“Streaking” sounds benign, a prank that makes us laugh and say, “Boys will be boys.”
“Open lewdness” and “indecent exposure” drive home another point entirely.
Public nudity, coupled with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct, are crimes that help destroy the quality of life in any town, city or nation.
Scranton police charge that Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ hockey team captain Nathan Smith, 26, is guilty of such behavior. The Alberta, Canada native showed up naked in the 100 block of Adams Avenue at 2:29 a.m. Sunday.
Teammate Ryan Stone, 23, also from Canada, faces a charge of public drunkenness in the center of town as a result of the same incident.
News reports also quote police as saying that several men refused to disperse after Smith was taken into custody. Had police not handled the situation professionally, an ugly evening could have turned uglier.
This is no laughing matter.
Scranton has enough problems as it is. Neighborhood residents struggle to maintain a good quality of life while public officials and downtown merchants struggle to bring a welcoming atmosphere to shoppers and tourists.
When police last month cracked down on rowdy St. Patrick’s Day behavior, countless people marveled at how nice the day was and how a real family atmosphere prevailed at a parade that had more and more taken on the trappings of a college fraternity animal house.
Now we have a naked Penguin who mistakes downtown Scranton for the Alberta wilderness.
Now we have a naked Penguin who must be taught a lesson.
In the eyes of many, the punishment might not fit the crime.
Depending on Smith’s immigration status, he could face punishment from federal authorities charged with monitoring the behavior of visitors to this country. If Smith is in the United States on a worker’s visa, he could be asked to leave.
Immigrants, documented or otherwise, must not use their time in America to run amok.
We need immigrant labor – even hockey players – but we don’t need hulking marauders clashing with the décor of a good city trying to do better, be better and get better.
Such glaring, drunken disrespect simply should not be tolerated.
If guilty, authorities should consider sending Smith back across the border. A hearing should be held and his worth to the community measured.
Most current immigrants – legal and otherwise – are good for America.
Some aren’t.
We need to know if Smith is worth our trouble.
The same goes for Penguin Stone, who a published report says was charged in October with the same crime for which police cited him Sunday morning. But, for whatever the reason, that public drunkenness charge was dropped.
We need to know why.
If that charge wasn’t solid, why did police charge him in the first place?
We need to know as soon as possible what local and federal authorities will do with these two birds.
I don’t care what Penguins’ management does with them.
They will likely do what they have done over the years when other Penguins got out of line and caused trouble that Northeastern Pennsylvania didn’t need, trouble that is never worth the good that players do in the community.
Penguins will offer a lame apology and get on with the game.
Smith has issued a statement taking responsibility for his behavior, according to the Scranton Times-Tribune. If that’s the case, he’s admitting guilt. And if that’s the case, we should expect a guilty plea.
Lackawanna County District Attorney Andy Jarbola should prepare for a request to plead guilty to a lesser charge. If the police officer saw four charges, Smith should face four charges.
The law should make a serious, judicial example out of Smith.
Corbett
