Lakewood Teen-Agers

Just like the young high school girls who wanted the attention of the Lakewood football players, ABC executives under pressure gave into the demands of three members of the Spur Posse when they sought the men for an appearance on the “Home Show” (April 6). Evidently, ABC thought it had an understanding of no fees. At the last minute after ABC had made a public commitment to feature them, the young men revealed their skills of coercion, manipulation, and perhaps, even charm. Knowing they had forced the executives in a corner, they refused to appear on the show unless the executives said “yes.” Like the young women who thought they had a tacit agreement of “no,” the television executives yielded to the coercive powers of the men and broke their longstanding policy of never paying for appearances. No doubt ABC executives, like the girls bullied by these men, are still wondering, “How did this happen?” JANE E. PRATHER

Professor, Department of Sociology

Cal State, Northridge