By Judi McLeod ——Bio and Archives--April 17, 2020
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“While we know the danger of the pandemic, we do not want our civil rights walked on because of a virus. “Our message is to keep this country free and keep it moving.”Donaldson is a good friend of Canada Free Press good friend, Cowboy Poet and Pundit Tony Mangan. A second protest has been called for on Monday, April 20, 12 noon to 2 p.m. at the Cheyenne Capitol, 200 West 24th Street. On Wednesday the small group of ranchers and representatives of the Construction industry were buoyed by motorists honking their horns and giving them the thumbs up. Their protest was covered by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle: “CHEYENNE – Ed Burns doesn’t envy the position of Gov. Mark Gordon and other state leaders, but that didn’t stop him from traveling from Laramie to Cheyenne on Wednesday to call for a reopening of the economy. (Wyoming Tribune Eagle, April 16, 2020)
“We’re not trying to make small of the virus – it’s serious, and we understand that,” Burns said. “But I would like to know – what’s the plan? Are we ever going to open up? What are we waiting on?” “Burns was among five protesters in front of the Capitol on Wednesday, each of whom were flashing signs or flying flags to passing cars on Central Avenue. The demand on Burns’ sign – “Governor Gordon, it is time to let Wyo start back to work … Bezos is rich enough” – was a simple one. “I was going to put ‘I want to get a haircut’ on the sign,” Burns quipped as passing cars honked in support. “From Burns’ view, Wyoming’s unemployment numbers – which rose over 800% last month – give plenty of reason for the state to reopen its economy. As a retiree, Burns has been largely unaffected by the economic turbulence of the pandemic. “The numbers seem to me to be flattened,” Burns said. “We’ve got it really good in Wyoming, and I appreciate that. I don’t want it to flare up, but there are just a lot of questions that aren’t being answered.”
“Burns, who came to the Capitol with his wife, was also joined by a small group of men from Wheatland. One of them was Jim Kumelos, clad in a multi-colored gas mask and a blue Bud Light hat. He drove down to the Capitol in defense of one thing. “Granted, there is a bug, and it’s dangerous, but we’re rapidly losing our freedom,” Kumelos, 66, said. “Kumelos said he hasn’t been impacted personally by the virus, but added he hates to see its impact on younger generations. “Asked when he would like to see the closure orders come to an end, Kumelos was blunt: “Last week.” “This is hurting a lot of people,” he said. "The gathering is at least the second public demonstration against COVID-19 orders in the last week, as a group of about 20 people gathered in Casper last Thursday to protest what they view as government overreach, according to the Casper Star-Tribune. “The governor’s current order, which closed many public places and banned gatherings of 10 or more people, extends until April 30. What the protesters at the Capitol wanted to know is what life will look like in the months to come.
“Nothing but praise for Gov. Gordon, we just would like some answers,” Burns said. “Is this going to go on indefinitely?”Donaldson, a household name as a rodeo bullfighter in the 1970s and ‘80s, described fellow protester Jim Kumelos, who owns a Laramie Construction company as a man who puts his mouth where his money is, said he already cut back his rents by 25 percent. Meanwhile, when it comes to common sense and patriotism, the grass grows faster for the Salt of the Earth than the spring grass of the pastures and fields. America is hurting and the Salt of the Earth isn’t going to stand by and take it anymore.
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