Kids gone wild

Editor,

My friend and I attended the Coastal Empire Fair on Saturday, Nov. 3. After this experience, I would almost have to be paid to attend another.

This was my worst nightmare of how a large number of people in one place can feel unsafe, as if a large riot was about to break out. There would have been nowhere to run, since the exits were not clearly marked. The lines for rides were stretched into the crowd, not kept behind bars as some of those who attended should have been.

The “thug-like” mentality was definitely making a lot of people nervous and polluted their memories of a more polite time, when people actually said “excuse me, sir,” “pardon me, sir,” “I’m sorry,” or, “thank you.”

This fair had absolutely nothing descriptive of crowd control. I didn’t see one police officer inside those gates between the hours of 8-11 p.m. There were, however plenty of our finest outside directing traffic (which was definitely needed and appreciated).

But, inside those gates was mayhem. There was cutting in line when a large group would conveniently drop off a person or two in front of someone else who had been waiting for 30 minutes. One of these undesirables even listened in on our conversation when I commented to my friend that it had became obvious that these people had no peripheral vision, walking around as if they couldn’t see us. This particular individual, approximately 13 years old, came to me in a smart-mouthed manner, and challenged me.

I told him, “You weren’t watching where you were going and you have no manners at all.” He continued to challenge me as he followed my friend and me toward an area that seemed safer. I like to think he thought about what he was doing and decided to leave well enough alone when he decided to back off. This seemed to have the potential of becoming a frightening experience.

What kind of behavior is this from our teenagers? Why is this undesirable element challenging adults who are old enough to be their parents acting like a bunch of every-day street thugs? Who do they think they are? What kind of family does this kind of conduct come from?

We are not just challenging the Coastal Empire Fair and the sponsors of this event to ask for better security and crowd control at the fair. We are asking, most importantly, that we do something about the undesirable behavior of our youth.

On a more peaceful note: Could we actually consider the Coastal Empire Fair be moved? If not mistaken, there is a rather large piece of land with plenty of parking that was clear-cut for a Chrysler plant near Pooler that hasn’t had any attention. It wouldn’t be so cramped and there is plenty of room for parking.

W. D. HarveyC. W. Berry

A change of opinion

Editor, In July 2005, I wrote the following:

“If the current political race is any indication the American public’s choice has been narrowed down to the lesser of two evils. The time seems to be right for a woman to make the next run. This country can use her inherent feminine traits of kindness, compassion and love in a leader.

Hopefully, she will not emulate man’s worse traits of power, prestige, image and falsehood. This has often been the case of talented women on entering into the workplace leadership. The needs of the public majority must be served. Hopefully, we can choose the right woman.”

Unfortunately, since then, my opinion has completely changed. From presidential candidate Hillary Clinton to congressional legislators (Nancy Pelosi, Elizabeth Dole, etc.), to judicial appointees Ruth Bader Ginsburg, they all have emulated the worst traits of their male counterparts.

Surveys and polls indicate by large majorities the public is in favor of socialized medicine, minimum wage increases, women’s right to choose, status quo social security. Conversely, they are opposed to special interest groups, unfair complicated tax codes, unjust wars, executive, legislative, and judicial lies deceiving them.

If it requires an independent party placed on the ballot to elect and appoint the best candidates (regardless of gender) to carry out the voters’ choices, so be it.

Sal Miceli

Warning: gas station theft

Editor,

I wanted to let the public know about my recent misfortune and warn them about this public threat. While traveling down I-95 my husband and I stopped at a travel plaza for gas. While my husband pumped gas and I went inside for water, my purse was snatched from the passenger side floor of our car. I lost my license, credit cards, checks, prescription glasses, cash and lots of personal info.

In thinking back on what happened my husband and I realized that there was a small white car parked to the side at the station with a man pacing around outside it and then a woman, who appeared to be pumping gas in her car, stepped next to our car just as my husband got out. These people have done this before and will probably do it again. So the public best BEWARE while traveling. ALWAYS lock your car even if you are standing nearby!

Mary Quinlan