Proposed law, not skateboarding, is criminal

I

am just as proud of my son’s athletic abilities as any other mom is of her son’s, but my skateboarding son and others like him have become the victims of blatant discriminatory neglect, and it makes me even prouder of them for their perseverance in the face of such discouragement.

It’s certainly understandable that there is concern regarding damage done by the fact that these athletes are forced to resort to makeshift accommodations to enjoy their sport, when all the other sports deemed "worthy" are embraced by the community. There are even accommodations made so that some of these sports will be able to be enjoyed not just seasonally, but year round.

When a proposed solution for skateboarding is to use a roller rink at the community YMCA, it’s pretty obvious that there is no awareness of what this sport is all about.

Would it make sense for the mayor to suggest that gymnasts in the community be satisfied with using an empty gymnasium and only be able to practice floor exercises? Would it be fair not to provide them with balance beams, parallel bars and all the other appropriate apparatus? Likewise, skateboards need rails to slide, quarter pipes, bank ramps, pyramids, etc.

Soon there may be at least one local "fair haven" where our skateboarding athletes will be recognized and supported rather than penalized and discouraged. Having their hometown fine these skateboarders, instead of providing them with an adequate facility so they can experience the positive benefits that other Red Bank athletes are encouraged to enjoy, seems criminal.

Red Bank