Black Friday Stampedes VS. District Convention Morning Gate Openings

by Mr. Falcon 30 Replies latest jw experiences

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  undercover

  The one and only time that I was on hand for the opening of the doors to the coliseum, I was bumped and pushed and knocked about. It was kinda like being at a Who concert in Cincinnati. The worst offenders were the hordes of octogenarians. One old sister used her cane to push people out of the way.

  I didn't understand it. The coliseum sat 12 to 14,000 people with only about 8 or 9,000 dubs in attendance. What's the problem? Room for everyone...just chill. I moved to the wall out of the way and just waited for the mob to disperse and then picked out seats for our family several rows up from the lower entrance. No big deal.

  Things I saw... people with stacks of old magazines, saving entire rows of seats. One guy had a rope and he roped off a couple of rows. One person didn't get the seats he wanted for his famliy so he knocked the books already placed to save the seats off into the floor and plopped his fat ass down. He was confronted about it and refused to move.

  After that experience, I never was on hand for the opening of the doors in the morning. The display of Christian love and brotherly attitude was just too much for me to bear.
• 

  Mr. Falcon

  One person didn't get the seats he wanted for his famliy so he knocked the books already placed to save the seats off into the floor and plopped his fat ass down. He was confronted about it and refused to move.

  That's another thing! People like this fat jackass continue to act this way why? BECAUSE THEY ARE UNCHALLENGED. Seriously, we are always told to "show love" and "turn the other cheek", so many Witnesses would simply slink away to avoid further confrontation (I say many, not all) and the person is allowed to continue being a jerk. Now he's a jerk with better seats. I see this even in the congregation. Somebody will be all nasty with the MS's working the counter and they have to sit there and take it.

  undercover, imagine that this portly gentleman tried this little stunt at a concert or sporting event. Aside from the fact that he would be thrown out because he is not sitting in the seat that matches his ticket, the person whose seat he took would probably smash a bottle over his fat head or at least yell at him, instead of sheepishly (pun intended) walking away. Either way, this rude ass-hat would think twice before trying it again.
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  Ex-Dub MS

  I think a re-purposed rendering of Numbers 11:32-33 is highly applicable here. I mean, the GB creatively 'applies principles' all the time right?

  32 All that morning the (assembly-crazed J-Dubs) went out and gathered (seats). No one (slapped surprisingly unplaced magazines on) less than ten (seats). Then they spread (more) all around the camp. 33 But while the (seats) were still (beneath their new Songbooks) and before they could be (sat in), the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a.....

  Gee I dunno. Yet another pointless symposium?

  -XD MS
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  MeanMrMustard

  Imagine, if you will, that you are a German soldier stationed in one of the concrete bunkers that overlook the advancing Allied troops. Only instead of a MG42, you're only equipment is a badge that reads "ATTENDANT" and a 2-way radio.

  This is actually a good description. I've seen this happen. It freaked me out the first time I saw it.

  MeanMrMustard
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  Lunatic Faith

  Oh yes, I remember those days well. This will be my first year, since 1973 that I will miss a DC. I remember the brothers/attendants shouting, "Brothers and Sisters, please walk!" As people shoved past them. Some would give their books to their kids and tell them to run. In one of the facilities they would open the floor (elderly/disabled) an hour after they opened the main stands. I would see elderly people drop their books from the stands onto the seats on the floor.

  I always enjoyed DC until I got married and went to San Fran the first time. Parking attendants would reserves three or four rows of seats for all their friends, family and/or congregation. We would get to the facilities 45 minutes before the doors open, be the first ones in the auditorium and find the first five rows all around the stadium saved already by attendants. What ever happened to the whole, "Don't save seats for anyone not traveling in your car?" I didn't see any buses outside!

  It made the whole thing exhausting, and stressful. Thank God I am done with that madness!
• 

  undercover

  Seriously, we are always told to "show love" and "turn the other cheek", so many Witnesses would simply slink away to avoid further confrontation (I say many, not all) and the person is allowed to continue being a jerk. Now he's a jerk with better seats.

  I thought about that as I remembered the experience. Louts like that got away with it because of that turning the other cheek shit. The sister who was displaced from her seat was very upset and actually crying. But she didn't want to make a scene. Another person confronted him for her but he refused to be confronted.

  So what're you gonna do? Nothing. I was an attendant for years. We couldn't touch anyone...even bums that wandered in off the street and were bothering people. We could only watch and try to keep them corraled until the police got there. Only if someone's life/heath were in danger were we allowed to intervene.
• 

  Mr. Falcon

  Only if someone's life/health were in danger were we allowed intervene.

  Even then it was sketchy. I had a brief stint in the "Black Ops" attendant department, ya'know, the ones who were sent to "investigate" troublemakers. And by "investigate" I mean harrass. Somebody walks in without a tie? We would have 2 guys follow every move he makes, plus a third "agent-wannabe" on a secured radio reporting back to the HQ desk. A few unfortunate incidents aside, the job was pretty ridiculous. Just wandering around trying to intimidate anyone "suspicious". Actually saw more bureaucracy, then actual helping the attendees. For instance, suppose an old sister falls in the hallway, she's pretty jacked up. They radio for medical assistance and 20 guys from "security" and 20 guys from first-aid come flying out of nowhere. So they're gonna help her, right? Negative. You know have 40 suits with radios standing around wondering what to do.

  At that point it occurred to me that if some serious shat hit the fan, the police or EMS would be here in 3 seconds and they would take IMMEDIATE control. And then all these silly "departments", walkie-talkie's, and pointless "teams" would mean NOTHING. It is truly a pointless job.
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  Bangalore

  Bump.

  Bangalore
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  Julia Orwell

  LOL I never saw a stampede because I could never get up early enough to be there at 8 am!! Far out, we left at that time, running out with makeup half on and all that.
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  JakeM2012

  Black Friday, or even the running of the bulls. You figure out who is the bulls??...