[dewilson58]

Not sure if public funds should be spent on a monument or not.........sounds like $6mil went to One Pulse Foundation (OPF) & $2mil to purchase the Pulse site.

What I find interesting is the millions of dollars of compensation went to OPF officers over the years and now OPF decided not the build a monument.

& no one is screaming.

Their Form 990 is public information disclosing the compensation.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Not sure if public funds should be spent on a monument or not.........sounds like $6mil went to One Pulse Foundation (OPF) & $2mil to purchase the Pulse site.

What I find interesting is the millions of dollars of compensation went to OPF officers over the years and now OPF decided not the build a monument.

& no one is screaming.

Their Form 990 is public information disclosing the compensation.

I'm not sure public funds should be used either. But I have another pet peeve about how this monument is being described. While this mass shooting was a tragedy, I'm not sure that a monument should be erected to "honor" the victims. Honor the firefighters who rushed into the WTC on 9/11 and died. Honor the thousands that died on the beaches of Normandy defending our country. But "honor" people who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time? What "honorable" thing did they do? I think "remember" or "memorialize" are much better terms for these victims.

[Taltarzac725]

It is funds probably from Orlando area taxpayers.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725

It is funds probably from Orlando area taxpayers.

And in turn Orlando probably receives federal $$$$ at some level. Plus, I'm not sure how parents from Wyoming who bring their kids to see the mouse would feel about part of their admission going for a Pulse Nightclub memorial/museum. BTW--just what would be put on display in such a museum???? A bottle of scotch? Some beer mugs??? Spent cartridges??? More likely pictures and biographies of the victims being "honored". I think a monument of some sort is more appropriate.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

Not sure if public funds should be spent on a monument or not.........sounds like $6mil went to One Pulse Foundation (OPF) & $2mil to purchase the Pulse site.

What I find interesting is the millions of dollars of compensation went to OPF officers over the years and now OPF decided not the build a monument.

& no one is screaming.

Their Form 990 is public information disclosing the compensation.

Truly a shame. The public money appears to have been from the tourism tax. While that didn't come from Orlando's citizens, it certainly wasn't used *for* Orlando's citizens either. I feel equally bad for the private donors who expected their contributions to go for something more than the salaries of the officers.

[blueash]

I am not amazed that people attack something being done when the victims were not just like you. Any problem with public dollars spent at the World Trade Center honoring the victims who just happened to be at the wrong place of work that morning?

The National 9/11 Memorial Museum is located within the archaeological heart of the original WTC site. The Museum serves as the country’s principal institution concerned with exploring the historic implications of that tragic date, through state-of-the-art multimedia exhibits, archives and monumental artifacts. Paying reverent homage to the nearly 3,000 victims of the attacks,

How about the Memorial at the Oklahoma City site where a domestic terrorist hoping to inspire the overthrow of the government killed people who just were in the wrong place.

Lots of Federal, State and Local dollars spent at those sites, and so many more. No complaints from you about that? Oh, most of those victims weren't gay.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by blueash

I am not amazed that people attack something being done when the victims were not just like you. Any problem with public dollars spent at the World Trade Center honoring the victims who just happened to be at the wrong place of work that morning?



How about the Memorial at the Oklahoma City site where a domestic terrorist hoping to inspire the overthrow of the government killed people who just were in the wrong place.

Lots of Federal, State and Local dollars spent at those sites, and so many more. No complaints from you about that? Oh, most of those victims weren't gay.

I'd say the same thing about all those tragedies. Remember the victims. Memorialize them. But the term "honor" should be reserved for those that did something proactive to help. Honor the firefighters that laid down their lives that day to help others and remember those that simply showed up for work that day. I realize it is a semantic difference, but also an important one. And I say this having lost 2 high school classmates that day, as well as having had my son in the air when all flights were grounded.

As far as public funds go, I stated I'm undecided. Either way I don't think it's a big issue. As far as Pulse goes, I didn't see anyone post that the clientele was gay, maybe I missed that, or maybe somebody jumps to conclusions.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I'd say the same thing about all those tragedies. Remember the victims. Memorialize them. But the term "honor" should be reserved for those that did something proactive to help. Honor the firefighters that laid down their lives that day to help others and remember those that simply showed up for work that day. I realize it is a semantic difference, but also an important one. And I say this having lost 2 high school classmates that day, as well as having had my son in the air when all flights were grounded.

As far as public funds go, I stated I'm undecided. Either way I don't think it's a big issue. As far as Pulse goes, I didn't see anyone post that the clientele was gay, maybe I missed that, or maybe somebody jumps to conclusions.

Agreed

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by blueash

I am not amazed that people attack something being done when the victims were not just like you. Any problem with public dollars spent at the World Trade Center honoring the victims who just happened to be at the wrong place of work that morning?



How about the Memorial at the Oklahoma City site where a domestic terrorist hoping to inspire the overthrow of the government killed people who just were in the wrong place.

Lots of Federal, State and Local dollars spent at those sites, and so many more. No complaints from you about that? Oh, most of those victims weren't gay.

Way off base with this comment. The problem that was pointed out was that a lot of money was collected and a lot of money was spent but there is no monument or museum to show for it.

The city will own two pieces of property: the land where the museum was to be built and the building where the shooting occurred.

The owner of the nightclub will have $2M if she sells the property plus over half a million in salary from her time with the OPF.

The families of the victims have plans and promises but no memorial.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Way off base with this comment. The problem that was pointed out was that a lot of money was collected and a lot of money was spent but there is no monument or museum to show for it.

The city will own two pieces of property: the land where the museum was to be built and the building where the shooting occurred.

The owner of the nightclub will have $2M if she sells the property plus over half a million in salary from her time with the OPF.

The families of the victims have plans and promises but no memorial.

Looks to me as if the owners got their 2 million, it closed yesterday.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by Dusty_Star

Looks to me as if the owners got their 2 million, it closed yesterday.

Probably right. I couldn't figure out if the sale had actually closed yesterday or if the city had approved the $2M yesterday.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Probably right. I couldn't figure out if the sale had actually closed yesterday or if the city had approved the $2M yesterday.

Wasn't it the owners that were the roadblock to this project going foward?

[blueash]

Big time bull being shoveled here. The complaint in the OP is very clear. Read it, the first sentence

Pulse
Not sure if public funds should be spent on a monument or not

and reply

I'm not sure public funds should be used either.

then

It is funds probably from Orlando area taxpayers

Truly a shame. The public money appears to have been from the tourism tax. While that didn't come from Orlando's citizens, it certainly wasn't used *for* Orlando's citizens either.

then I point out nobody here complained about public funding of other memorials, you have the audacity to object. The OP and others mentioned an issue with whether it has or has not been built, but his observation very clearly is that public funding was provided.

The larger project has for now failed as the land owner did not sell the property to the city and instead wanted to go forward with their own plans but ultimately were unable to raise enough private funding to build the hoped for museum. It is complicated.

What is not complicated is that public funding was provided as seed money for the project the completion of which required much larger infusion of private money. That didn't happen.

As for honor vs memorialize. Point made that memorialize is more specific, but use of the word honor is entirely appropriate

[oldtimes]

Originally Posted by blueash

Big time bull being shoveled here. The complaint in the OP is very clear. Read it, the first sentence



and reply



then




then I point out nobody here complained about public funding of other memorials, you have the audacity to object. The OP and others mentioned an issue with whether it has or has not been built, but his observation very clearly is that public funding was provided.

The larger project has for now failed as the land owner did not sell the property to the city and instead wanted to go forward with their own plans but ultimately were unable to raise enough private funding to build the hoped for museum. It is complicated.

What is not complicated is that public funding was provided as seed money for the project the completion of which required much larger infusion of private money. That didn't happen.

As for honor vs memorialize. Point made that memorialize is more specific, but use of the word honor is entirely appropriate

It happens all too often. 18 people just got shot in Maine. Should we build a museum there too? Where is the cutoff? The World Trade Center were First Responders who went into that building with a good idea they were going to die.

[Dusty_Star]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

I'd say the same thing about all those tragedies. Remember the victims. Memorialize them. But the term "honor" should be reserved for those that did something proactive to help. Honor the firefighters that laid down their lives that day to help others and remember those that simply showed up for work that day. I realize it is a semantic difference, but also an important one. And I say this having lost 2 high school classmates that day, as well as having had my son in the air when all flights were grounded.

I was scheduled to be near the WTC that day. Was your son rerouted to Gander? I have heard such wonderful stories of the generosity & warmth of New Foundlanders in our hour of need.