NASW-NC Denounces Terrorism and Violence at the U.S. Capitol
Friday, January 8, 2021
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Posted by: Valerie Arendt
The National Association of Social Workers North Carolina strongly condemns the unlawful storming of the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters this week. What we witnessed at the Capitol was a terrorist attempt to invalidate the outcome of a free and fair election through violence and intimidation. This insurgence was about not only rejecting the outcome from November’s election and the legitimacy of the people who voted in it, this is an act of white supremacy attacking the collective voice of Black, brown and low-wealth communities. The images of the riot also depict a stark contrast in the ways law enforcement treated this white mob compared to the violent treatment of previous Black Lives Matter demonstrators by federal officers in Washington and in North Carolina. This event is relevant to the social work profession because of our ethical responsibility to the broader society. The NASW Code of Ethics states: 6.04 Social and Political Action: (a) Social workers should engage in social and political action... Social workers should be aware of the impact of the political arena on practice and should advocate for changes in policy and legislation to improve social conditions in order to meet basic human needs and promote social justice.
(d) Social workers should act to prevent and eliminate domination of, exploitation of, and discrimination against any person, group, or class on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, political belief, religion, immigration status, or mental or physical ability. What happened on Wednesday underscores the need to have laws that give people a meaningful voice in their government and a shared commitment to the value of democracy itself. Social workers can and should use the principles of democracy to transform oppressive practices and systems.
We will continue to boldly respond to and denounce any actions that cause harm to the well-being of all people. We will continue to stand against terrorism, bigotry, racism, all forms of discrimination, and intolerance. We welcome you to join us in this fight.
NASW Statement: NASW strongly condemns pro-Trump riots at U.S. Capitol NASW calls for President Trump to be removed from office
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