What’s Up? -- Steve Smith

A week ago, actor Robert Downey Jr., out on bail, was arrested in Palm

Springs on suspicion of possession of cocaine and methamphetamine.

The day after his arrest, the producers of the television series

“‘Ally McBeal,” on which Downey has a recurring role, said they were not

sure whether he would be invited back on the program.

But two days ago, the producers reported that the Academy

Award-nominated actor would be invited back and may be offered more work

than just the 10 episodes for which he is already committed.

One of the reasons that Downey, Darryl Strawberry and our own Todd

Marinovich can bounce back time and again is because our society has

decided that criminal behavior based on conscious choices is no longer a

crime but a disease.

But it seems to me that it’s only a disease if you’re good at making

money for someone else.

Now we read that our schools are under attack by vandals and kids

looking for fights. The dirty little secret of recurring vandalism on so

many campuses for so long has been revealed in a big way.

Even KFI-AM (640), a 50,000-watt radio station that on a clear evening

can be heard as far away as Yosemite National Park, picked up the story

and reported it two days ago.

The KFI news report even detailed an attempt by vandals to blow up the

kitchen at one school by leaving on the gas.

At Kaiser Elementary School, violence has escalated to the point where

outside intervention is occurring.

Is the school hiring a private detective to uncover the bullies? No.

Are they posting security guards on campus to send students the

message that assault is a crime and will be dealt with by the swiftest

means possible? No.

Officials have decided that like Downey, Strawberry and all the other

products of our leniency, criminals are ill.

At Kaiser, students are receiving five “Souper Safe Schools”

anti-violence lessons.

The program is based on the book “Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul”

and provides teachers with simple lessons to teach kids how to combat

violence by, for example, smiling.

The program addresses issues such as “lack of respect, belittling

other students, low self-esteem, the perception that telling an adult is

‘tattling,’ and taking responsibility for actions or lack of action.”

So now the dreaded “S” word -- self-esteem -- has again invaded the

region. I know this will come as a shock to the authors and to many

others, but low self-esteem does not cause crime. On the contrary,

history shows that our greatest tyrants had an abundance of self-esteem

and self-confidence.

I’m not against the “Chicken Soup” program as long as it is

accompanied by a very strong message that perpetrators of violence and

vandalism will be punished to the full extent of the law (critics, please

read that sentence again).

And by violence, I do not mean common schoolyard scraps. I mean

premeditated attacks on students that in the adult world would constitute

the crime of assault.

But did we get this message from anyone? No.

Was it reported that when the suspected vandals are arrested their

parents will be held responsible for the damage? No.

Where was the outrage?

Where was someone from the Newport-Mesa Unified School District vowing

to use every means available to find these criminals, not resting until

they are brought to justice?

Downey was turned in by an anonymous caller to the police, who

arrested him in his Palm Springs hotel room. That call confirmed my

belief that no matter who you are, someone is waiting to turn you in.

Police use informants to catch a huge percentage of suspects.

So the first thing I suggest the school district do is establish a

hotline for leads; a dedicated line that takes only anonymous calls with

tips for the police.

This number should be plastered all over every school to act as a

deterrent to criminal behavior. Kids know which other kids commit crimes

and someone, somewhere is willing to turn them in if they are given the

right opportunity.

Television producer Norman Lear thinks Downey is ill. As the son of a

man who drank his way through the prime of his life, I will state that if

drug addiction, alcoholism and a propensity toward violence are diseases,

I am Elvis Presley.

But as we know, whenever anyone is ill, they should be given a nice,

hot serving of chicken soup.

* * *

Do yourself a huge favor and make a reservation at the Coach House in

San Juan Capistrano to see Corona del Mar’s own Brian Barrett and Big Top

play three hours of John Lennon and Beatles music Dec. 15.

This will be a fun evening; a tribute to Lennon and this fabulous

music. See you there. For reservations or information, call (949)

496-8930.

* STEVE SMITH is a Costa Mesa resident and freelance writer. Readers

can leave a message for him on the Daily Pilot hotline at (949) 642-6086.