October 21, 2008
Teenagers question police profiling in park
I'm one the Goth kids who goes to the beloved Doty Park in Neenah. Not long ago, when my friends and I were hanging out, talking to old friends and just being teenagers, we were called to the side by one of Neenah's finest, who told us that we needed a permit to hang out in a public park.
My friends and I took a stand by trying to enforce our own civil rights and told the cop that he was stereotyping.
Now considered a counterculture to the community, society's vexation on us kids led us to a place where we wouldn't be judged, where we could be among friends and help each other deal with the aspects of our lives that society would rather ignore.
I also want to thank all the friends who stood by my side. Together, we will show that this permit is just another result of people thinking we're intimidating because we wear black, and we are fighting against what society thinks of us.
They don't know who we are and what we stand for, which is why we get accused of the vandalism and profanity just because of our appearance.
Now, I'm not saying that we are all perfect angels who don't have records for past social misconduct, but we know who we are and we have respect for this place that the citizens are trying to deprive us from.
Doty Park is a sanctuary for kids to go to escape the worries of this world, a haven from parents who tell us we will never amount to anything, from parents who hit us with fists and verbal attacks and from the society that made us who we are today.
Emilio A. Romenesko, age 17, Appleton
2 comments:
Lio's gotten a ton of positive feedback on the postcrescent's website.
thank you Vinny it means a lot to me that you put this article up your a good guy as well as a good friend thanks again
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