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Bytebear
09-27-2007, 11:06 PM
http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?sernum=2007/09/26/2&coll=news_articles&navpath=channels/news

"The Walt Disney Co. is issuing a formal apology to a San Diego man for an incident Saturday at Disneyland that the company claims was a misunderstanding but which the man asserts was anti-gay bias."

http://kingfuraday.livejournal.com/314625.html

"Taken from the San Diego Gay and Lesbian Times Email Blast today... It's a tad dramatic (G&L Times tends to roll that way) but I'm really surprised that the DisCops didn't take the guy behind the scenes. It's not like them to throw down in a crowd."

dawnid
09-28-2007, 08:54 AM
I'm sorry but if you are homophobic you wouldn't last long working at Disneyland. There are probably more gay or lesbian people working on any given day for Disney than actually come into the parks. This is based on having worked for Disney and I've seen them embrace diversity. I can't speak for the upper echelons but down in the trenches it just isn't an issue.

If this man was manhandled or treated poorly I truly doubt it had anything to do with his sexual orientation.

Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

skyway man
09-28-2007, 11:15 AM
Disney=Gay Magnet........I used to always deal with guest from other parts of the country, especially the mid-west that had a hard time accepting, and viewing same sex partners holding hands. I know that Security will not step in unless there is a safety issue, and that goes for gay, straight, and whatever walks through the gates. This country is for the most part homophobic, but working at Disney, you better get use to it. A lot of upper management, and corporate Cast Members are gay. I think that this guy wanted attention, and made a big stink over it. I am sure you will see a lawsuit from this guy. Anything to get money from the company.

Abigail's Uncle
09-28-2007, 11:36 AM
Well, we weren't there so we can only speculate on what occurred.

As for the Disney parks being generally gay friendly, I say bravo. Everyone who pays for admission deserves the right to enjoy themselves with their loved ones, and if any homophobic guests begrudgingly get a little lesson in diversity at the same time, then that's just icing on the cake that is Disneyland.

adriennek
09-28-2007, 11:38 AM
If this man was manhandled or treated poorly I truly doubt it had anything to do with his sexual orientation.

And that's the big "IF" - When I read stories like this, I often think: Ok, what part of this story are we not hearing here? There's often his version, their version and the truth.


I think that this guy wanted attention, and made a big stink over it.

Yep.

Adrienne

ladodgerjon
09-28-2007, 11:46 AM
I just read the article...

Roughed-up for holding hands?!?

I find that REALLY hard to believe.

I see that happening ALL THE TIME.

I also would tend to think if there was going to be a scuffle over same sex PDA's, I'd think it more likely that it would occur between two guests-- and not w/a DLR security guard.

AVP
09-28-2007, 12:47 PM
I think one of three things happened:

1) the CM in question filed a false report with security, which resulted in them taking the action they did (if the CM said s/he saw a gun, Disney security isn't going to ask very many more questions before calling APD)

or

2) the report was misunderstood, which resulted in the "misunderstanding" Disney claims happened. (I've personally been involved with something like this. We had a situation where Tony got ill at Disneyland. We called his doctor, who said that we needed to get him to an urgent care facility. We were at a Disney restaurant at the time, and asked a Disney manager/lead for directions to the facility recommended by his doctor, since neither of us were very familiar with the area at that time. The manager WAY overreacted and called Central First Aid. By the time the report was passed along, and then passed along again, the paramedics were summoned to treat a "heart attack."

or

3) The incident went down as described. I've had to deal with a "misunderstanding" with Disney security once before, and I still have very bitter feelings about the way they handled the situation, and the way we were treated. The responses cited in the article sound uncomfortably familiar to me.

AVP

pisces
09-28-2007, 01:23 PM
This seems very similar to that other thread about someone taking pictures, and the police came along detained the individual.....on a complaint.

Someone makes a complaint. The police investigate, and part of that investigation includes weapons search-----at police discretion.

It's not an exact science, and there have been instances of false accusations and false complaints before---in general.

It's not the Police duty to investigate the validity of the complainant. Their duty is to simply investigate, and take seriously whatever complaints are coming in.....whether those are false alarms or not...fake bomb threats etc.....I wouldn't want the Police to write-off anything !!!

If someone's playing games, and crank calls, frivolous claims, false complaints etc... There are other ways, legally, of dealing with that.

Don't blame the Police for simply doing their job!

Tinker Bell
09-28-2007, 02:34 PM
If it was a white guy who this happen too you would never hear about it. Why do they think it was because they where gay. How did they know the person who reported them. Was there something before this that would make them think that. The plain clothes following them was there to protect them to make sure nothing else goes wrong with their day. I would think they would have liked the extra eyes more witnesses.

Jim Dear and Darling
09-28-2007, 02:46 PM
:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Yeah. I hate this stuff.

As someone said above. A homophobic Disney employee would not last long. I see same sex couples holding hands there all the time. I am SURE they didn't detain them for just holding hands.

:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

PanFan
09-28-2007, 05:19 PM
Everyone who pays for admission deserves the right to enjoy themselves with their loved ones, and if any homophobic guests begrudgingly get a little lesson in diversity at the same time, then that's just icing on the cake that is Disneyland.

Once a guest complained to one of my CM friends about a gay couple he saw holding hands or kissing or something and asked why they even let people like that in the park. He went on a rant for quite a while. I highly respect my friend who managed to keep his cool throughout the whole situation, for not only are a lot of the people he works with gay, but he himself is as well!

pisces
09-28-2007, 05:20 PM
Well, I'm a little bothered by the article which suggests that it was the Police that "targeted" the suspect.

The article implies that Police should-have-known it was a crank.

I don't know how they can expect Police to know that.....without doing an investigation first.

disneyhound
09-28-2007, 06:46 PM
I suspect that Disney CM's are trained properly enough in full "PC-style" that they are not going to harass a same sex couple for no reason. From my observations at DL, it is usually teen aged couples who flaunt most of the PDA's in the park; some need hosing down! I can't imagine that simply holding hands is going to create this scenario.

It would be sad if this person was treated inappropriately as the articles have suggested. It would also be sad if this becomes a "Disney Hates" lawsuit! I wonder how many lawyers are attempting to contact the "victim".

Bytebear
09-28-2007, 09:30 PM
Once a guest complained to one of my CM friends about a gay couple he saw holding hands or kissing or something and asked why they even let people like that in the park. He went on a rant for quite a while. I highly respect my friend who managed to keep his cool throughout the whole situation, for not only are a lot of the people he works with gay, but he himself is as well!

You never know. One of my best friends is gay and he is a security guard at the park. Asked about this situation, he said he didn't hear about it, nor does he know the Disney people involved well enough to comment. Wise answer.

Abigail's Uncle
09-29-2007, 06:56 AM
Am I the only one who first saw "PDA" in the subject line and thought it was about Personal Digital Assistants?

Although I guess someone who holds hands IS technically a "Palm Pilot".

(rim shot)

adriennek
09-29-2007, 10:03 AM
I've been trying to figure out how I want to clarify my earlier post - because I know that I or people I know have had a few interesting interactions with security CMs in the past. I have my answer.

Just now, I got a call from my husband who is at the park. He was detained by a bag check CM who called security, who called a lead, who called the ANAHEIM PD on my husband. :rolleyes:

After my husband was pushed and pushed and pushed to the point that he was shaking, the police officer verified that he was good to go. :rolleyes:

Does security do stupid stupid things at Disneyland? Absolutely. Totally. Regularly. Do they target people for being gay? I'm still less likely to believe that part.

Oh, and Abigail's Uncle based on my husband's incident this am, your PDA/palm pilot comment isn't as off-beat as you might think. Did I roll my eyes yet? :rolleyes:

Adrienne

Andrew
09-29-2007, 10:47 AM
Am I the only one who first saw "PDA" in the subject line and thought it was about Personal Digital Assistants?

No, I did too.

vfire
09-29-2007, 11:43 AM
Just now, I got a call from my husband who is at the park. He was detained by a bag check CM who called security, who called a lead, who called the ANAHEIM PD on my husband. :rolleyes:

After my husband was pushed and pushed and pushed to the point that he was shaking, the police officer verified that he was good to go. :rolleyes:


If you don't mind the nosiness, what did your husband have in the bag that set off the security scare? I want to make sure that I do not bring anything similar to that item to the park.

adriennek
09-29-2007, 12:04 PM
If you don't mind the nosiness, what did your husband have in the bag that set off the security scare?

A Ham radio.

Adrienne

WDW heart
09-29-2007, 12:12 PM
A Ham radio.

Adrienne


Why were they so worried about a ham radio?? Did they know what it was??

adriennek
09-29-2007, 12:33 PM
Why were they so worried about a ham radio?? Did they know what it was??

The first CM - the bag check CM, asked him what it was. Doc told her it was a Ham radio. The CM asked if it was a 2-way radio. (Her words) Doc said "Well, yeah, I talk and the person I'm talking to talks back". The CM said "Well then it's more than a 2-way radio." :confused: Seriously. I can't make this up.

Then they were paranoid that he was going to listen to their radio frequencies. The security guard asked if Doc had it programmed to their frequencies. Doc pointed out to them that they use a trunked system and his radio is not capable of doing that. The CM asked him repeatedly and Doc told him over and over again "No, this radio cannot do that." Apparently, Doc looks sinister enough that they didn't believe him. The police officer finally believed him.

Doc also noted that the police officer was the most professional person he encountered. The CMs all had attitude. The officer walked up to him, shook Doc's hand and introduced himself, at least, before he started the rounds of "What's going on here?"

Adrienne

WDW heart
09-29-2007, 12:44 PM
The first CM - the bag check CM, asked him what it was. Doc told her it was a Ham radio. The CM asked if it was a 2-way radio. (Her words) Doc said "Well, yeah, I talk and the person I'm talking to talks back". The CM said "Well then it's more than a 2-way radio." :confused: Seriously. I can't make this up.

Then they were paranoid that he was going to listen to their radio frequencies. The security guard asked if Doc had it programmed to their frequencies. Doc pointed out to them that they use a trunked system and his radio is not capable of doing that. The CM asked him repeatedly and Doc told him over and over again "No, this radio cannot do that." Apparently, Doc looks sinister enough that they didn't believe him. The police officer finally believed him.

Doc also noted that the police officer was the most professional person he encountered. The CMs all had attitude. The officer walked up to him, shook Doc's hand and introduced himself, at least, before he started the rounds of "What's going on here?"

Adrienne

Ugh!! :rolleyes:

Reminds me of the time my 6 year old decided to pack a horseshoe in her carry on. :rolleyes:

pisces
09-29-2007, 01:04 PM
Apparently, Doc looks sinister enough that they didn't believe him. The police officer finally believed him.
Adrienne

But, that's a good thing. That shows that they are not stereotyping people based on personal appearance.

Also, I've never seen anyone in the Parks with a laptop. I wonder if laptops are one of the items they'd rather you not enter with ?

pisces
09-29-2007, 01:13 PM
I really think it's a no-win situation for everybody, because...no matter how benign..... a suspicious item, is always going to be..... a suspicious item....until the item, or package is thoroughly investigated. And, unfortunately, it's during these investigations, which seem to prove fruitless much of the time....that tempers flare and people are inconvenienced.

The only alternative is to never investigate a suspicious package, suspicious item, or person.....and what if it's the one time, out of 99 that it proves to be a genuine threat ????

There's really no easy answers. Innocent people are always going to be caught up in perhaps, too too too aggressive investigations, and security. Look at what's going on at the Airports, and you've got 80-year-old ladies being frisked !!!

But, we know what the alternative is.....

I keep coming back to the fact that since 9-11....there's never been an incident of terrorism inside the parks. You know, when you think about it.....that's pretty incredible given the amounts of people coming through those gates.

Not a single incident since 9-11......just overzealous security and people inconvenienced. It's a trade-off, and I've had my own incidents (not at Disney) here and there, with over-eager security--traffic stops and such.

....but overwhelmingly better safe than sorry!

adriennek
09-29-2007, 01:35 PM
Also, I've never seen anyone in the Parks with a laptop. I wonder if laptops are one of the items they'd rather you not enter with ?

I've seen people in the parks with laptops.

Adrienne

ETA: I can also think of several times that things have gotten through the bag check. Lots of them. It's hit and miss and inconsistent and hassling someone about a Ham radio does not make me feel the least bit safer.