Fan’s Behavior Study Exposes Society’s Loud, Crude Side to Others

I read Lawrence Knabb’s letter (Viewpoint, May 11) with interest and join in his protest--not just to edify delayed adolescent college punks but, especially, to encourage Dr. Thomas Day, Fred Miller and others at our tax-supported institution to execute some modicum of the vast insight they possess as educators.

At the same time, I welcome Mr. Knabb to the “brave new world” of moral relativism, especially evident in our bankrupt public morality. The malaise he has witnessed at SDSU is not exceptional. I sat next to a gentleman at the May 8 Padres game who yelled a vulgar reference to our own right fielder as an overweight variant of a farm animal--with special emphasis on skin color. Finding the “fan” completely out of line, I looked him in the eye and held his attention just long enough to clearly evince a moral opprobrium. The gentleman didn’t mouth off after that.

When a person doesn’t learn the difference between right and wrong behavior during childhood, it is right to instruct him/her. It is often necessary to speak to a stranger about his/her inappropriate behavior at a public event. Anyone acting like a child needs to be so instructed.

All of us who like to go to ball games might be reminded that we deserve exactly what we allow. Each of us must take personal responsibility to bring dignity and respect to the world--even to the out-of-the-way corners frequented by anal-expulsive viewers of athletic competitions.

GREGORY JON ANTHONY

Lemon Grove