Forces behind banner debate need to relax

In the ongoing talks to improve Costa Mesa neighborhoods and the city

in general, the discussion often turns to blight. The rundown

apartments of the Westside, streets in disrepair, shopping carts

strewn along the sidewalks are all fair game in this battle. Nobody

should be expected to live or work within blighted conditions, and we

stand behind those who want to make this town a better place, both

visually and economically.

But when Little League banners suddenly become part of a

discussion on blight, we have to say that not only has the battle

been lost but the whole war as well. That’s because Little League

banners represent the best Newport-Mesa has to offer, in our

estimation. They are symbolic of the relationship between children,

neighborhoods and commerce and the complaints about them seem

misguided and misdirected.

For full disclosure, the Daily Pilot has sponsored and provided

banners for youth sports in the past and will most likely continue to

do so in the future.

So it’s probably no wonder that this issue has left us wondering

how there aren’t more pertinent issues to pursue, more problems to

solve, than the removal of Little League banners from local playing

fields. Judging by the response from council members, who saw the

banner brouhaha bubble to the surface at a recent meeting, we aren’t

alone in this head-scratcher.

“Just the fact that we spent the last two and a half hours [on

this] it’s a very sad day,” said Mayor Gary Monahan, after the

council denied a move to eliminate banners in response to complaints

from those who live near California Elementary and TeWinkle Middle

schools.

The complaint was that the banners, which have hung in place for

eight years now without incident, are suddenly an eyesore. It’s a

feeble complaint indeed and one that begs the question: Is there a

bigger agenda afoot to eliminate youth sporting events from these

school fields?

For the record, this newspaper has long taken a stand in favor of

youth sports and organized youth sports leagues. And we’re not going

to change that now.

If the hanging of banners helps fuel the coffers of youth sports,

whether it be Little League or otherwise, we can’t find anything

inherently wrong with that.

Frankly, those who chose to move in next to a school really don’t

have much of a case to now complain about the uses at that school,

especially those uses that involve youth activities.

As we’ve said in the past, the playing of youth sports like Little

League and AYSO soccer are all parts of the community’s fabric. Those

who now stand opposed to such activities would do well to face that

fact.