2022 Editorials
Women’s Voices Condemns Discrimination
October 24, 2022
Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice condemns all forms of discrimination. Antisemitism has no place in our community, country, or world. We support our Jewish friends, and the Jewish people. To learn more about how you can fight antisemitism, visit the Anti-Defamation League website at adl.org.
Shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School
October 24, 2022
Women’s Voices Raised shares the community’s despair over the shooting this morning at the Central Visual and Performing Arts High School in south St. Louis, when a gunman gained entry during the regular school day firing several shots. We are grateful for the law enforcement officers who rushed to engage the shooter and rendered him no longer a threat. Two victims died from their wounds. Others are being treated at nearby hospitals.
St. Louis Public Schools should be among the safest in the state of MO, given their on-site security personnel and other safety measures. Parents and guardians should be able to send their children to school and have them return home safely. Students and school staff should not be traumatized by school shootings, or even “active-shooter” drills.
Clearly something has to change. How many generations of children are we going to traumatize by gun violence?
Women’s Voices Statement on SCOTUS Reversal of Roe v. Wade
June 24, 2022
Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice joins our many community partners in strongly condemning today’s Supreme Court decision overturning the fundamental right to abortion that has been in place for nearly half a century. Abortion is essential healthcare that must be accessible to and safe and legal for every American. Abortion is also a deeply personal and complex decision that should only be made by each individual in the context of their own life situation.
At WVR, we trust every person to make this decision for themselves. Please join us and the 80% of Americans who believe abortion should be legal in opposing this decision. Please immediately contact your representatives, both on the state and national levels, and let them know you expect them to work to protect the right to safe and legal abortion for every American citizen by codifying abortion protections into law.
Women’s Voices Supports Proposed Bipartisan Gun Safety Legislation
June 23, 2022
Women’s Voices is encouraged by the preliminary agreement among a bipartisan group of Senators to support new gun safety legislation. Although the proposed law is not all that the country needs to reduce gun violence, it will be an important incremental step forward and we support it. Even as we contact our Senators to demand that they also support this legislation, we will continue to work for more comprehensive gun safely legislation to further protect Americans.
Women’s Voices Response to Recent Mass Shootings
May 25, 2022
NEVER AGAIN—AND AGAIN—
Here’s the mass shooting death toll in the past two weeks: 19 fourth-graders and 2 adults at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde Texas; 10 adults at the Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York; 1 congregant at a Taiwanese church in California. Schools, groceries and churches—everyday places are not safe.
Mass shootings increased 50% in 2021 from the previous year; so far in 2022 there have been over 200 mass shootings. “Why are we willing to live with this carnage?” President Biden asks our nation. “When in God’s name are we going to stand up to the gun lobby?”
A powerful minority of our elected officials are going against the people’s will. Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice, along with 93% of Americans, supports background checks on all gun sales. We urge you to contact Missouri’s Senators Blunt and Hawley and tell them to pass this bill (H.R.8) that has been blocked for two years.
Contact Senator Roy Blunt: (202) 224-5721
Contact Senator Josh Hawley: (202) 224-6154
Women’s Voices Statement on Passage of MO Elections Bill
May 13, 2022
Unencumbered access to the ballot box is critical to our democracy. Women’s Voices Raised For Social Justice stands firmly against the passage of HB 1878 as an unconstitutional bill that creates unnecessary barriers to Missourians right to vote. The photo ID provision will burden more than 200,000 voters, disproportionately affecting voters of color, seniors, voters with disabilities, young voters, and low-wage workers. However, HB 1878 is more than just a Photo ID bill, it also makes it more difficult for people with disabilities to vote independently, prevents local election authorities from receiving grant funds to improve their outreach to the citizenry, allows the Secretary of State to order voters removed from the rolls, and hinders voter registration drives.
Many provisions of HB 1878 are rooted in disinformation surrounding the integrity of elections and use that same disinformation as a pretext for passing this unconstitutional and burdensome bill.
A functioning democracy depends on every citizen having equal access to the right to vote. Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice will continue our work to counter disinformation about the election process and ensure each and every Missourian will have their voice heard at the ballot box.
Women’s Voices Statement on SCOTUS Draft Opinion on Abortion Rights
May 4, 2022
Monday’s leaked Supreme Court draft opinion, which warns of the reversal of Roe v. Wade, is a war on women. And it is a call to action for us to fight back. Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice is a strong advocate for universal access to high quality healthcare. Abortion care is healthcare. The consequences of the Supreme Court opinion, if it becomes final, will be felt disproportionately by low income women and families in Missouri. If Missouri women are unable to travel to more enlightened states for quality reproductive care they will receive unsafe care or no care at all. Pro-choice must be a litmus test for candidates for office at all levels of government. More than ever, Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice will work with our allies and partners to protect women’s control of their bodies and their health.
Read our Reproductive Justice Position Paper here.
Women’s Voices Statement on Missouri Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission Award Recipient
January 15, 2022
Women’s Voices Raised for Social Justice is appalled and angered by the decision of the Missouri Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. State Commission to award the Dr. Henry Givens Jr., Legacy Award to U.S. Senator Roy Blunt. Senator Blunt has consistently and repeatedly refused to support critical legislation introduced to protect the voting rights of American citizens. Senator Blunt not only refuses to support voting rights legislation, but also stood silent when then-President Trump and extremist right wing groups tried to interrupt the peaceful transfer of power after the presidential election. Giving Senator Blunt this award is incomprehensible. Doing so does a grave disservice to the values and legacy of both Dr. Givens and The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
