B3-Wednesday, June 18, 1980 - North Shore News"

Violence is spreading We live civilization is very thin. Where anger and violence

lurk. barely -below the surface waiting for the chance to break out.

This was once again brought home last week by two incidents, one remote and the other personal.

In Italy, the English soccer ‘fans’ went on a riot against Belgian fans at a soccer match in Turin and riot police with tear gas had to be brought in to quell the disturbance. The incident was just another chapter in the vicious criminal acts being carried out by far too many in Britain who seem to feel that the game is the rationale for their ugly and stupid behaviour.

The other incident was of a much, much smaller scale, involved me, and happened Saturday night at the soccer game.

My 11 year old son and | go to the games together. I choose not to sit in the press box and have seats, in section F

NOTHING HAPPENING

Nothing out of the or- dinary happened during the game among the fans, or on

in an age where the veneer of

the field, until the ridiculous brawl involving the teams and Ray Hankin.

But while the incident was

‘in progress, dying down

actually, a Bobby Lenar- duzzi hater who sits a couple of rows back started screaming that Lenarduzzi was ‘chicken’, plus a few other choice phrases, mostly unprintable. This ‘fan’ who sits far away from the action, is one of those ‘sit on his backside experts’ who are so prevalent at sporting con- tests.

Perhaps I was in the wrong in turning and saying the game was not established for goons and fights, and wondering why he always was hurling his abuse at the local boy. Because I was suddenly confronted by tms below the surface vision of hatred and pure savagery. | was verbally abused far past the point of what often passes for childish fun, I was grabbed by the shoulder, my shirt torn — fortunately just a seam — anda red mark on my shoulder which disap-

peared after a few hours.

This ‘person’ called me a number of names which I was not impressed with, nor did I want my son to hear. I was invited to ‘fight’ because, as I was told, fighting was the only way to show I had any ‘guts’. And on and on.

For the remaining few minutes, I was jeered and had abuse spilled on me by this person and a couple of his friends — you know, the yapping jackals theory — when one starts to get ex- cited, the others follow because there's safety in numbers.

NO NAME

Following the game he wanted to continue to fight, and of course when I asked his name, he couldn't give it

There's no point in Carrying on with the details.

But these two incidents scare me They scare me because we, as a so-called civilized society, seem to be helpless in front of this type of behaviour The players were left) shaken by this behaviour in Italy, and my son and | were shaken by our incident Saturday aight in Section F

Think back to incidents in sport where violence has occured on the field. In far too many cases it has spilled over and there have been incidents in the stands — just like Saturday night — except maybe the other guy in those ones was forced to fight back.

There are riots in the streets against authority in much of the world and in- nocent people are vic- timized. In our own neighborhoods, there are a frightening number of assaults. And remember the recent incident in West Van where the ‘barking dogs’ were able to put the boots to

a police officer? In New.

York last week, an old man was beaten up on the Subway because his shaking hands upset a passenger.

, There seems to be too large a portion of our society who believe in the super macho theory that violence and viciousness are the answer. That intimidation and fury will win the day over logic and common sense. That putting down someone with a differing viewpoint by ridicule and violent, or threatened violent acts, isa must.

NO CONTROL

And what becomes frightening is that when this type of incident occurs, I too feel the blood surge, the anger build up and the desire to lash out. Perhaps | was fortunate in being brought up im an athletic house where emotional control was the key to success. It 1s something that’ this par ficular ‘fan’ doesn't” un- derstand. He can never have participated in anything where control was a great requirement.

Perhaps his home life 1s

Snowden on scoring rampage

FROM PAGE B1

Lecker for a 20 win over Ycllow Falcons

A big four goal per- formance by Snowden powered West Van to a 60 win over Vancouver Island with Lecker and Don Bird grabbing singles. The other win, again with Snowden scoring, was a 2-1 victory over Hawks with Shawn Scangroulx picking up the other marker -

West Van picked up a silver medal in the 14 and under age group They won over Husky 4-0 with Sace) David Thon, Milkovich and Brians Fearncome scoring Gordy Bird picked up the only goal ina} 1 loss to Black Falcons whe ended up downing West Van for the second me 2 | in the play off lan Snee scored the only goal in thal encounter

The young West squad) managed to down White Faicons 3-1 tn a shoot owt game Bran Fearncome with a pair and lan Sace with a single handled all the West Van scoring

Dave Snowden, Mark Leckher and Don Bird were named to the provincial 17 and under team while Bnan Fearncome and Gordy Bird were selected for the 14 and under team representing

BC

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pretty poor, or his job or both. There is something in this type of person. which must be causing terrible tensions which cause them to ‘crack’ so easily especially for a game, or entertainment, in which their only involvement is as a spectator.

For the rest of the game, fortunately, not very long, I was concerned. Concerned that my son had to be a witness to this type of action, concerned over my own inner feelings, and con- cerned that this person who feels that violence is so essential to him would jump me from behind.

Isn’t it a rather sad sign that so many of us have to live in fear of this element in our society? A gang of goons on the sidewalk will make us give them a wide berth.

There are many, many places where you just don’t

go at night. We live in fear of the fools.

I have accepted this state of affairs for a long time, but when it, strikes so close to home, it’ throws a totally different perspective on it. Am I being over-protective in saying I don’t want my son to be exposed to this non- sense? Am I being overly simplistic to say that at a soccer game we should not have to be worried. about physical violence because we have different opinions from someone else?

Or am I being paranoid in equating this one, rather small incident with what I seem to be seeing in society and in life around me?

I hope I am, but I fear 'm not.

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