This document is from the June 24, 1993 issue of the Thermopolis Independent Record newspaper. It includes articles about a public hearing on proposals for a hospital district and sales tax, a letter to the editor advocating for accessibility improvements and keeping the local hospital open, and an opinion piece about the author's connection to the LGBT community and the Pulse nightclub shooting.

1. OpinionPAGE 4 www.thermopir.com June 16, 2016
Blast from the PastOur view
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MEET OUR STAFF
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Thermopolis
Lara Love
Publisher/Editor
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Advertising
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Taken from the June 24, 1993, Thermopolis Independent Record.
Mark Dykes
Assistant Editor
April Kelley
Reporter/photographer
A chance to
get informed
Among the big topics of discussion during
the past several months has been the for-
mation of a district for Hot Springs County
Memorial Hospital and the Specific Purpose
Sales and Use Excise Tax.
While a hospital is important to the com-
munity,thesetwoproposals—onethatwould
provide funding for an addition to the hos-
pital and renovation of existing space, the
other that would provide funding for contin-
ued operation — have split the community
in the past and today.
A public hearing is scheduled for Tues-
day, June 21, which will determine whether
the two initiatives make it to the ballot for
the November election. It’s imperative they
make the ballot, as they are both decisions
that must be decided by the people rather
than a select few.
Regardless of where one stands with re-
gard to the district and the tax — and there
are good points to each side — the June 21
public meeting provides a chance to voice
opinions,gatherthefactsandmakeinformed
decisions. The public is encouraged to at-
tend, but keep an open mind as to what the
initiatives mean to the county should they
pass or fail.
Tuesday evening will certainly be one to
remember, with passionate arguments be-
ing given from those in favor of the district
and tax, and those opposed. Likely, the is-
sue will continue to be debated until the No-
vember election.
C.W. Clark passed away over a week ago, go-
ing home to be with the Lord on June 2. A man
of firm opinions, he left instructions that there
would be no memorial service and no obituary.
Sadly, this means I am denied the opportunity
to say that C.W. was a deeply honorable man
who had lived a remarkable life, a gifted story-
teller and a good friend.
I trust that this letter will allow me to say
how much I and my family regret his loss, while
still honoring his wishes.
Bo Bowman
Sad for the loss of a deeply honorable man
Letters to the editor
I could have been one
by April S. Kelley
I could have been one of the
49 people killed or one of the 53
wounded in the early Sunday
morningattackinthecrowdedgay
bar Pulse in Orlando, Fla. This is
the thought that repeats over and
over again in my brain as more
and more news rolls in about the
attack, about the gunman and
about the numerous victims.
I may not have ever been to
Pulse, but I have been to several
gay bars throughout my life. And
hate knows no specific city or spe-
cific place.
Not only are a large portion of
my friends members of the LGBT
community but I am a member
of the LGBT community. Prior
to moving here, I frequented gay
bars more than I frequented other
establishments.
I have often not fit in, in “nor-
mal” places. Gay bars were the
one place — no matter the city, no
matter the crowd — that I always
felt at home. Everyone treats ev-
eryone like family. They celebrate
you for your uniqueness or your
weirdness. Gay bars are the one
place where you can be 100 per-
cent yourself and no one is going
to make you feel less than for it.
You can dance, you can sing —
even if you’re bad at it — and
people will cheer. Freedom from
judgment and ridicule, dancing
and drag shows are a few of my
favorite things.
Afterhearingaboutthetragedy
in Orlando Sunday morning, I felt
helpless and sad and completely
disgusted. I could not believe that
levelofhatecouldexist.Howcould
someonehatecertainkindsofpeo-
ple so much that they would take
so many innocent lives?
I believe people have the right
to believe whatever they choose to
believe. That is a basic freedom.
But regardless of those differ-
ences, we are all human. Every-
one lost on Sunday was someone.
Everyone that was wounded is
someone. All of us — every single
beating heart — are someone. We
deserve to be able to live how we
wish and to love — whoever we
choose — and be happy.
The saddest part of the deadli-
estmassshootinginUnitedStates
history is that the gunman, Omar
Mateen, hated himself more than
hehatedthosehekilledorinjured.
Self-hate led to this tragedy. Ma-
teenhadfrequentedPulseseveral
times, according to witnesses. He
also used gay dating apps such
as Jack’d.
Many are calling this a terror-
ist attack, stating that Mateen
had connections to Al Qaeda or
was a member of Hezbollah. No
one knows for sure if this is true
or if it aided in the attack. While
it may have, I believe the main
force in what I’m calling the dead-
liest hate crime ever committed
was Mateen’s own self-hate. He
killed and injured over 100 peo-
ple because he could not come to
terms with his own homosexual-
ity and/or bisexuality. He hated
himself so much that he splat-
tered his hate in screams, blood
and fear in a nightclub early on
a Sunday morning.
Ask Around
This is my first time to write to you so I hope
you find my correspondence not to be too wordy
or rambling, but there are a couple of things I
need to say to many in Thermopolis and I hope
this a good way to say it to the most people.
First,toallofyouinThermopoliswhoshared
your love, your time and your memories with
my daughters and myself during the passing
of my wife, thank you. To live in a town where
there is so much love is truly a blessing.
Secondly, there is another matter that has
come to my attention. Previously I was so en-
grossed in my wife’s cancer that I paid little
attention, but now having seen first hand as a
result of my recent amputation and current re-
cuperationinthe hospitalhere inThermopolis,
Ihavehadtopersonallydealwiththeproblems
the hospital faces. I am currently wheelchair
bound and there are no wheelchair accessible
restrooms, not public nor in the patient rooms.
Being in the hospital is no picnic but when ac-
cessibility to restrooms, showers and offices is
not possible it is most frustrating. The facil-
ity is showing its age, it was built in a time
when handicapped individuals were not con-
sidered. If you or one of your loved ones were
subjected to these inconveniences, you would
not be pleased.
I am thankful that the hospital is here, I
would not want to have to bet my life on a long
ambulance ride to another facility in another
town, even if it is only 30 miles. I want to have
my care close to my family and friends.
It is my understanding that our hospital is
in danger of closing and that displeases me.
The additional tax increase, about 40 dollars
per year, is a small price to pay to keep criti-
cal care here at home.
I remember the financial hit Thermopolis
took when Empire Oil Co. closed, and I re-
member the financial hardship Thermopolis
faced when TRW Reda Pump closed. I wonder,
can we survive if the hospital closes and we
lose all the jobs that will go away as a result?
I think that if you consider the pros and
cons you will agree, 40 dollars a year is not too
much to spend on our families’ future.
Lonny Ramsey
Consider the pros and cons
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