To the editor:

The sports picture (Journal World, Dec. 21) says it all: a high school basketball player being taunted by a group of fans from the opposing team. The high schools, of course, could just as easily have been reversed. Likewise, the taunters could just as easily have been replaced by their older siblings at a Jayhawks game or their parents at a Chiefs game. It’s the ugly side of competition.

The taunters don’t actually MEAN all the nasty things being said. None of them would ever walk up to the same player the next night at a party and say the same things. They’re just having fun ridiculing the rival. Playing at dehumanizing the opponent. Being mean for a lark. No harm in that.

Besides, being in a group means not having to take personal responsibility for your actions. It’s not you, it’s US – unless, of course, you have the misfortune to get caught on camera. Then you have to look deeply at each jeering face and hear again the ugly taunts, and you run the risk of recognizing yourself. Rather like looking in a mirror.

Larry Carter,

Lawrence