AUTHORITY!!!

Before I go in-depth into how my skating is going, I want to talk to the world about the stereotypes associated with skateboarding and the skating world. I think you all know what I mean when I say that skating has been portrayed as many different things in the media. I hope to tell you why these are wrong and should never be associated with skating and the people who do skate. First, and probably most common in our minds, is the belief that people with skateboards are scary, shady people that do drugs and are in gangs. They may be portrayed as having mohawks, tattoos, or earrings, and may vandalize areas they are around. These images have formed negative feelings toward the people in the skating community, leading the general population to prejudice them and be mean to them. That’s just stupid. Would people get mad at or insult people on unicycles or rollerblades? WE as skaters are just people trying to enjoy ourselves with our friends or by ourselves. We’re exercising and having fun with a plank of wood. Is that bad?  If anyone viewing this would like to see an example of prejudice and maliciousness towards skaters, there is a link here. It’s an example of how people can treat skaters like trash and no more. One news video shows a policeman abusing 12-14 year old skaters (one of them a girl!) out skateboarding on international “Go Skateboarding Day.” This was major news, and is an act of complete ignorance and stupidity by the policeman. *Warning* I am not embedding this video, because one of the kids shouts some pretty colorful language as the man tackles and starts to beat his younger friend. It is only an example of the bad feelings toward skaters. If you want to see it, search key words such as “police man skaters Go Skateboarding Day”  on Youtube. Please, I encourage you to comment on what I’m saying. I will respond back to you and edit my post to include more of what you guys say.