It’s not news to anyone who follows politics that I wasn’t born in Wyoming.
Often used as a tactic to avoid debating policy on its merits, the fact that I’m not a native of the Cowboy State becomes a popular and parroted talking point.
It used to be that what mattered was the content of your character, not the color of your skin or where you were from. Is that still the case?
No, I wasn’t born here, but I am immensely grateful to be here now.
My love for Wyoming and her people is immense, and I credit much of my appreciation for my state to the cultural rot, exorbitant cost of living, and lack of personal liberties in the one I fled.
Wyoming powers and feeds America, and fosters an independent citizenry despite the federal government’s ineptitude and hell-bent intent on crushing the way we live.
A prime example of the federal government ineptly thumbing its nose at Wyoming was the flippant reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone in the 1990’s, ignoring the pleas of our agricultural producers.
At best, the decision to reintroduce the predator created a threat to the financial solvency of livestock operations up and down the western side of the state.
At worst, this decision created a threat to human life.
Like the city-dwellers on the Colorado front range who voted to reintroduce wolves into the rural ranching communities of our neighbor to the South, the feds didn’t– and still don’t– understand the dangers that these animals pose to ranchers.
Still, no being should ever be subjected to torment for any reason.
News of the wolf that was allegedly tortured, paraded into bars, and killed in Sublette County is deeply disturbing. Rightly, people on both ends of the political spectrum were disgusted to hear of the alleged events that took place.
I only wish that this kind of outrage were also directed at the torture and killing of innocent, unborn human children.
The abortion clinic (which I call the “abortuary”) in my hometown of Casper brags that it performs surgical abortions up to 23 weeks gestation. At 15 weeks, unborn babies can feel pain. At 22 weeks, they can recognize the voice of their mother.
An abortion committed at 23 weeks involves dismembering the baby with a sopher clamp, limb by limb. At this gestational age, the abortionist often must crush the baby’s skull in order to remove it.
This is torture and murder. And it continues because a governor, who claims to be pro-life, allowed the cases challenging our laws outlawing abortion to be forum-shopped to Jackson.
To add insult to injury, he then vetoed HB0148 - which at least would have protected women from being butchered, hushed and rushed to the hospital in private vehicles with no calls to 911.
Back in my day there was a famous story of a boy raised by wolves - Mowgli of “The Jungle Book” fame. Our culture is more concerned about the safety of the wolves than Mowgli.
And our governor sounds like Kaa, the snake, who tries to convince the electorate that he is pro-life: “Trusssssst me! I am pro-life!” while babies are being strangled and murdered.
The people of Wyoming, whom I love, are smarter than this, and they will reward or punish at the ballot box. And failing that - Judgment Day will not be rigged.
Jeanette Ward represents House District 57 and lives in Casper.
