Letters: 1998 Del Norte grad shares thoughts on local gang activity

My son, Staff Sgt. Dustin Lawrence, is currently serving in Iraq. I mentioned to him an article about the discussion on gang activity at Del Norte High and he responded with the following. I thought it might interest the community to know what a 1998 Del Norte High School graduate thinks on this subject. I feel it is quite apropos, especially in light of the teen center coming in:

"That is very unfortunate for the school, but I will tell you it doesn't surprise me. Today the world is full of small-town kids wanting to live in big-town worlds. They are so connected with the outside world and have so little to do locally that they just create their own entertainment, and normally the wrong kind. It used to be stories of busting mailboxes, racing tractors, or defacing local icons, but now they see what the larger cities are doing out here and apply it locally with no boundaries but stupidity.

"Trust me; I saw this stuff when I was in high school at Del Norte. It just may not have been so prevalent. What they really need is less free time; more activity, more community youth engagement to include the parents; ramp up and put together volunteer fishing groups, surfing groups, cooking classes, auto repair clubs; really embrace their interests. Then it will be out of sight, out of mind. Our community needs to stop thinking ‘me, me, me' and start thinking ‘us, us, us.' Unity is the key to success.

Erin Gillispie

Smith River