Editor,
Over the past few weeks two very different flyers have been circulating in our fine town. Both pertain to the issue of skateboarding.
One flyer, poorly written and xeroxed on the cheap by a grumpy, old group called S.N.A.G. continues to rant and rave about the dangers of skateboarding, speed boarding and pretty much anything young people are doing. It was illegally taped on local residents mail boxes or just left on doorsteps to be blown into the street. It is a mean spirited flyer, full of fear mongering and flat-out lies. It’s also strangely anonymous. No names, no phone numbers, no contact information appear anywhere on it, and it was distributed by day laborers who were paid in cash, with no receipts.
The other flyer, sponsored by Share the Road Laguna Beach, was run as a paid advertisement in our local papers, and it offers a clear and concise defense of skateboarding as well as basic civic liberties.It even has it’s website and an email in large print for all to see.
SNAG’s ridiculous flyers reek of propaganda and like most propaganda, it’s anonymous for a reason, usually because it’s not true. I challenge the members of SNAG to come out into the light and put their names and contact information on the flyers they distribute. But much more important, I challenge my fellow neighbors to look beyond the issue of just skateboarding. When a small, secretive group successfully bullies our City Council, it sets a dangerous precedent. SNAG and people like them use lies and fear as a tool to lobby for their agendas and your sport our activity may be next. And if, after Tuesday’s City Council meeting, you don’t like the way our City Council votes on this issue, I suggest you remember them next election time.
Jeff Tyler, Laguna Beach
