Opening Day Violence at Dodger Stadium 04-02-2011 - by Cesar Delgado, Staff Mumbler Opening day at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles is supposed to be a happy day for families and friends to enjoy. But the lowest common denominator is turning a family event into something akin to territorial gang warfare.
In LA you have sports fans, and then you have fans that take being a fan to a whole new level. Dodger blue is being worn as less as a tribute to a favorite sports team but rather as a "color" to mark allegiance and territory.
According to a reply on Yahoo Answers, "The L.A. Dodger hat is a typical hat worn by Sureno Gang Members from Southern California (you might know them as MS-13). It can also be a sign of Crip affiliation." But anybody can make up an answer on Yahoo, right? On the SportsByBrooks Website, "The Dodgers have now clearly gained most-favored status among Los Angeles gang members." Are these people just making this stuff up? The proof may be in the pudding, as can be seen in the comments of the AP video (below), where the comments read, "Stay out of other people's houses. You're gunna learn it." However, more sensible types are also commenting back, "um it's a ball game. So pull up the knuckle dragging, People with LEFT Brain function should seriously consider leaving Los Angeles, sounds like the animals are taking over."
Rivalry is one thing, but when thugs take it to the next level, especially around families; women, children, and grandparents that just want to have a good time, things are out of control. Perhaps these neanderthal types that want to brawl in a family environment over the color of a hat should get additional prison time for putting kids in danger. In California, the use of a firearm in a crime enhances your prison term, so why not?
Whatever the solution is to this growing problem over a team hat, this is certainly a sad state of affairs. Gone are the days when our families could enjoy a fun day at the ballpark with our crotchety Grandpa shouting out expletives at the umpire. Today he'd probably get beat up by a fan of the other team.
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