The bad image projected by stereotypes against skateboarders sometimes results in consequences that everyone who skateboards must suffer from. Some of these consequences are discussed in an article by the Daily Herald newspaper's Robert Sanchez from Arlington Heights, IL at http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-1948975/Why-skateboard-parks-generate-controversy.html#abstract.
It is difficult for skaters in some communities to have parks built because the residents think that they will attract people they don't want around. The same people that don't want skate parks also want to ban skating in downtown and business areas because of damage caused by such things as grinding on rails. It is obvious with a little bit of common sense that this is not the answer. If there is no designated place where it is okay to do something, then it is going to happen elsewhere. The skateboarders are not going to quit so instead of working against them, it is time to work with them and give them public facilities where they can enjoy themselves without damaging private property.
People hear skateboarders using profanity and decide that everyone who enjoys skating must be vulgar and up to no good. This is not a good argument either because they are not the only ones who can be observed uttering vulgarities. Walking on and around public high school grounds after school gets out is a sure way to get an ear full. Do all the students contribute? No, so you wouldn't make the same stereotype against every teenager in the school would you? Well why is it different for any other group of teenagers who have something in common? Until a school is closed for excessive use of bad language by students, it should not be used as a reason to attack skateboarding.
Skate parks are sometimes closed due to a plethora of graffiti and litter. One place with a lot of these is roadways and highways. Along the roads there is all sorts of trash that is thrown out of car windows by irresponsible drivers. There is much more trash along the roads than at skate parks, so why are the roads not closed? There is no stereotype that all people who drive cars litter, so the same assumption should not be made against skaters. On the sides of many highway overpasses, graffiti can be found. It seems pretty safe to assume that people do not skateboard down overpasses and across the highway so this cannot be pinned on skateboarding. If the highways are not closed because of graffiti, neither should skate parks.
All of these stereotypes that give skateboarding a bad name are clearly unfair, and they should be put to rest. Skateboarders are no worse than anyone else, and they should not treated as if they are.
It is difficult for skaters in some communities to have parks built because the residents think that they will attract people they don't want around. The same people that don't want skate parks also want to ban skating in downtown and business areas because of damage caused by such things as grinding on rails. It is obvious with a little bit of common sense that this is not the answer. If there is no designated place where it is okay to do something, then it is going to happen elsewhere. The skateboarders are not going to quit so instead of working against them, it is time to work with them and give them public facilities where they can enjoy themselves without damaging private property.
People hear skateboarders using profanity and decide that everyone who enjoys skating must be vulgar and up to no good. This is not a good argument either because they are not the only ones who can be observed uttering vulgarities. Walking on and around public high school grounds after school gets out is a sure way to get an ear full. Do all the students contribute? No, so you wouldn't make the same stereotype against every teenager in the school would you? Well why is it different for any other group of teenagers who have something in common? Until a school is closed for excessive use of bad language by students, it should not be used as a reason to attack skateboarding.
Skate parks are sometimes closed due to a plethora of graffiti and litter. One place with a lot of these is roadways and highways. Along the roads there is all sorts of trash that is thrown out of car windows by irresponsible drivers. There is much more trash along the roads than at skate parks, so why are the roads not closed? There is no stereotype that all people who drive cars litter, so the same assumption should not be made against skaters. On the sides of many highway overpasses, graffiti can be found. It seems pretty safe to assume that people do not skateboard down overpasses and across the highway so this cannot be pinned on skateboarding. If the highways are not closed because of graffiti, neither should skate parks.
All of these stereotypes that give skateboarding a bad name are clearly unfair, and they should be put to rest. Skateboarders are no worse than anyone else, and they should not treated as if they are.
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