They say there is no such thing as bad publicity, however, I tend to disagree. Our beloved city of Bozeman has made national headlines and unfortunately, it’s not for anything positive.

National media outlets including ABCNews reported on recent bomb threats made in Bozeman

If you’re a resident of the city or the state, you’ve probably heard by now that there were a series of bomb threats made over 3 days around town. Well, now we have information about those threats and what was behind them.

As already reported, the threats came from emails sent from Africa and were targeting certain businesses in the area. In new information, it seems we now know why those businesses were targeted.

Local authorities released information that the bomb threats were linked to upcoming Pride events within the LGBTQ+ community.

While the threats proved to be a hoax, for many living in Bozeman and Montana it’s a reminder that hate is alive and well here in The Treasure State. This isn’t the first incident that the area has experienced when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community. Last year a man was pepper-sprayed during the Bozeman Pride Stroll by a group of masked individuals who were carrying anti-LGBTQ+ signs during the event.

Bozeman Police released the following statement regarding the incidents:

“As Bozeman looks to host Pride Week again this year, we stand committed to protecting our community, especially those of the LGBTQ+ community, so that everyone feels safe to celebrate.”

While much of Montana is conservative, both Bozeman and Missoula are more progressive areas and have been for some time.  However, conservative or liberal, folks have the right here and across the country to gather together without the fear of threats or bodily harm.

The idea that individuals or groups would threaten violence or hate over an event is not only ridiculous but puts the state in a bad light. I understand that we might not all see eye to eye on everything, but at what point do we say enough is enough? Just because you might not support a group or even relate to their cause, doesn’t mean that something you do support or relate to won’t come under attack at some point.

As residents of Bozeman and Montana, we should strive to be better. We should support each other and our freedoms in this great state of ours, and sometimes, that includes supporting things we might disagree with.