[Sextonlabmeeting] Fwd: Please join me

[Jason Sexton]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Asmeret Berhe <aaberhe at ucmerced.edu>
Date: Fri, Sep 18, 2020 at 10:41 PM
Subject: Please join me
To:


Many scientists are watching news and events in our country with real
concern about the state of our constitutional democracy.

In recognition that the science community can not hold itself separate and
apart from democratic society, we believe we must voice our concern.

*We invite like-minded scientists to join us in signing on to the following
statement by visiting this link *
https://secure.everyaction.com/onlineactions/wyqo2a6rB0aXTH1XB4icYQ2.

*As scientists committed to democratic principles, we observe troubling
developments in the public affairs of the United States: the undermining of
democratic checks and balances; threats to the electoral process;
subversion of the rule of law; vilification of people of color, of other
minorities, and of immigrants; the fomenting of hate, division, misogyny,
and violence; attacks on the free press; propagation of disinformation; and
sidelining of science as input to public policy. We must counter these
trends that are moving the nation away from its roots in democratic
self-governance towards authoritarianism.*

*We face a national crisis unlike any we have witnessed. It comes at a time
when there is a pressing need to employ science to address urgent national
and international challenges, including COVID-19, climate change, the
danger from nuclear weapons, and racial and economic injustice.*

*Action is needed now to defend the democratic foundations of the United
States. Other nations have gone down the path away from democracy, leading
to dark places. We call on all people of conscience to consider and to act
on these issues through the full exercise of their democratic and civil
rights, including participating in the national debate, supporting
candidates, voting, and defending the integrity of the electoral process.*

Cheers,
Asmeret


*Asmeret Asefaw Berhe *Professor, Soil Biogeochemistry
Falasco Chair in Earth Sciences
Life & Environmental Sciences Dept.

Interim Associate Dean of the Graduate Division
University of California, Merced
http://www.aaberhe.com


-- 
Jason Sexton
Associate Professor
Department of Life and Environmental Sciences
University of California, Merced
231 Science and Engineering Building 1
jsexton2 at ucmerced.edu
http://sextonlab.ucmerced.edu/

---Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished ~ Lao Tzu---

---We are quite literally air, water, soil, energy and other living
creatures ~ David Suzuki---
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