Fear on Friday Night : A look at how violence has affected high school football games in the Southland.

The Scene: Jackie Robinson Stadium, Friday, Nov. 1, 2:15 p.m. Game was forfeited by Banning out of fear of violence.

The Background: Times sportswriter Lonnie White has covered high school games in Southern California for four years, at least seven of them night games at Jackie Robinson Stadium, next to Dorsey High.

A Reporter’s Perspective: It is ironic that it has taken a stand by a school in Wilmington, which has its own problems with violence, to draw attention to a problem that exists in areas other than the inner city.

I have to deal with possible gang violence nearly every time I cover a game. Whether it is at Rialto Eisenhower, Long Beach Poly, San Fernando, La Puente Bassett or Jackie Robinson Stadium, the potential for a problem is there.

I always have to be conscious of what I wear to the games. Not only is it unwise to wear the standard Crips’ and Bloods’ gang colors of blue or red, I also can’t wear professional or college team clothing of the Raiders, Bulls, Georgetown or Nevada Las Vegas, teams whose colors or reputations are meaningful to gangs.

According to the Commission on African-American males, the homicide rate for black men between the 20 and 29 is six times higher than the rate for the rest of the population in that bracket. That’s my age bracket, and I can’t simply ignore it when I go to these games.

I am often checked thoroughly by security guards, perhaps because they feel I fit the description of a person to watch. I go to games knowing that there is a strong possibility that I may be harassed, because young black male reporters are not common. On occasion, I have had to produce several forms of identification to convince security that I was a reporter. This year, when I left a game in Rialto, police questioned me while flashing a light through my car.

I’m happy that the media have focused on the gang-violence problem, but it is sad that it drew so little attention until innocent people were injured at a high school game. What about those innocent people who were victims of violence away from games?

I hope that something positive will come from Banning’s decision. Concern by people who are not affected daily by the threat of gang violence would be a good start. Maybe one day the reporters who showed up in force for reaction at Dorsey because of Banning’s pull-out will come back just for a high school football game.