Mail

We received more than 260 letters concerning the Lakewood, Calif., Spur Posse (PEOPLE, April 12)—more than for any other story this year—and virtually all of them were scathingly critical of the boys involved. Correspondents were disgusted with Posse members, who regard sex as a sport that requires keeping score, and had nothing nice to say about their parents either.

PRINCESS DIANA

Please! One more cover on the perils of the Brits and I’m going to suffer a royal rash.

PATRICIA MORGART, Ormond Beach, Fla.

Poor Di—entertained by princes rather than kings, staying at the embassy instead of the palace and with a reduced entourage. All this and she still can’t raid the fridge. Bummer!

JO MITZEL, Saginaw, Mich.

I’m sure you’ve again been inundated with letters asking that Diana not be on the cover of your magazine. I, on the other hand, love it when she is featured, since my wife looks just like her! I can’t help but think how lucky I am when I see Diana’s smiling face (or Alyson’s, as the case may be) at row after row of cash registers.

DAVID J. HIDDING, Atlanta

THE SPUR POSSE

I was appalled by the arrogant and cavalier altitude of the Spur Posse and their parents. It’s obvious that these people don’t know the first thing about responsible behavior, good judgment, respect and accountability. One misguided mother called the girls who slept with her sons “trash.” How proud she must be to know she raised her sons to be nothing more than “trash” collectors.

SANDRA ROBERTS, Reno

The Spur Posse story raises several timely issues, among them the moral integrity of American society and the less than adequate job that we, as adults, are doing in providing children with role models who espouse self-discipline, responsibility and regard for the dignity of others. The Belman family is a tragic case in point. It sounds as if the message given to Kris and Dana is “If the opportunity presents itself, feel justified to use, degrade, humiliate and discard—it’s expected.” As I view Kris Belman’s assets so proudly displayed, I wonder what kind of man he’ll turn out to be. And then I remember Tailhook.

CONNIE WELLS, South Williamsport, Pa.

If a group of young women were having sex for points, they would still be called sluts and the boys would be called lucky. After 25 years of feminism, the double standard is alive and well and living everywhere.

KAREN WEBER, Medina, Ohio

So red-blooded, ail-American boys will be boys, and their fathers can do the rooster strut as they justify their sons’ actions and trash the boys’ female partners. But where, we must ask, was the maternal influence in these homes—women who should be fully cognizant of the pitfalls and perils of being young and female? Looks like the hand that rocks the cradle needs her knuckles soundly rapped!

CAROL WHELCHEL FETTY, Huntington Beach, Calif.

As a high-school student. I’d like to inform the very sheltered American public that these “posses” exist in every school, everywhere. Whether or not other posses are as established as Lakewood’s, they are for real. Every girl in the school knows who these guys include, and they know what is expected if they go out with them.

ANONYMOUS, Flint, Mich.

I’m the mother of two girls, ages 1 and 3. My goal has been to raise them to be self-confident so they will be able to withstand peer pressure and not feel the need to do something just to be accepted. I can see that I need now, more than ever, to give my girls a strong backbone. They’ll need it, because all some of you are going to give them is a chance to fight, not a fighting chance.

HYATT CONNORS, Kensington, Md.

I’m 15 years old and sick of living with the double standard. These guys aren’t every girl’s dream, they’re every girl’s nightmare.

ROBIN L. BENWAY, Laguna Hills, Calif.

I would like to say that what happens in Lakewood doesn’t happen anywhere else, but it does. I live in a small town near Tulsa. There are guys, even here, who think the higher their “numbers” the better they are. When some guys in my class heard this story they said, “Big deal. Everyone is doing it.” I think this idea is disgusting. Imagine sleeping with more than 60 girls and most without protection. What was going through those girls’ heads? They can’t possibly believe those guys have feelings for all of them.

KAMI ROGERS, Owasso, Okla.

I tried to think of a reasonable solution to the problems involving the studs of the Spur Posse. The one and only thought that comes to my mind is castration.

STEPHANIE M. STARNES, Irving, Texas