Steve Smith -- WHAT’S UP

More than a year ago, I wrote in this space that little kids were getting

too many soccer trophies. Nothing I have written since provoked the fury

of the reaction to that soccer column, although one guy came close.

On Dec. 2, the Daily Pilot published a letter from a reader who wrote,

“Kids today are absolutely spoiled and Steve Smith is one of the major

contributors to the over-coddling of youth that takes place in America

today.”

My coddled kids enjoyed that one.

But the soccer reaction was eclipsed last week by the anti-El Toro

airport crowd, not in fury but in number. Less than five hours after last

week’s El Toro column hit the lawns and patios of the twin cities, the El

Toro reaction won.

That was the good news. The bad news was that every e-mail I received

supported my position that both locals and South County residents must

join now to stop the expansion of John Wayne Airport.

Apparently, the column found its way onto a Web site chat room visited by

both sides of the debate. After much consideration, which included a

request for a ruling from Pilot editor Tony Dodero, I have decided not to

use the names of those who wrote, but I cannot pass up the chance to use

some excerpts.

One of the messages, from an official of an antiairport group, stated

that they had extended “olive branches” to the pro-airport people but

were rebuffed. Talk is cheap. What I hope to see is action.

Instead of telling me about the past, it would have been nice to open my

mailbox a few days ago and read in the latest slick brochure from the

antiairport people that they are also helping to limit the expansion of

John Wayne Airport with a method other than the

sure-to-be-court-challenged Measure F.

Sadly, there isn’t one word on the subject in the mailer. Slick brochures

hitting hot buttons are expensive and there isn’t money available for

olive branches.

The reaction from both sides, which, by the way, included Newport Beach

residents opposed to an El Toro airport, showed me that they have more in

common than they’d like to admit.

The biggest link is not wanting a large airport in their neighborhood,

but not minding it in someone else’s. If you adhere to this policy, you

are a NIMBY -- which stands for “not in my backyard.”

For years, NIMBYs have weathered attacks for opposing such things as

nuclear waste dumps, power plants, jails and, yes -- airports. So, what’s

so bad about being a NIMBY, anyway?

Somehow, this notion that not wanting a big jail or a noisy, smelly

airport or nuclear waste dump in one’s area has a stigma attached to it.

That’s baloney.

Are we supposed to want a large jail or noisy, smelly airport within a

short drive of our homes? Is that normal or supremely altruistic?

No. It’s foolish. Large jails belong in the boondocks and so do nuclear

dumps and big, noisy, smelly airports.

We NIMBYs want to preserve peace and quiet and open spaces. That’s why we

move here and that’s why we stay. NIMBYs all over the country have gotten

a bad rap for far too long.

Yes, the anti- and pro-airport groups have more in common than they have

to disagree on, but when egos and agendas get in the way, it is not that

easy to see.

This was made apparent to me by another antiairport official who e-mailed

that he would be happy to help limit the expansion of John Wayne Airport

just as soon as the El Toro airport matter was a memory.

Not exactly a hand up. Yes, there are some with other agendas, those who

insist we must grow or perish, but I don’t believe they represent the

majority of those in the area.

Scratch beneath the surface of the blather from both sides and you’ll

find rampant NIMBYism. But rather than use their common NIMBY ground, the

two sides have lobbed verbal and written hand grenades at each other to

support their arguments. After all, turning yourself off and walking away

from an opposing view is easy. The hard part is sitting down and working

through a problem until it is solved.

But there is good news for the AYSO.

The gentle assault on my e-mail system from the airport crowd was larger

in number than the soccer trophy response, but as it was orchestrated, I

cannot in good conscience count it as a valid contender for the crown.

So, soccer trophy fans, your record is safe.

And what’s so bad about that? A lot of concern about our kids is quite

reassuring.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer. He can be

reached at o7 [email protected].

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