On February 2, 2017, Teri Nehrenz wrote a letter to the editor expressing some confusion over the goals of those who took part in the Women’s Marches on January 21, 2017. These marches drew hundreds of thousands of people – not just women – from all over the world who were concerned with a Trump presidency and what it represented.
As the first few weeks of the new administration’s term played out, their concerns were more than justified. An ill-considered ban on people traveling from certain countries, the disappearance of links to environmental issues and disability issues from governmental websites, the “gag” order given to some federal employees, removing restrictions on Wall Street, and the confirmation of clearly unqualified Cabinet members are just a few of the issues during the last few weeks that point to the need for continued action by concerned citizens.
The movement that began with the Women’s March isn’t going away. The principles it was founded on are indeed being threatened by the new administration. These principles include human rights for all – not just women, an end to violence, reproductive rights, the rights of those of alternative sexual orientation, workers’ rights, civil rights including voting, disability rights, immigrant rights, and environmental justice.
March participants understand that women’s rights are human rights, that all people – no matter what race or gender or sexual orientation or disability – have the right to live full and healthy lives free of laws that restrict their access to health care, equal employment opportunities and equal pay for equal work; that all workers should have the right to organize and fight for a living wage and decent working conditions; that civil rights, including voting rights, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and freedom of the press, must be protected; that all people have the right to clean air and water and safe food, access to public lands, and an environment that is safe and protected.
A full list of the goals of the women’s march can be found here: https://www.womensmarch.com/principles.
This movement is not just about abortion or Planned Parenthood. It’s about human rights on every front and about the principles of freedom this country was founded upon. The people who protested are not going to go away as long as these rights are threatened. They will continue to hold legislators accountable to act in the best interests of all the people of the United States, not just a select few.
Cindy Fox
Mesquite, NV
He has been in office less than a month,You Leftwing people are doing everything you can to stop him,not allowing him to form a cabinet,and the ban was screwed up by the Obama hold overs,and still are now leaking secret Intelligence information.
Give the Guy a chance
They didn’t represent me! How disgusting they were with vaginas on their heads!
I support President Trump! Give him a chance. We had to put up with Obama and all the wrong he did for 8 years, so you can put up with Trump.. give him the chance to make America great again! Let’s put Americans first..
My wife and I, along with a couple of friends participated in the Women’s March on Jan. 21. I was so taken with the experience I devoted my column (Let Our Freedoms Ring, Jan, 25, 2017) to the event. It was inspiring and Ms. Fox is correct, it wasn’t about any one issue, but an exhilarating few hours of community bonding. If there is any further confusion, my column attempts to make the issues and reasons for the march clear. Pleas feel free to check it out in the archives of this news site. Go to the “Columns” button on the home page and scroll down to “Making Sentences”.
Cindy I commend you. You said it perfectly. You wrote the above so elegantly. It’s too bad that Teri Nehrenz doesn’t understand what it is like to be a woman.
Beth, If you mean that I don’t understand what it means to be a REPRESSED WOMAN, you are absolutely correct. I absolutely have the ability to do everything a man does but I don’t want to. I do, however, have the ability to do EVERYTHING I WANT TO and I love it. I’m so sorry for all the women out there who feel so repressed…maybe it’s not the Government holding you back….maybe there are other issues. Projection is one of those psychological defense mechanisms. People deny their own inferiorities and “Blame” the reason for their shorcomings on others. See, I don’t want to be that kind of woman, blaming society for my failures, I’ll take my own responsibility for my life and what happens in it. I’ve no beef with society and the way we’re treated…I love being a woman with all the thrills and agonies that go along with it.
“March participants understand that women’s rights are human rights, that all people – no matter what race or gender or sexual orientation or disability – have the right to live full and healthy lives free of laws that restrict their access to health care, equal employment opportunities and equal pay for equal work; that all workers should have the right to organize and fight for a living wage and decent working conditions; that civil rights, including voting rights, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, and freedom of the press, must be protected; that all people have the right to clean air and water and safe food, access to public lands, and an environment that is safe and protected”.
All people include the rights of the father in having a say about abortion….You are fighting to deny them a right to raise their child….That is NOT fighting for HUMAN rights, it’s fighting for selfish WOMAN’s rights.
As for the rest….those laws have been in place for decades….Give me one single solitary piece of evidence that says any ONE of these laws are being changed. What “LAWS” restrict access to healthcare? Defunding abortion doesn’t restrict anyone….Abortion is still legal, you’ll just have to pay out of your own pocket to have one. They are not denying any other healthcare. If you care so much, donate the 200 bucks a year to the cause. That’s all….don’t BLAME others for your failure to access something. Planned Parenthood isn’t the ONLY clinic in the country that provides low cost health care….there’s that “projection”
We already have the ability to fight for working conditions and a decent wage, it’s called going on strike…perhaps you’ve heard of it…They do it all the time all over the country….union and non-union. Again, “Projection”, don’t fight the government….fight the employer, that’s more an individual thing and if you want minimum wage raised…then fight the state and the feds for that…but don’t muddy the waters with all the other BS because then the REAL issue get lost in the shuffle…what a mess!
Do you drive a car? Do you throw away trash? Have you seen the documentaries on the ocean pollution? Do you ever read the reports on the tumors found in nearly all the fish that are caught in the ocean? Would you go out to the Virgin River and drink that water? Do you have any idea how much Arsenic that your fresh, healthy fruits and vegetables contain “NATURALLY” because it’s in the soil that they grown in. I have Got news for you….WE HAVE ALREADY LONG PASSED THAT STAGE FOR THIS EARTH. We don’t have that now and you just now want to begin protesting for that….OMG well now that really muddies those waters….there are so many different organizations for that but …wait a minute…none of them marched….. it wasn’t called an evironmental march….IT WAS CALLED A WOMAN’S MARCH.
He’s not banning immigration….he’s banning ILLEGAL immigration.
Muslim screenings and travel bans are not stemming JUST from Trump’s Presidency…they’ve been in the works for a very long time and most especially since 911.
I will continue to say that all of the women who marched didn’t know what the heck they were fighting for and if you truly believe that one of your present rights is being threatened….SHOW US THE PROOF. Where is the bill, the executive order….I would like to see the justification for all these hysterics against Trump.
On the subject of the ILLEGAL immigration…We, as American Citizens, are expected to abide by all laws of our Federal, State and Local Authorities. Why are you all so upstanding in following those laws yourself but willing to allow others to completely defy the law? Or are you all criminals yourselves and you don’t CARE about the law? Why would you fight to ALLOW people to break the law? It really doesn’t make any sense.