STEVEN MAYER: Black eyes for Bako?

Last week was not a great week for Bakersfield’s national reputation. First came the video that went viral. You know, the one showing a little boy running in the aisle of a downtown store. A man, later identified as the boy’s father, is seen chasing and striking the toddler squarely in the face, knocking the boy flat on his back. If that doesn’t infuriate you, nothing will — and millions of people from sea to shining sea saw that local example of broken parenting skills.