ymf this week: november 25-december 4
News Stories
In Defense
23-year-old Tugce Albayrak died after defending two teenage girls from being harassed by a group of men in a McDonald’s in Offenbach, Germany. Albayrak responded to cries for help coming from the restroom and successfully intervened, but was later attacked in the parking lot by one of the men from the group. She was struck in the head and fell, hitting her head on a stone. As a result, Albayrak was in a coma and declared brain dead, never to regain consciousness. Her attacker, 18-year-old Senal M, is “expected to be charged with assault resulting in unintentional manslaughter.”
German President Jaochim Gauck praised her bravery: “Like countless citizens, I am shocked and appalled by this terrible act. Tugce has earned gratitude and respect from us all. She will always rmain a role model to us, our entire country mourns with you. Where other people looked the other way, Tugce showed exemplary courage and moral fortitude.”
Black Lives Matter
“Black lives matter. I cannot breathe. I want to live” were the words chanted by more than 300 people during a staged ‘die-in’ protest outside Candler School of Theology at Emory University. The protest comes in the wake of the recent decisions not to indict white police officers in the deaths of two unarmed black men: Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., and Eric Garner in Staten Island, N.Y. The civil unrest brought on by protesters’ outrage over Michael Brown’s death continued this week. Similarly, protests erupted over the grand jury decision in the death of Eric Garner, whose last moments were caught on video as he was held in a chokehold, gasping, “I can’t breathe.”
Woman, Mother, Idea
An art exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C. is featuring portraits of the Virgin Mary. “Picturing Mary: Woman, Mother, Idea” is an exhibit of 70 artworks from the 14th century through the 19th century. This exibit is “the big picture. This is the one subject in art that takes us through 16 centuries. There’s no other image of a woman that is going to take us through that sweep of time. Who is this woman who kept being held up as the ideal in every age? We can see artists changing, we can see art shifting, we see styles shifting, yet we keep coming back to this woman, who walks the fine line between humanity, divinity, reality, fiction, and ideal.”
Mormons in the News
The following is a breakdown of a selection of stories from Mormon News Report. Be sure to check out more here.
According to the Herald Extra (and other sources), the LDS Church will be sending monthly messages this week from the First Presidency through email. According to a press release from the church, “This newsletter is part of our effort to find more effective ways to communicate with our growing global membership in order to share timely and valuable messages that can strengthen our love for Jesus Christ, for our families, and for those around us.” There will also be an option to opt out or unsubscribe.
John Dehlin posted a piece on his website entitled “Why Was Kate Kelly Excommunicated But You Have Not Yet Been.” Dehlin lays out 8 reasons why he has not been excommunicated, although Kate Kelly has. Dehlin writes, “If you forced me to speculate….my guess is that a disciplinary court will be held for me within the next 1-12 months…and that they have only been delaying because of some of the reasons mentioned above. In other words…the delay is due to their desire to protect themselves and their power, and to minimize the possible collateral damage to the church…and not for any other reasons….and certainly not because they are operating in accordance with God’s will.” Kate Kelly posted a response, entitled “Why I Was Excommunicated But John Dehlin Has Not Yet Been,” where she identifies 7 different reasons why he has not been excommunicated.
ICYMI on YMF
November 24- justice for mike brown, justice for us all
November 28- your kids aren’t transphobic yet
December 2- navigating the standards of care as a transgender
December 2- stories of good shepherds
Quote of the Week
Last Laugh
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Lindsey loves listening to indie rock, watching movies, reading comics, traveling, and designing geeky graphics. She is an alumnus of BYU-Idaho and Bond University in Australia, where she received her master’s degree in communication. She currently lives in Rexburg, Idaho.
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One Response to “ymf this week: november 25-december 4”
[…] By lindseyrydalch News Stories In Defense 23-year-old Tugce Albayrak died after defending two teenage girls from being harassed by a group of men in a McDonald’s in Offenbach,… …read more […]