There <i> Is</i> a Law; It Should Be Enforced

Linda Blandford’s May 14 column documenting the behavior of the young Dana Point surfers was a disgusting example of what goes on every day beneath all of our noses. Not surprising, unfortunately, or even unusual.

All of Orange County seems to be up in arms about the wearing of Bart Simpson T-shirts, afraid of impressing bad things on children. Let’s talk about sending dangerous signals: The wearing of a T-shirt bearing the image of a cartoon character is pure poison, but full-on racism is an afternoon’s recreation.

Why do these young and expert fascists feel free to express their most fondly held beliefs right out loud and have no compunction against physically invading the privacy of families on the beach? The disinterest of bystanders observed by Blandford is perhaps part of the answer.

Far more revealing, however, is the picture of the Orange County sheriff’s deputy, unable to bring himself to action even in his institutional role. Do you think a couple of non-Caucasian boys could have gotten away with defacing a place of business on that sunny day in Dana Point? Would the gun-toting Sheriff’s Department representative have had trepidation in handling that situation?

When one of the intended victims takes action and defends his family, the boy squeals what must be his standard response: My daddy will sue you. Blandford is so right in pointing out that these suntanned pipsqueaks wouldn’t last a minute in a situation where they might have to stand up and account for strong feelings. Real men in training, right?

These hoodlums are confident that parents generally support their actions, and they (and we) see here that at least one sheriff’s deputy does too. They have been given tacit permission to revel in their ignorance and hatred--the sum total of what they find when plumbing the shallow depths of what might loosely be called their humanity.

PRISCILLA MAYFIELD

Orange