DISAPPOINTING AND DANGEROUS

Cue Michael Jackson’s ‘They Don’t Care About Us’.

That is one of the songs that came to mind when SCOTUS handed down its recent decision about Affirmative Action, the LGBTQ case in Colorado, and last year’s ruling on Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization that subsequently impacted Roe v. Wade. In my opinion, these and other such roll back decisions are disappointing and dangerous.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION – THE AGE OF ABOLISHMENT

?No doubt about it – the age of dismantling affirmative action, civil rights’ gains, and erasing history has begun. We could be doomed to ignorance trying to undo, unlearn, remove previous landmark court decisions that have tried to right so many wrongs in shaping the country and societal norms. Has the Supreme Court in its 6-3 conservative majority destined the country to regress into a new era of Jim Crow? The regression may have started with college admissions, but you can bet that the windows are cracked for more discrimination to enter.

RESPECT FOR INCLUSION - LGBTQ+

?The issue of refusing services to LGBTQ individuals has been a topic of debate, with different jurisdictions having varying legal frameworks and interpretations.

?"When the civil rights and women’s rights movements sought equality in public life, some public establishments refused. Some even claimed, based on sincere religious beliefs, constitutional rights to discriminate," Sotomayor wrote.

?The court rejected those claims, and Friday's case posed a similar question, she said: "A business open to the public seeks to deny gay and lesbian customers the full and equal enjoyment of its services based on the owner’s religious belief that same-sex marriages are 'false.'"

?“The movement for LGBT rights, and the resulting expansion of state and local laws to secure gender and sexual minorities’ full and equal enjoyment of publicly available goods and services, is the latest chapter of this great American story,” Sotomayor wrote.

In the United States, discrimination based on sexual orientation is prohibited in some states and municipalities under local anti-discrimination laws. At the federal level, there is ongoing debate and litigation regarding whether existing federal laws, such as Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination.

?https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/supreme-court/sotomayor-says-supreme-court-ruling-condemns-lgbtq-people-second-class-rcna92023

As a Christian I believe Christ’s death was an act of love and salvation for everybody – errbody who would accept Him. Just like Christ had a hopeful message of inclusion for the woman at the well, the spiritually broken, downtrodden, sick, poor, demon-possessed, even hateful people, etc., then who are we to condemn or judge others? Man’s laws cannot replace God’s mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love. ‘For we all have fallen short’.

?SUPPORT FOR MATERNAL AND PREGNANCY HEALTH

How will Dobbs v. Jackson’s Women’s Health Organization ruling impact this country’s decline in the birth rate?

https://msutoday.msu.edu/news/2022/One-in-five-adults-dont-want-children

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/with-growing-population-of-aging-americans-u-s-median-age-jumps-to-nearly-39

If you read recent statistics about our country being at its oldest age – 38.5 – in decades, imagine why some women (and men) have decided not to have children. Could fewer babies be born in the future? Consider how these reasons may impact a slowing population growth.

Health inequities surrounding women, particularly women of color.

Laws declaring the criminality of abortion.

Politicians who want to punish doctors and medical facilities that offer prenatal and other reproductive medical care.

Religious fanatics commanding control over women’s bodies even forcing a victim of rape to carry a baby full term.

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO PROTECT OUR FUTURE?

VOTE

Encourage careers in policymaking and elected office for more BIPOC, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2+

Eliminate life appointments on the Supreme Court.

Restrict congressional terms to maximum of two consecutive terms.

Increase efforts to provide equitable access to needed resources in K-12.

Respect a woman’s right to make decisions about her/their own body.

Support HBCUs.

Together, we must make this country, this world, better. I am not a beauty contestant, but making the world a better place never gets old. The road is long, hard, and must be traveled.

Be warned, there are more dangers ahead.

Thank you for reading this newsletter. Feel free and respectful in adding your comments and suggestions to protect our future.

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Here is the link to my LinkedIn course, ‘Managing a Diverse Team’, now available in nine languages.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/learning/managing-a-diverse-team/welcome?u=2125562