Stupidity at its worst on display

Don Scott
Published: April 2, 2008

On Friday night, March 28, at the Hoops Fest at Gar-Field High School, Prince William County saw the best and the worst of our young people. The 13th Hoops Fest raises money for a needy individual or family. This year, the family of a Gar-Field student was helped by this fun, exciting event. Almost 2,000 people paid to watch slam dunk contestants, 3-point shooting and teamwork competition. This was the best part!

However, what happened after the competition in the parking lot reflected the absolute worst of our young people and stupidity at its extreme. Around 40 Prince William police officers should have been primarily “traffic cops,” directing traffic flow in the parking lot. Instead, they were mainly occupied with breaking up fights, yelling “get in your cars,” and absorbing abusive language. STUPID!

I saw maybe 25 incidents of physical violence, fist fights, police officers having to pin some instigators to the concrete — basically young people simply being STUPID. Even with 10 to 12 police vehicles with lights flashing, emergency vehicles and so many police officers, students could not control their hostilities. The parking lot was full of cursing, name-calling and physical violence — from school A cursed and taunted students from school B and/or school C, and so on. STUPID!!

I broke up four different fights and had two students, running away from someone, run into me in their flight. Students fled from pursuing police officers. Students followed the action as other officers screamed “break it up and get in your cars.” At least three individuals were put in emergency vehicles on stretchers. One, it turns out, was stabbed, as was reported on Saturday. DOUBLE STUPID!

I drive school buses and transport many good, decent, hard-working young people every day, many participating in sports, band, orchestra, school clubs, etc… so I am not indicting all young people! It is just very sad to not only hear of teenagers getting into trouble and doing stupid things, but also to have seen “stupid” rear its ugly head after a wonderful event.

It’s so insane, kids, to ruin your lives by being stupid, which is all it is — STUPID!

If I had my way there would be a law on the books — call it something like: “It shall be against public law and order to be STUPID.”  Recommended punishment: Repeat “I was soooo stupid” 50,000 times.
Hopefully, you won’t be doing that from a hospital room or a jail cell!

Various young adults saw their lives dramatically changed because of “stupid”!!

DON SCOTT

Woodbridge