A message to Disney Security RE:Boston Incident today

[copcarguyp71]

Could you please have your friend contact this website with the details so they can correct their information?

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/kidnap.asp

I'm not saying your friend is being untruthful - perhaps misinformed - but the story has been repeated multiple times, by millions of people, and it would be interesting to find an actual source for it. The person who told it to me in the late-80s had it placed in the late 70s, but never got back to me when I asked her to ask her friend about the specifics. And I had already heard a very similar story about Disneyland almost a decade earlier, which is why I asked her to verify.

My mother repeated a story about my going to the Newport Jazz festival with a certain young man who she disliked, and my brother went and brought me home. Fact is, it never happened. I did go, but with my best female friend, never with the man in question, and my brother never went to find me. I was around 18 or 19, my brother was in his mid 20s, so it is not a case of something that we don't remember from childhood. But in her mind it was true.

She speak da troot!!!!

 

[Uncle Remus]

Could you please have your friend contact this website with the details so they can correct their information?

http://www.snopes.com/horrors/parental/kidnap.asp

I'm not saying your friend is being untruthful - perhaps misinformed - but the story has been repeated multiple times, by millions of people, and it would be interesting to find an actual source for it. The person who told it to me in the late-80s had it placed in the late 70s, but never got back to me when I asked her to ask her friend about the specifics. And I had already heard a very similar story about Disneyland almost a decade earlier, which is why I asked her to verify.

My mother repeated a story about my going to the Newport Jazz festival with a certain young man who she disliked, and my brother went and brought me home. Fact is, it never happened. I did go, but with my best female friend, never with the man in question, and my brother never went to find me. I was around 18 or 19, my brother was in his mid 20s, so it is not a case of something that we don't remember from childhood. But in her mind it was true.

Definitely. If in fact they were embellishing or misremembering they need to be called out on it instead of perpetuating a myth. If they are in fact being truthful then that needs to be clarified as well.

 

[WED99]

I am at the parks and I asked one of the guards, he told me that they have been told to me much more thorough at bag check from now on.

 

[The Mom]

Took the words right out of my mouth. If the end result is terror, then I have become a terrorist by definition. Whether I rob a bank or an individual, I am still a thief.

I have a variety of dictionaries - one is over 100 years old - so am able to compare usage and meanings of words over the last century. Meanings and usage evolve over time, despite numerous attempts to "freeze" them to one time period. Sort of like the Amish trying to freeze technology to the 19th century while the rest of the world moves forward.

So we might be witnessing another linguistic evolution, with the "older" generation trying to adhere to the older, and at the time they learned it only usage. But word usage evolves whether we like it or not. During the evolution the "new" form can be very irritating to those who care about proper grammar, and they often fight the change. Sometimes, that is enough to stop the evolution of a particular word if the usage is not widespread. Other times, it's a lost cause.

 

[sublimesting]

Dear Disney Security,
Over the years you have done a fine job with securing us all as guests entering each and every park and I/we applaud you for that effort. WHen I am in wdw next week each security guard I encounter I will be personally thanking you for your great work, however in the last couple of visits (this past Oct and last April) I have noticed, and I will be nice here, a sense of complacency so I plead for you to as you missed many of times in these last two visits, go through my bag inside and out, no matter how long it takes or how long I have to wait in line for me to get to you, I dont care. I care that you are taking the time with each and every one of us for our own security.
I know that you view us guests as in a hurry and are an impatient society of which I agree with your viewpoints but don't let this get to you and take your time. I am so tired of people complaing of waiting in line to get through security just cause they are impatient a holes.

Again, I am glad for you and your presence and thank you for all of your hard work. I know the day Disney might get hit is possible so please keep us safe and be on your toes all the time.
Regards & I look forward to thanking each and every one of you next week.

All security is just show and does nothing morre than make it harder to pull off an attack. They prevent people from smuggling in 6 packs of beer and hand guns...nothing more. All of our security in this country is reactive instead of proactive. It would be far easier to throw a backpack onto property somewhere and then come in legally and retrieve it later, or get a job in maintenance so you have a reason to be there and plant something big. The point is is that terrorists can always come up with something creative to get us but no one is going to walk in with a pressure cooker bomb or anything like that in a back pack.

 

[draybook]

I have a variety of dictionaries - one is over 100 years old - so am able to compare usage and meanings of words over the last century. Meanings and usage evolve over time, despite numerous attempts to "freeze" them to one time period. Sort of like the Amish trying to freeze technology to the 19th century while the rest of the world moves forward.

So we might be witnessing another linguistic evolution, with the "older" generation trying to adhere to the older, and at the time they learned it only usage. But word usage evolves whether we like it or not. During the evolution the "new" form can be very irritating to those who care about proper grammar, and they often fight the change. Sometimes, that is enough to stop the evolution of a particular word if the usage is not widespread. Other times, it's a lost cause.

In all fairness, Weird Al made being Amish cool.....

 

[swissamy]

I know this is not in the same realm as security in regards to terrorism but it does show how security cameras are watching...We were at Mouse Gear in January and my 13 year old had just watched the show "Caught Red Handed" before coming on vacation. It is a show about how stores that are getting robbed are helped to better monitor their security. Well my son was really excited about hidden cameras and was pointing out all the cameras in the store, some very visible, some hidden. Within 15 seconds, there were cast members and a Disney security guard all "shopping or working near us" until we exited the store. It was amazing to see 5-6 people converge near us...Needless to say, I told him to notice cameras discreetly and we would talk about them later that day -

My 65 year old mother however is very worried about security at park entrances. She continually tells the guards they should check umbrella cases and baby strollers more thoroughly! She is amazed that they just let the strollers by with a slight look underneath...

 

[The Mom]

Definitely. If in fact they were embellishing or misremembering they need to be called out on it instead of perpetuating a myth. If they are in fact being truthful then that needs to be clarified as well.

I hate the phrase "called out." I doubt that they are intentionally lying - they just haven't looked at the story logically.

Is there really a bathroom at WDW that is isolated enough that kidnappers could take an unconscious child (or somehow get a child to not cry or scream) into it, cut her hair, dye it, and change her clothes without anyone else noticing? Any women who has had her hair dyed knows it is not a quick, neat procedure. You have to wear gloves and an apron to protect your hands and clothes. And so on. When looked at logically, the story is as holey as a slice of Swiss cheese.

Most Urban legends take a "could" scenario and make it into a "did" one. A crazed killer "could" come up to your car if you were parked and making out in an isolated area. And he could have a hook. And it could get stuck in the doorhandle (but not so much anymore since most handles are now recessed) when you quickly take off.

All of the above could happen, but it didn't. Although @Nemo14 will tell you she heard it really happened in Lincoln Woods.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

I do find it kind of silly the way so many here THINK they know what security is and how WDW security works.

While I do not have any direct knowledge of WDW security operational parabolas, I have some background in security.

The short and sweet of it is that 90% of Disney security measures you never see.

You will never hear anyone with any security background ever use the term *theater*. It is only a term made up by folks wanting to knock the TSA and other security groups, when they have no knowledge of what is really going on.


No system is 100% perfect and never can be, however many incidents have been stopped and usually without attention brought to them

Maybe here would be a good point to ask for prayers for the folks in Boston, .......one that they were not able to stop.


AKK

 

[Hakunamatata]

I have to respectfully disagree. Oklahoma City daycare bombing - anti-government. The worst school massacre in US history was a bombing by a man in 1928 protesting taxes. Clearly targeting innocent, helpless, citizens.

I will have to respectfully disagree with your disagreement. Both of those examples involved govt targets with civilian casualties. I don't think te primary target was the civilians.

 

[draybook]

I had to get "security clearance" before being shipped to Fort Drum, can I still use the word "theater"?

 

[The Mom]

I will have to respectfully disagree with your disagreement. Both of those examples involved govt targets with civilian casualties. I don't think te primary target was the civilians.

And I will respectfully disagree with your disagreement of my disagreement. I think those govt targets were specifically chosen because there would be guaranteed civilian casualties, thereby increasing the terror of the average person. I don't know if McVeigh knew for a fact that he would be killing children, but the school bomber did.

So, I think we might have to agree to disagree on this one.

 

[Glasgow]

I am not sure I understand your post. Are you saying that people with machine guns whose intent was mass murder would stop for bag check, surrender the gun and therefore wouldn't be able to get into the park?

I'm sure it's my brain not understanding it and the post made sense. Help!

No, no I think we're having a communication breakdown. While the gate security may largely be for show, my opinion is that while the system may not be perfect, there is at least some benefit of searching bags. Those benefits are limited to general deterrence (preventing some people from even trying to smuggle something in) or obvious situations where someone may be trying to bring in something in that doesn't fit into a bag (ie. larger weapon). I'm certainly not implying that the gate security stops all forms of attack, such as a madman with a machine gun or some professional criminal who sneaks in a small explosive.

Obviously no one likes having to wait extra time to get into the parks. I understand that. Just know that this is the general direction that our society is going in. You can't just ignore the problem and have no security and you can't spend inordinate amounts of money to architect the 'perfect' system either. There has to be some middle ground and for now, this is it. Yes, there is a certain amount of show that is meant to be portrayed by having a bag check but as with all types of successful security (and as many have stated), this is simply level 1 of a multi-tiered model.

We can certainly agree to disagree on any of these points, I have no problem with that - this is a discussion board after all. The only point I'm trying to make is that the bag check is not simply for show but rather does carry several benefits which can't be easily quantified by statistics. Carry on

 

[Hakunamatata]

And I will respectfully disagree with your disagreement of my disagreement.....

So, I think we might have to agree to disagree on this one.

Agreed. Lol.

 

[Alexis]

Not to stir the pot but I have to point out that as far as I can tell there's no indication that this terrorist is not a born and bred American.

Not as of yet. We'll see when the suspects arise.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

Not as of yet. We'll see when the suspects arise.

Yes, we will and hopefully it's soon. I'm keeping an open mind until then.

 

[bsiev1977]

A family friend had their daughter abducted inside the park back in the mid 80's. Security was able to find her and catch the bad guy. The story and procedure as to how they did so was remarkable as it was told to me. The abductor had even cut the girls long hair and changed her clothes in the bathroom. She wasn't easily recognized and no longer fit the description the parents gave. That was almost 30 years ago and I can only imagine they are even more efficient and tactful today in all areas.

Urban legend

 

[bsiev1977]

I never thought of that. I guess cause us honest people are in the line (at Sam's) to be checked. I have been in other stores where people walk out and the security alarm goes off and they just keep on walking. The employees just look at each other and no one usually does anything!

I've walked out of stores and had the alarm ring, but I don't stop because I know I haven't stolen anything. I was wearing a light jacket of mine the other day, and set off an alarm walking into a store.

 

[bsiev1977]

Exactly my point. An American can (and has) committed terrorist acts in their own country and who's to say that didn't happen in Boston.

There are some circumstances of the bombing that definitely point toward it being an American, Tim McVeigh type of attack.
The bombing happened on April 15, tax day.
Also, on that day in Boston, they were celebrating Patriots Day, a remembering the battles of Lexington and Concord.
Taxes and the Revolution are very often talking points for anti government ultra conservatives.
Certainly not saying I know for sure. It could be that, or it could just as easily be Islamic fundamentalist based.

 

[BoarderPhreak]

There's also the "ricin letters" circulating in D.C. - somebody or some group has an issue with the govt. clearly, if they're related.