Description Revision
Nancy Ray’s article on Del Mar’s history (“Del Mar’s Past Was Colorful, Checkered,” March 25) did an excellent job of capturing the spirit--both past and present--of our city. However, it contained one error which deserves correction.
The descriptor “Del Martian” was coined not by jealous outsiders, as the story claimed, but by resident counterculturists in the late 1960s. It described those unconventional thinkers among us who fought to protect Del Mar against the galloping Los Angelization then (and now) attacking the San Diego region. The term was inspired by vandals of that period who spray-painted the letter “s” after “Del Mar” on the road signs at the entrances of the city.
I am pleased to report that, despite our current city council’s surrender to the pressures of developers and other special interests, there are still quite a few “Del Martians” left in our community.
THOMAS C. SHEPARD
Del Mar
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