(Lander, WY) – Protesters wearing signs stood on Main Street in Lander this afternoon, August 2. Protesters criticized the Trump administration, raising concerns about public lands, social security, Medicare, and President Trump’s recent firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner following a disappointing jobs report.
Judy Cunningham and Konny Rosette held signs at Saturday’s Resist the Regime rally in Lander. “Trump’s firing of the head of labor statistics matches the definition of fascism,” said Cunningham, who has historically supported politicians from both parties. “I’ve never protested in my life, but I feel so strongly about where things are headed.”
Nicole Wagon, a community activist, stood with a sign calling on lawmakers to uphold the constitution and general council resolutions. Wagon, who frequently works for and with native communities affected by cases of missing and murdered Indigenous relatives, also has other responsibilities. “We were able to table the nuclear waste talks, but Pilot Butte is still ahead,” Wagon said. “We’ve got to come together as a community to help each other.”
Pete Springer, a former wildlands firefighter, stood with his dog Leonard, holding a sign protesting US Representative Hageman’s desire to log national forests to prevent fires. “She wants to start logging on roadless areas to prevent fires, and it just doesn’t work like that,” Springer told me. “I used to work in Southern California, where there were no trees, and we’d still have 100-foot flames.”
On Saturday, Nance Shelsta and Jan Loyka stood with their signs on Main Street in Lander. “Every time someone does something he doesn’t like, he fires them,” she said. “I fear we’re headed toward oligarchy.”
