Oil City News publishes letters, cartoons and opinions as a public service. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Oil City News or its employees. Letters to the editor can be submitted by following the link at our opinion section.
Barrasso’s loyalty belongs to the Constitution, not one man
Dear Casper,
Sen. John Barrasso, what has happened to you? Your loyalty seems to be to one man and not towards the oath you took to uphold the constitution. Your job is to work for Wyoming. The so-called “Freedom Caucus” isn’t about freedom at all, but working to take our rights, too.
And talk about you disrespecting the Democrats! Remember, Thumper’s momma
said, “If ya can’t say nothin’ nice, don’t say nuthin’ at all.” By the way, while you’re standing behind him, why not whisper in his ear about the 25th amendment, specifically section 4. What with his Jimmy Kimmel meltdown demanding he be fired, it’s just another sign he has lost his mind.
Congratulations to Sen. Cynthia Lummis for having the intelligence to run from a sinking ship. Secretary of State Chuck Gray is wanting to be a senator so he can get rid of our right to vote. And since Donnie Dementia wants so much to be promoted to Putin’s Poodle and be our despot for life, his path has been marked for him.
President Donald J. Trump is dangerous and out of control. His executive orders are his way of dissolving our hard-fought freedom 250 years ago.
By the way, he ordered the service men in the parade be good looking when passing in front of him. Probably does not like “ugly” men.
I have been a Republican since 1962, and I have never felt so disgusted. This country is in crises with this buffoon. Remember, he likes nicknames. My momma would have washed his mouth out with soap because he has no respect for his office. And, it is time to put the brakes on the evil clown.
Take a stand. Don’t just stand behind him unless mentioning the 25th amendment. For the sake of our republic and our state, change the verbiage to one of a positive nature. And vote yes on amendment 25.
Just suppose he wants to be war president just like President George H.W. Bush’s 100-Day war in Kuwait. George W. did the shock and awe thing and “landed on an aircraft carrier,” said his 100-day victory was just like his daddy’s. Twenty years later and billions and billions of suitcases of taxpayers’ money, we bugged out of there in no time flat and the Taliban lost no time in filling the gap. It took a Republican to get us in the mess and a Democrat to say enough is enough.
Why have not you been outraged about ICE? If any member of law enforcement disregarded the rule of law, their future would be dim. Imagine dressing up with goggles, facemasks, assault rifles, grabbing/assaulting those who do not “look” like you because they are not white. Of course, they have been given the “right” to shoot somebody and doctor the evidence later. Boy, how can you beat that?
Thanks for letting me rant about someone/thing that is not fit to work at the dump let alone run a democracy. I thought he was stupid when he first got into office, and I thought the voters were disgusted by his lies about the second.
People, if you do not get up off your derrieres, we are doomed and you upgrade your Wyoming bomb shelter, then bend over and kiss your butt goodbye.
Proud to be a non-Trump American!
Ruth Ann “Ruthie” Mitich
Casper
Let’s look at the actual science behind Hell’s Half Acre
Dear Casper,
This message concerns a part of the front-page article about Hell’s Half Acre. Journalists and archaeologist are different, possibly, mostly because we seem to operate on a different time scale.
Over 20 years ago, a somewhat serendipitous discovery of buried and intact archaeological materials within Hell’s Half Acre resulted in an archaeological survey of the full 960 acres of the county-owned and administered property. Archaeological surveys involve knowledgeable and experienced people systematically walking around and looking at the ground surface.
The Hell’s Half Acre surveyors were athletic and enthusiastic young men who climbed and clambered over some difficult, and at times even dangerous, parts of the landscape to find and record archaeological materials. A report of those discoveries was prepared and submitted to the Natrona County Parks Department by John Goss and Bryon Schroeder in 2004.
Because of the significance of the survey results, a contract for archaeological test excavations was funded the next year. The test excavations took place at locations previously identified as having the most potential for yielding significant results and included the standard recovery methods, description and analysis of the cultural materials. Those methods and analyses included descriptions and comparisons of the artifacts, submission and reporting of radiocarbon dates, pollen analysis of excavated soil samples, and other relevant information.
A report of those results was prepared and submitted to the Natrona County Parks Department by this author in 2007.
The point of this introduction is that there is verifiable information of some of the things that have taken place at Hell’s Half Acre in the prehistoric use of the property. Of relevance to the Oil City Weekly article is:
There is no evidence of any part of the landscape being used to drive” bison to their death”. There were certainly bison skeletal elements recovered from the excavations, but they were relatively sparse – only a few individual bones per excavation unit. At an actual bison kill site, like the Glenrock Buffalo Jump or the Vore site, a sinkhole bison trap near Beulah, there were dozens of bison bones in a one meter square. Rather than emphasize the relatively few bison bones, perhaps more recognition could have been given to the charred goosefoot, pepperweed, or generic grass seeds which were recovered from the hearths or roasting ovens that were also present at the site? Is it more difficult to visualize women collecting and preparing vegetal material than it is to imagine men bring home bits and pieces from a bison?
There are eight radiocarbon dates for various locations within the property. They range from 850 B.C to A.D. 760. None of them are from “18th and 19th centuries”. The quote from “a man about 94 or 95 years of age” (Goss and Schroeder 2004:8) of “a great many Indians camped there” about 1850 might, charitably, be considered as hearsay in a court of law. There are a total of two stone circles, commonly interpreted as tipi rings, recorded within the 960 acre survey area. One was in the center of the basin and the other along the eastern rim.
I know, based on 60-plus years of professional archaeological experience, that the American public has a different view of what archaeologists do than what I have. That could also be true of the American public’s view of journalists. But, both archaeologists and journalist do write stuff down so it can be read and enjoyed. While it is being written and then read, it might as well also be accurate.
Kerry Lippincott, PhD
Casper
Can’t a fella ask a question?
Dear Casper,
I wrote a letter to Oil City News after the night I was removed from a meeting in Bar Nunn for asking a question.
I need to correct part of that letter.
I should not have described Rep. Jayme Lien, HD38, and Rep. Tony Locke, HD35, as Freedom Caucus members without clear confirmation. That was my mistake, and I apologize.
That correction does not change the larger issue.
I asked a public question about large, targeted campaign donations from a Teton County donor family to lawmakers involved in our local races. Instead of getting an answer, I was told this was “not a campaign event” and was directed to leave when I tried to ask another question.
That leaves a simple question, one that still deserves an answer: Who do you work for?
Do our elected officials work for the people in Midwest, Sheridan, Bar Nunn, Douglas, Glenrock, Casper, and the rest of Wyoming, or do they answer first to wealthy donor networks and political factions?
Public office comes with public accountability.
When citizens ask direct questions, our representatives should answer directly.
So I will ask again: Who do you work for?
Jimmy Skovgard
Mills
