Dear Editor:

Even though the weather was poor and we realized we were somewhat outmatched, our family had looked forward to Friday night's game all week for the simple fact that we would finally get to see the new "Reservation." Little did we know that the real name for your facility should be the "Discrimination."

We searched your school's Web site prior to leaving for Gaffney to find directions and information on the stadium and parking. Nowhere were any rules listed that prohibited umbrellas. Due to our desire to stay somewhat dry and warm, we cloaked ourselves in rain gear and deployed our umbrellas. Since we could not park in the half-full booster lot, nor the 25 percent-full black and blue lots, we walked about a half-mile to get to the gate.

A district employee wearing a Tennessee poncho informed my mother-in-law that umbrellas could not be used in the "Discrimination." She immediately holstered the umbrella and proceeded to enter. Your employee blocked her path and demanded that she take the umbrella back to the car. My mother-in-law respectfully told her that she had already walked a half-mile to get there in the rain and that walking another mile and back to deposit the umbrella was ridiculous. Your employee insisted that the rule must be adhered to and that she could not enter. My mother-in-law again asked her to demonstrate a little bit of common sense and told her that she would not deploy the umbrella during her time in the "Discrimination." We proceeded through the gate as your employee started yelling for security as if six fleeing felons had just escaped a maximum detention facility.

I am not sure whether our ability to evade capture would qualify us for a guest appearance on Fox's "Prison Break" or if your security forces simply had more common sense than your employee, but we managed to make it to our seats without getting arrested.

As we sat in the bleachers by ourselves getting soaked with our umbrellas stored beneath us, we saw another couple enter the stands and sit about six rows in front of us; the only ones in front of us, or beside us. Somehow they had smuggled their umbrellas in unnoticed, and to our amazement deployed them right there in front of God and everybody in the "Discrimination."

I understand the need for umbrella policies. I realize that I cannot take one to a Panthers game due to the fact that when fans are in close proximity they detract from everyone's ability to see the event. However, I have the ability to demonstrate a reasonable amount of common sense. Since there was virtually no one in the stands, the fact that the couple in front had deployed their umbrellas did not detract from our fan experience in any way. However, within five minutes of their blatant disregard for law and order, a member of your uniformed law enforcement division appeared in the stands. He issued the decree to our umbrella-using fans that they must holster their protection from the elements. We all called out to him from behind that they were fine and that we could see perfectly. He stated that he didn't see the big deal, but he had been called from one of the high perches of the press box across the field in the "Discrimination." We asked who would have demanded adherence to such asinine rules, and the officer stated the sheriff. We asked that the sheriff, who was strategically located in the confines of the dry press box to peer down on perpetrators of umbrella abuse, come down and explain to us the reason for such stringent enforcement of this ridiculous rule. He never appeared.

Just before halftime, the entire homecoming court walked along the top of the bleachers right in front of many of our fans that were cowering against the building for protection against the rain since they could not open their umbrellas. To our utter shock and amazement, all of the escorts were holding umbrellas over the heads of the "queens in waiting." Even though the open umbrellas prevented our fans on the back wall from seeing the last five minutes of the half in clear view, they didn't protest since they understood the desire for these girls not to get wet. However, being the law-abiding citizen that I am, I immediately recognized an infraction in our core rules of society that could not be tolerated. I was somewhat worried about making a citizen's arrest since I was outnumbered about 50 to 1. So I sought the help of your local law enforcement. They didn't respond with the same vigor that they had only moments before. In fact, they didn't respond at all.

To our horror, we continued to watch as the homecoming court progressed across midfield with umbrellas deployed heading straight for the home crowd. At any moment, I was expecting the SWAT team to advance on the field and start shooting off the umbrella tops with sharpshooters, or for the home side fans to start fleeing in panic. Nothing ever happened.

From this point on, we knew we were definitely in the "Discrimination."

Hopefully you have found this letter somewhat "tongue in cheek." I decided it was best to write an absurd epistle to demonstrate the absurdity in which your districts rules and policies were enforced Friday night. I understand the need for having a rule that doesn't allow umbrellas to be open in the middle of packed grandstands. However, I don't understand folks that interpret this rule like your employee did and demand that we return to the car and threaten imprisonment if we took an umbrella inside. I also don't understand why your local sheriff was busy spotting fans in the visiting bleachers with his sniper scope. If he had looked on the home sidelines, he would have spotted three black umbrellas all night. I am sure he saw the homecoming court had theirs, and we even saw some of his deputies with umbrellas open back at their cars behind the concession stand. The Nation Ford fans were definitely held to a different standard and not treated very fairly. I just thought you would want to know.

Next week Gaffney travels to Fort Mill to play our other high school. I hope all of your fans that make the trip have safe travels on the way over. Please spend lots of money in the district and at the stadium. Finally, if it is forecasted to rain, for goodness sake, please bring your umbrella and stay dry. Momma always said you would catch a cold if you sat out in the rain. Patrick M. White Board Member, FMSD Proud Parent of #52 Practicer of Common Sense