The state of New Jersey sics "overly aggressive and belligerent" teens on autistic surfers!
Can the surfing autistic kids get a freaking break here? CAN THEY? Two weeks ago, as you read right here, Great White sharks shut down the Surfers Healing camp that was set to take place at Doheny beach, just minutes north of San Clemente.
And yesterday across the country in New Jersey another organization, the Heart of Surfing, was set to hold their camp when it was shut down by “belligerent teenaged tag checkers.”
From context, it seems that you must have a “tag” or some kind of permission to host a gathering on the beach in New Jersey, which seems totally fascist at the outset, but let’s read more from the Philly Voice.
Despite foggy, cold-water conditions, the Heart of Surfing non-profit hosted yet another gathering for children with autism and their families who’ve come to realize that surfing is a great, therapeutic escape.
Though Booker D. Surfdog and Onyx Shorepound Surfdog were unable to attend as scheduled – one of them was suffering from some bowel discomfort – nearly 50 children were taken out on the waves.
It turns out dozens of people near the Heart of Surfing tent drew the attention of some beach-tag checkers who refused to accept the fact that the group was allowed to be there.
Cindy Fertsch had a letter stating as much from the city. Still, she was pulled away from surfing activities to deal with a group of about five teenaged tag-checkers to determine whether it was a permitted event.
The power-hungry teens were “overly aggressive and belligerent,” and unwilling to share their names when asked, witnesses stated.
Around 10:30 a.m. – near the end of the weekly two-hour surfing event – a police officer arrived at the scene. She checked Fertsch’s paperwork and noted that the only event on the beach “master list” was for a wedding being held a block away.
Soon, that officer’s supervisor arrived and reviewed the paperwork as well. It was a time-consuming process.
“That’s really uncool,” Fertsch told me hours after everything evened out. “I can see if they’re going to the beach for the day, but they’re only going there to watch their children with special needs surf.”
The investigation cost Fertsch an hour that she normally would have spent knee-deep in the water keeping an eye on surfers and the children.
“We didn’t even have the dogs out here today,” she said, before joking, “they’ll probably have crime-scene tape up when they’re here next week.”
Oooooooooooh when I was a younger man (and if I’m to be honest all the way up to the present time) this sort of unbending hewing to the “rules” without regard to circumstance would throw me into fits of rage. I would curse, growl, threaten, etc. Border agents, police officers, TSA officials, librarians, crossing guards, and lifeguards have each tasted my impotent fury.
But back to New Jersey and the little teenaged fascist fuckers. I reckon they are way worse than the sharks and if I’m ever in the Garden State I am going to the beach, sans tag, find them and… I don’t know… really say belittling things.
Before that, though, what was your favorite part of this story?
A) Though Booker D. Surfdog and Onyx Shorepound Surfdog were unable to attend as scheduled – one of them was suffering from some bowel discomfort.
or
B) The power-hungry teens were “overly aggressive and belligerent,” and unwilling to share their names when asked, witnesses stated.
