White youths' behavior?

Being angered at a letter published in The Jakarta Post entitled "Young adults' behavior" (Sept. 1, 1994), I must respond. Judging the contents of the letter, perhaps the title should have been "White youths' behavior".

To condemn the actions of some students for their unbecoming behavior inside a movie theater is justifiable. However, the flavor of the letter indicates that the students were unbecoming because they are white.

Their actions reminded the writer of the Singapore government's decision to cane a white youngster for vandalism. As if no one else was caned for that particular incident except the white youngster. (In fact a group of kids from different ethnic backgrounds were involved in the vandalism).

One only has to open their eyes a little wider to see that Indonesia is not immune to such erratic behavior on behalf of its own citizens.

Countless number of times my wife and I have been insulted by ignorant Indonesian youths, even adults for that matter. Usually they speak the local dialect so I won't be able to understand. But my wife, being from East Java, surely understand what they say.

I'm embarrassed by the conduct shown by the students inside the movie theater. I'm also embarrassed for the writer, who shows no acknowledgment of any social misbehavior in Indonesia other than that of white people.

Craig Swanson

Banyuwangi, East Java