Here’s a section of text from page A-11 of today’s Record, in an article about skateboard parks. It talks about kids’ self-image with respect to the law. It’s so close in sentiment to my last post that I want to share it with everyone. I agree that kids should be marginalized in their communities, or pushed into a renegade self-image due to a few encounters with cops for things that really aren't illegal. In the case of the article, it was skateboarding, in the case of Hackensack, it's walking down the sidewalk at 10:05 PM. The concept is the same.
Here’s some of the text, word-for-word, from the article:
LEGAL VS. OUTLAW. Many skateboard advocates are not only concerned about safety, but also the skateboarders’ self-image. The kids are getting used to breaking laws and routine scuffles with the cops, leading parents to worry that it could be the start of a renegade lifestyle. “I want them to have the status of being legal instead of outlaws”, said Jennifer Rothschild, a mother of two Closter skateboarders. “I don’t think it helps to have kids running away from the police when they’re 10, 11 years old”…..You essentially have a group of kids who have been marginalized in their communities.