Steven P. BarrettNRA FIGHTING WRONG BATTLE AGAINST WDW! KEEP GUNS OUT!
July 21st 2008 02:56
By Steven Barrett
Being a former Walt Disney World "Cast Member," this gun rights story hit home. Good readers, if you're strongly in favor of the NRA's efforts, and feel I'm heading off on a tangent with this post, just remember where I'm coming from on this and be patient as I explain my umbrage with the NRA, Florida's GOP, and this recently fired former employee.
I'm not for banning the private ownership of guns, but rather a better perspective of where they don't belong and why. So -- ready for a wild ride?
HAS THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION (NRA) REALLY LOST ITS MIND IN A RECENT FIGHT TO HELP KEEP A SINGLE WALT DISNEY WORLD EMPLOYEE'S FIGHT TO GET A JOB BACK THAT HE (FOR ALL PRACTICAL INTENTS) WILLINGLY SACRIFICED TO MAKE A POINT IN HIS PROTEST OF THE THEME PARK'S EXEMPTION FROM FLORIDA'S NEW GUN LAW ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO BRING THEIR GUNS ON THEIR WORKSITES PROVIDED THEY KEEP THEM LOCKED IN THEIR CARS?
The employee in question is one Edwin Sotomayor, a uniformed, but unarmed security guard.
According to the Orlando Sentinel (July 12, 2008):
Mr. Sotomayor forgot something when he went to protest this law. He forgot that he didn't just work for a theme park, but a muncipal entitity. That's right: Walt Disney World is NOT the official name of the whole encompassing area most of commonly refer to as "Disney World." It's really the "Reedy Creek Improvement District." Sotomayor was given this information during his first two days on the job, as every person who became a "Cast Member." Furthermore as a security guard, he would have had to be instructed on the legal nicities of which county courts would have jurisdiction in case a crime was committed on the grounds, all depending where the county line fell on the sprawling grounds. He knows that Reedy Creek isn't like any other municipality. He also knows that if Disney has any exemption written into the law, it was agreed to for damn good reasons.
Yes, it does seem contradictory or "unfair" (the whiners' favorite word) for Disney to allow guests to bring their firearms that are locked in their cars on the grounds, but so do thousands of other companies and employers. ALTHOUGH I'D LOVE TO BAN ALL GUNS OFF OF DISNEY PROPERTY it doesn't take a logistician to figure out what a nightmare it'd be for Disney, its employees, and all of its guests, whether or not they're packing heat as they drive into the massive parking lots if every driver's car had to be checked. Disney World isn't the Mexican Border.
Here's a very clear reason why WDW got that exemption: Many years ago, a young guy working on one of the Ferry Boats used to take people from the parking lots to the Magic Kingdom, was (unsuccessfully) trying his damnedest to hook up the gangplank with the dog-leash hook on his portside when all of a sudden, one of the other crew members gave the "All Clear" for the boat to leave the MK dock. He then found himself "in the drink" and was almost killed. Later, while soaking wet, he crossed paths in the "basement" under the theme park with the other guy whom he swore gave the errant call on purpose. No words or fists were hurled. But what if that employee went beyond getting changed into dry clothes and went out to get a small concealable pistol stashed in his car trunk and returned to get his revenge?
Had the 200 tons of water pushed forward by the six foot propeller been reversed, this blog wouldn't have been written.
What if I owned a gun, had a disposition to use it and made "good" (shudder!) to use it?
Some gun owning Cast Members can chafe at this exemption all they want till hell freezes over, and no doubt they'll want to throw the incident where a guest accidently shot himself while putting his gun in his car. While it's unfortunate that he shot himself, at least he complied. Who the hell is Sotomayor to complain when he knows the company has policies and he's supposed to be a "law enforcement" worker? Is he for selective law enforcement?
He knows as a (now former) employee of any company, or in this case, a government working on government property, he works at the sufferance of his employer and he must abide by the rules. It's not like he's working in a terribly dangerous realm or without any armed presence. Disney's employees don't need anymore protection than what they already have and I'm damn sure those protectors don't let on to what they can do in a moment of need.
The other major theme parks in the area, Universal and Sea World have more liberal policies towards bring firearms on to their grounds. That's their business. They could've asked for the exemption and chose not to.
Sotomayor's so-called "lawsuit" is a farce and little more than a ploy to institute a bigger legal battle. The NRA won a big case in the Supreme Court recently. But with that outfit, nothing, absolutely nothing will ever satiate its political ambitions: not even the likelihood of a horrific event at a place like Walt Disney World of all places. The Sentinel:
That Disney World would put the overall safety of everyone who comes on to its grounds above all else within the political system was a slug in the belly for the GOP and NRA. Too bad. They put themselves in this predicament. Republicans and politicians in the pockets of the Florida NRA are whining. Fine. Let 'em whine. But as I understand it, FL's legislation is still pretty conservative and yes, GOP dominated. This means they have egg on their faces and are working hard to wipe it off while blaming Disney even though they weren't doing the bidding of their political owners.
Keep your eyes peeled on this case: I doubt if it's going away soon.
Being a former Walt Disney World "Cast Member," this gun rights story hit home. Good readers, if you're strongly in favor of the NRA's efforts, and feel I'm heading off on a tangent with this post, just remember where I'm coming from on this and be patient as I explain my umbrage with the NRA, Florida's GOP, and this recently fired former employee.
I'm not for banning the private ownership of guns, but rather a better perspective of where they don't belong and why. So -- ready for a wild ride?
HAS THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION (NRA) REALLY LOST ITS MIND IN A RECENT FIGHT TO HELP KEEP A SINGLE WALT DISNEY WORLD EMPLOYEE'S FIGHT TO GET A JOB BACK THAT HE (FOR ALL PRACTICAL INTENTS) WILLINGLY SACRIFICED TO MAKE A POINT IN HIS PROTEST OF THE THEME PARK'S EXEMPTION FROM FLORIDA'S NEW GUN LAW ALLOWING EMPLOYEES TO BRING THEIR GUNS ON THEIR WORKSITES PROVIDED THEY KEEP THEM LOCKED IN THEIR CARS?
The employee in question is one Edwin Sotomayor, a uniformed, but unarmed security guard.
NO Guns at WDW!
NONE OF THESE THINGS BELONG AT WDW UNLESS DISNEYSECURITY OFFICERS ARE INSTRUCTED AND SPECIFICALLY HIRED TO CARRY THEM.
According to the Orlando Sentinel (July 12, 2008):
Sotomayor, 36, of Kissimmee was fired Monday from his job as an unarmed, uniformed security officer at Disney's Animal Kingdom. Disney said he refused to cooperate with investigators who wanted to know whether he had brought a gun to work with him last Friday, as he had suggested he would. He did bring a gun -- a .45-caliber Springfield, he said -- but he would not talk with Disney officials about it because he thinks he has the right to bring the gun to work and not be subject to search.
Yes, it does seem contradictory or "unfair" (the whiners' favorite word) for Disney to allow guests to bring their firearms that are locked in their cars on the grounds, but so do thousands of other companies and employers. ALTHOUGH I'D LOVE TO BAN ALL GUNS OFF OF DISNEY PROPERTY it doesn't take a logistician to figure out what a nightmare it'd be for Disney, its employees, and all of its guests, whether or not they're packing heat as they drive into the massive parking lots if every driver's car had to be checked. Disney World isn't the Mexican Border.
Here's a very clear reason why WDW got that exemption: Many years ago, a young guy working on one of the Ferry Boats used to take people from the parking lots to the Magic Kingdom, was (unsuccessfully) trying his damnedest to hook up the gangplank with the dog-leash hook on his portside when all of a sudden, one of the other crew members gave the "All Clear" for the boat to leave the MK dock. He then found himself "in the drink" and was almost killed. Later, while soaking wet, he crossed paths in the "basement" under the theme park with the other guy whom he swore gave the errant call on purpose. No words or fists were hurled. But what if that employee went beyond getting changed into dry clothes and went out to get a small concealable pistol stashed in his car trunk and returned to get his revenge?
Had the 200 tons of water pushed forward by the six foot propeller been reversed, this blog wouldn't have been written.
What if I owned a gun, had a disposition to use it and made "good" (shudder!) to use it?
Some gun owning Cast Members can chafe at this exemption all they want till hell freezes over, and no doubt they'll want to throw the incident where a guest accidently shot himself while putting his gun in his car. While it's unfortunate that he shot himself, at least he complied. Who the hell is Sotomayor to complain when he knows the company has policies and he's supposed to be a "law enforcement" worker? Is he for selective law enforcement?
He knows as a (now former) employee of any company, or in this case, a government working on government property, he works at the sufferance of his employer and he must abide by the rules. It's not like he's working in a terribly dangerous realm or without any armed presence. Disney's employees don't need anymore protection than what they already have and I'm damn sure those protectors don't let on to what they can do in a moment of need.
The other major theme parks in the area, Universal and Sea World have more liberal policies towards bring firearms on to their grounds. That's their business. They could've asked for the exemption and chose not to.
Sotomayor's so-called "lawsuit" is a farce and little more than a ploy to institute a bigger legal battle. The NRA won a big case in the Supreme Court recently. But with that outfit, nothing, absolutely nothing will ever satiate its political ambitions: not even the likelihood of a horrific event at a place like Walt Disney World of all places. The Sentinel:
Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez responded: "We have no idea what this lawsuit is about. It doesn't change our position that the exemption is clear. We won't compromise the safety of our guests and cast members at the Walt Disney World Resort."
That Disney World would put the overall safety of everyone who comes on to its grounds above all else within the political system was a slug in the belly for the GOP and NRA. Too bad. They put themselves in this predicament. Republicans and politicians in the pockets of the Florida NRA are whining. Fine. Let 'em whine. But as I understand it, FL's legislation is still pretty conservative and yes, GOP dominated. This means they have egg on their faces and are working hard to wipe it off while blaming Disney even though they weren't doing the bidding of their political owners.
Keep your eyes peeled on this case: I doubt if it's going away soon.
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Comment by S.L.
The Political Brief
Comment by Anonymous
Now if we can see if Britain will get a handle on its knifing problems. Talk about carnage lately-- mostly young kids, no less!
PS: Years later I took my oldest son to DW on a Ferry ride and showed him where I took my unplanned swim and damn, the company replaced my old dog-leash hook up "system" with a fancy schmancy hydralic lift.
But I was indeed angry at that knucklehead who almost got me killed for another reason. While 600 people were holding their breaths, I was grabbing on to the piling and watching my lunch and gas money floating out on the Seven Seas Lagoon. Two bucks could still buy a lot back then! Another reason I didn't hit him is that he was built like a rock, mak ing me wonder if he wasn't one of those Disney Imagineers' robots! LOL! At least I got a great true story to tell out of it and pass along to my kids as well!