Dear Congressperson,
I am writing this letter
to let you know how important it is for you to help change the
laws in regards to skateboarding. Please take a few minutes to
read my letter, as I hope to help you to understand why I skate
and why skateboarding should not be considered a crime.
You see, I am a skateboarder.I
love to skate. Skateboarding is a way of life for me, which you
might not understand. Skateboarding has been around since the
early 1920's. Our great-great grandfathers and great-grandmothers
put roller-skate wheels on apple-crates; eventually they evolved
into the first skateboards that were sold in hardware stores around
the U.S. as early as 1950. Huge growth in the 1960s came about
when the clay wheel replaced the steel wheels.
Since then, United
States cities have done a wonderful job in creating recreation
areas in their public parks for almost every sport known to man.
Basketball courts, football and soccer fields, baseball diamonds,
tennis and racquetball courts, the list could go on and on. But
for one reason or another skateboarding has been neglected.
Skateboarding is an
activity that requires physical strength, stamina, and an aggressive
attitude toward success, all of which happen to be traits of what
we label as a "sport". Skateboarding is a truly creative sport
that emphasizes the incorporation of city terrain into smooth,
fast movements. It's a sport that accepts anyone willing to try
it. It doesn't discriminate against race, religion, or sexual
orientation. This is why I love to skate. I can skate whenever
and wherever I want. I don't need a field. I can skate to school
and get some exercise. I can skate with my friends, boys or girls.
I can skate alone. I can skate to work- save time, money, and
the environment. All I need is the legal right to skate on the
street.
Or, I need a skatepark
where I can skate, meet new people and help support an industry
that supports my individuality. Every year there are more than
350 million dollars spent on skateboarding-related products. Everything
from wheels and kneepads, to shoes and clothing items. I'm sure
you've seen a television commercial or advertisement in a magazine
lately that features a skateboarder.
Yet, the current trend
in city law-making is turning skateboarders into criminals by
outlawing skateboarding in downtown areas, where the total number
of skateboarders is greatest, and not providing an alternative
to what was stripped away. We are one of the cross-sections of
America's youth that needs you the most. Please don't turn your
backs on us, like so many have, by dismissing my letter. Ours
is a real problem that requires people in your position to be
part of the solution.
I understand that rules
and regulations are necessary to help keep me and the people around
me safe and happy. I hope that you will try and understand that
I want to be safe, happy, and able to ride my skateboard.
