Jasper, Indiana … my hometown. A wonderful place to live. In this upside down world, too often we overlook the many blessings we have. Our elected officials have done a fine job ensuring we are current with the times and are ready for the future. Or have they?

With that said, I ventured into town today, parked in front of our post office, and observed those going in. I saw classmates, friends, old friends, and new. Sadly, I noticed how time has caught up with too many of us as they awkwardly navigated the steps. Sadly, those steps proved too much for me. It was around back where we have a steep ramp to use. That, again, proved too much and I can only imagine how dangerous it would be in the winter.

In true Jasper fashion, three employees offered to get my mail, even delivered it to my car. I remarked to them how sad it was to have a federal building with no handicapped ramp out front. It was explained to me we were “grandfathered in” years ago, so a ramp was not necessary. That’s what our leaders accepted. That’s not the Jasper, Indiana I know.

To have a statute from years ago dictate how we treat our citizens delivers a message that we just don’t care. That’s not Jasper, Indiana as I know it. Let’s not let the omissions of the past control our entrance into the future.

—Robert Ruxer
Jasper