Letter To The Editor...

Letters to the Editor
Published March 28-29, 2001
Times Beacon Newspapers, 345 East Bay Ave., Manahawkin, NJ 08050
FROM: http://www.southernocean.com/news/tbletters.html

Stereotyped

In addition to the discriminatory Personal Watercraft (PWC) bans I recently read of in your March sixth edition, the cartoon you ran, depicting a PWC operator who is ignorant of the "No Personal Watercraft Allowed" buoy is contradictory to what we are all seeking on our waterways -- courtesy, respect, and enjoyment (recreational boaters).

As a longtime boating enthusiast and, more recently, as an owner of a personal watercraft, your cartoon insulted me. It stereotypes PWC owners as both ignorant and reckless. Worse yet, it contributes to animosity between PWC operators and other boaters. This is not an "us versus them" situation. The environment is important to us all. I do not believe that PWC owners are as ignorant as your cartoon depicted. In NJ, PWC operators must pass a state approved boating safety exam that includes navigation and buoy identification.

As we all know, in any situation, there are always a few "bad apples." I myself saved two boaters from drowning last year after they fell overboard, intoxicated, in strong tidal currents (I was on a Jetski at the time). However, this does not make all boaters reckless and no cartoon should appear with a drunk behind the wheel of a boat to depict "the average boater."

Treat all recreational boaters with equal respect and courtesy. Do not condone animosity, which can lead to other problems on the water. Let's all work together to protect the environment and enjoy one of NJ's most wonderful attributes, our waterways.

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