Skateboarders are not all idiots. The fact that I’m bothering to write this letter is evidence of that. There are little to no grammatical errors to be found in this statement. I’m not trying to pat myself on the back by saying that; I’m merely trying to help Michael Weigman understand that not all skateboarders run on a one-track mind. His cartoon does not have a punch line! For a joke to be funny, it requires a punchline! [Editorial cartoon, Oct. 29].

All his “joke” does is point out the plight of a particular subculture in the ennui-inducing town of Bowling Green and force your readers to mockingly laugh at it. It’s no more than a mean dig at a group of people you do not fully understand.

Skateboarding is not just a bunch of stupid kids making a mess, it is an artistic statement performed through a uniquely physical act. It is a rebellion against the totalitarian nature of modern architecture, which is designed to keep us bored and submissive through its innate lack of creativity and vibrancy. Skateboarding is a way of turning this urban (and even suburban) decay into a playground for the creative. Skateboarders utilize their oppressive environment for pleasure, possibly the most powerful statement a person can make in this conformist society we live in.

In most opinion pages or political page cartoons, a reason for the belief held by the cartoonist is stated in the punchline and dialogue. However, a clear opinion is not stated here. Thus the creator of this cartoon seems to have a very vague notion of what this topic is really about.

Edward Simpson is an incoming freshman planning to major in Visual Communications Technology.