Perplexing moment in sunny suburbia

A couple of examples: “Get a real job.” “You shouldn’t even be here.” He was gone rather quickly. The two gardeners were stunned, then angry. They didn’t confront the annoying individual.

The obvious question was why? What was the motivation? What set the pedestrian off? The workers were just doing their job. Were they seen as possibly being here illegally? Was that the reason for the unprovoked outburst there in suburbia? Was he simply assuming, without any proof whatsoever, that the gardeners were without proper papers?

The scene was both telling and disappointing. The American emphasis on the longed-for melting pot for residents is clearly under stress — for any number of reasons.

The issue of the country’s, and San Mateo County’s, large undocumented population rankles. It has divided us rather sadly. It’s a valid concern to be sure. But it’s not the job of individual citizens to police the situation. Officials of the federal government are in charge of enforcing the laws related to immigration, legal or otherwise.

But our controversial sanctuary policies, which hamper law enforcement authorities from dealing with dangerous illegal residents in particular, aren’t helpful in this regard. In fact, they can be counter-productive.

Perhaps that angry walker was taking out his frustration on that particular day. Regardless, the episode was ugly. Verbally assaulting two gardeners who are busy working is not productive by any definition.

San Mateo County has a significant population of persons without proper documentation or no proof of valid residence at all.

The Migration Policy Institute, which tracks such matters, estimates that there are about 56,000 residents living here illegally. Two-thirds of them are said to have lived in the county for at least a decade.

That total does not include U.S.-born children of families in which at least one parent is here illegally. Clearly, the long-term demographic and economic impact of the undocumented Peninsula population runs deep and wide.

Insulting and browbeating those suspected of being in this unlawful category, however, is pointless and patently unfair.

A SHORT-LIVED SLEAZY SALOON: Community culture, in all of its many nuances, has seen more than its share of change on the Peninsula through the long and busy decades. That above episode in Burlingame is just one example. Another is this morsel from the same ZIP code: The most recent newsletter of the Burlingame-Hillsborough Historical Society included a photo of a donated matchbook cover from the short-lived Cricket. That establishment was a dicey downtown saloon that featured nearly-nude female bartenders slinging suds and snappy bon mots more than a half-century ago. The naughty watering hole didn’t last long. The morality police were in a swivet; they considered the tawdry joint to be a stigma on the village’s upright image. Flummoxed municipal authorities, under a good deal of pressure, made sure the lewd watering hole was closed. Quickly. Apparently, there was just too much bare flesh to bear.

BILL LASKEY IS SOLDIERING ON: You can make a reasonable argument that the local radio talker with the most thankless regular task is Bill Laskey. He’s the upbeat fellow who hosts a regular KNBR show after (and sometimes before) Giants’ baseball games. That professional outfit, of course, has been wallowing in the nether regions of Major League Baseball so far in 2026. Too frequently, the stout-hearted Laskey, himself a former pro pitcher with a solid pedigree (and an ex-softball coach at Aragon High School, by the way), must listen to the weekend bleats and whines of caller after caller unhappy with their favorite ball club as a diet of too many defeats continues. By the time this baseball season concludes, the ever-optimistic Laskey, a veteran of this enervating electronic gig, may be in line for a hefty pay raise based on his ability to simply hang in there.

LET’S KEEP KITTY INSIDE NOW: Here’s a serious cautionary note spotted on social media last week: “Our cat was eaten today by a coyote.” Not good. One more reason to keep kitty indoors.