EDITORIAL

As a result of people who commit senseless acts of violence, we live

in what can be a violent world.

Students go to school and shoot up their classmates and teachers.

Older children wrestle smaller children with regrettable results. People

plow their cars into preschool playgrounds and kill innocent children.

The incidents can occur anywhere and at any time. At some levels,

they’re preventable. At others, they’re not. They’re unfortunately facts

of life.

But if those weren’t enough to preoccupy our already worried minds,

there are also people out there who would place sharp objects on our

beaches or playground equipment in some twisted attempt to hurt

youngsters.

A year ago, there were several cases in the area. Now, it has hit home

in Laguna Beach as last week a number of razor blades were found hidden

in the playground at Main Beach. It would seem there could be no other

motive behind the moves than intentionally to cut park users -- whether

young or old. No one has been arrested yet, even as the search has gone

countywide.

We at the Coastline Pilot have one question we just can’t answer: Who

would do such a thing? So far, no one has been hurt. So the coward or

cowards responsible should stop now while still ahead. Cease the acts and

be on your way.

Parents have enough to worry about without having to wonder if their

neighborhood parks are safe enough for their children to play in. Of all

places, community parks should be places for fun and sport, not a lurking

sense of danger.

We hope the authorities will soon catch the culprit or culprits, but

until then our plea is simple: Stop.