumn, I knew it was the acronym for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, and, following some research, I gradually became convinced of both its significance domestically and its impressive worldwide influence. I have since become an ardent supporter. Part of the research process included speaking to numerous Latter-day Saint women who helped implement and work in its programs. So it is fitting that I recently traveled to Washington, D.C., with other members of Mormon Women for Ethical Government to meet with congressional staffers and deliver more than 300 constituent letters. We worked to both underscore the importance of principled advocacy in general and discuss specific policy issues our members care about. Among them, PEPFAR stood out as urgent, strategic and morally imperative. For more than 20 years, PEPFAR has been one of the greatest success stories in global health and American diplomacy. Consider the 25 million lives saved, the prevention of transmission of HIV to millions more and the demonstrated power of U.S. leadership in humanitarian efforts. What began as a bold initiative under President George W. Bush, passing with broad bipartisan support, has now become a legacy of American values and global impact. It is one of the best investments our country has ever made. Despite its proven effectiveness and the ongoing need for its services, PEPFAR's future is at risk. The program, which has always received strong bipartisan backing, now faces opposition from many Republicans. However, its reauthorization would affirm conservative values like protecting the innocent, promoting stability and responsibly stewarding taxpayer dollars. During my meetings on Capitol Hill, I was struck by how many congressional offices recognized PEPFAR's incredible impact yet hesitated to publicly vocalize their support. With deep conservative roots, PEPFAR was designed with accountability in mind — prioritizing faith-based partnerships, measurable outcomes and bipartisan oversight. The programs have not only saved lives, they've strengthened U.S. national security by stabilizing regions affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Healthy societies are productive societies and less susceptible to conflict, extremism and economic collapse. Lawmakers who take pride in fiscal responsibility should appreciate PEPFAR's efficiency. The program has delivered an unmatched return on investment. It has helped build health care infrastructure in some of the world's most vulnerable communities, strengthening global disease surveillance in a way that ultimately protects American interests. This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when systems built by PEPFAR played a crucial role in responding to emerging health crises. I know firsthand that so many Utahns value humanitarian work and principled conservatism. Our community has a long history of international service and engagement, whether through faith-based missions, medical initiatives or disaster relief efforts. PEPFAR aligns perfectly with this ethos: American generosity paired with strategic policymaking can create lasting global change. During our D.C. visit, we delivered letters to Utah's congressional delegation, emphasizing constituent support for PEPFAR and other policies. Their responses were encouraging — staffers acknowledged the outpouring of engagement and expressed appreciation for hearing directly from constituents. And when words of appreciation are punctuated with action, good things happen. Reps. Burgess Owens, Blake Moore, Mike Kennedy and Celeste Maloy — as well as Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis — can affirm their commitment to conservative principles and global leadership by supporting PEPFAR's reauthorization. Reauthorizing PEPFAR is not only the right thing to do; it is the smart thing to do. It advances American interests, bolsters national security and reflects the best of our values. Members of Congress should be proud of this legacy and should work to protect it, rather than allow political distractions to derail one of the most effective programs our nation has ever created. I may be a newcomer to PEPFAR, but I am now an advocate for it. I invite my fellow Utahns to join me in reaching out to our elected representatives to ask them to stand up for life, global stability and American leadership by reauthorizing PEPFAR.
