Missing and Murdered Indigenous cases

---------- Forwarded message --------- From: John Ames Birch <amesbirch403@gmail.com> Date: Sat., Sep. 25, 2021, 5:40 p.m. Subject: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Cases (Opinion) To: <justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca>, <chrystia.freeland@parl.gc.ca>, <dujarric@un.org>, <antonio.ferrari@un.org>, <anthony.rota.c1@parl.gc.ca>, <assistance@liberal.ca>, <america@aljazeera.net>, <actso@naacpnet.org>, <bcrowfoot@ammsa.com>, <carolyn.bennett@parl.gc.ca>, <chinaembpress_us@mfa.gov.cn>, <calgary@globalnews.ca>, <cbcpr@cbc.ca>, <cnn.feedback@cnn.com>, <dir_enq@cso.gov.hk>, David Hulen <dhulen@adn.com>, <edmonton@globalnews.ca>, <editor@japantoday.com>, <eonline@bellmedia.ca>, <Francois-Philippe.Champagne@parl.gc.ca>, <GlobalBarrie@globalnews.ca>, <haqf@un.org>, <haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk>, <info@ccla.org>, <jagmeet.singh@parl.gc.ca>, <premier@gov.nl.ca>, <kdundar@hdn.com.tr>, Liz Sauvé <liz.sauve@telus.com>, <msnbctvinfo@nbcuni.com>, <newstips@globaltv.com>, <newschannel@ctv.ca>, <newsonline@ctv.ca>, <osd.pentagonpressbadges@mail.mil>, <premier@gov.ab.ca>, <premier@gov.bc.ca>, <premier@gov.sk.ca>, <jsavikataaq@gov.nu.ca>, <reportit@kxan.com>, <report@aiusa.org>, <tips@thetexan.news>, <tonews@cbc.ca>, <ViewerContactCalgary@globalnews.ca>, <ViewerContactToronto@globalnews.ca>, <washingtonbureau@naacpnet.org>, <w5@ctv.ca>, <weekend@cbsnews.com>, <RCAANC.media.CIRNAC@canada.ca>, <iwgia@iwgia.org>, <info@fbi.gov.ci>

Hey Everyone, I am writing to you today to discuss the epidemic of missing and murdered indigenous peoples. All over this continent indigenous people go missing more frequently than other groups in both the USA and Canada. Many are indigenous women and girls of which many are found deceased. Many of these cases have gone uninvestigated and are sitting as cold cases waiting to be resolved. I have also noticed a trend in the media that is highly disturbing. Whenever a white person goes missing there is an entire manhunt, media coverage and mobilization towards finding the missing person. However, when it's a person of color that is missing, the media at times fails to represent them or provide the same coverage as they do for their white counterparts. This is a clear indication of systemic racism by one of our most cherished institutions. The media is supposed to be impartial, they are supposed to represent the facts from both sides of an argument so that they can best edify the people. This means that they have to enter every story and every investigation with an open heart and an open mind. If they are discriminating against missing people of color then we have a bias problem that must be resolved. We rely on the media to be the champions of the people, the ones we turn to when all others have fallen. If such a sacred institution is corrupted by systemic racism then they no longer fulfil that mandate. As such I am asking all members of the media to take a step back and look at all stories with a focus on equality. If someone goes missing, no matter the color of their skin they should be given equal representation. I therefore call on the media to be equal with their support and representation of missing persons no matter their color. Furthermore, I am also asking that we start a media campaign to highlight and help resolve this epidemic of missing and murdered people of color. Finally, I am calling on the governments and justice system to create new departments to find and bring to justice the perpetrators of these cases. We need to return justice back to our society. If you allow people to suffer and die based on the color of their skin you attack the spirit on which our society was founded. Please, it's time to show people of color across the planet that we are one people. People who should be judged by the content of their characters and not by the color of their skin. Stay Safe. Stay Sanitized and Stay Supportive, John Ames Birch @johneames2