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We are here, and we will be heard, said Warren Murphy, one of several speakers Saturday at the Wyoming Women and Allies March Park County.

He called for protecting the dignity of women, ethnic minorities and those with disabilities.

Lets become the solid nation we all want, he said.

The gathering was organized in part to support the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution that guarantees freedom of speech and assembly, said Christine Garceau of Powell. The amendment ensures a marketplace of ideas, facilitates majority rule and consensus, and provides a means to participate and deliberate.

Its imperative that people protect their rights, said Amy McKinney, a professor of history at Northwest College in Powell. In the past, women couldnt control their paychecks or vote and faced discrimination in the work place.

Now women can run in the Boston Marathon and serve on juries and apply for credit in their own names, she said. Now they cant be fired for being pregnant

A womens right to vote is enshrined in the Wyoming Constitution, along with another significant value public education as a basic right, two firsts among the states, said Steve Thulin, also a history professor at NWC. Education preserves the republic and advances democracy, he added.

Our children are the future, he said.

Many children of the past came from families who immigrated here from foreign lands, creating a diversity that formed this country, said Mary Ellen Ibarra-Robinson of Powell. They were seeking better lives, as todays immigrants do.

Lets acknowledge that all individuals in our country are due the opportunity to live in peace with the hope of achieving their dreams, she said.

The developmentally disabled should also be able to reach their dreams, said Marion Morrison of Powell. They learn differently, cope with life differently, and deserve a chance to continue learning after 21.

They need our support and voice so they can blossom and enrich our lives with their gifts, she said.

All people deserve access to medical services, said Valerie Lengfelder of Powell. She noted that 20 million citizens gained coverage through the Affordable Care Act, which may not be perfect, but is a start, in her opinion. If its repealed, there should be a simultaneous replacement program.

One reason Im marching is for universal health coverage for all, she said.

The urgency of dealing with climate change was addressed by Lynn Horton of Powell. She cited carbon dioxide at record high levels and 2016 as the hottest year on record. Locally, the effects are seen in receding glaciers and devastated forests. Globally, the impacts will hit the minorities and the poor hardest.

Climate change is our nations greatest security threat, Horton said.

Buzzy Hassrick

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Preserving First Amendment rights motivates marchers - Cody Enterprise