This is nothing new, this has been the case literally since I’ve been young, especially at the smaller meetings (circuit, one-day, the yearly ‘special’ and regional assemblies) in non-public venues whereas public venues (3 day assemblies), most of the venues still had a monument or a park that had to remain open to the public so we were told to inform people this was a private event if they got too close/loud/interruptive.
Is WT Using ATTENDANTS At The Conventions To Be: "TOY COPS"
by HiddlesWife 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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notsurewheretogo
I'm attending a RC in a few days minus a badge...will post my experience. I'm a former pioneer, elder, bethelite, MTS graduate out 10+ years but still known in the community as I faded and was not DF/DA.
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slimboyfat
Why are you going? If you don’t have a badge then I think they insist on giving you one after asking you some questions. I don’t think you’re allowed in these days without a badge.
If they were really serious about inviting people with the invitations then you’d think they might mention the badge requirement somewhere on the invitation. As it is vanishingly few people turn up because of the invitations so it’s not a big issue.
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road to nowhere
We disabled ignored people don't have a badge. No visits, phone calls (except time).
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LongHairGal
ROAD TO NOWHERE:
I don’t think that guy was a ‘masher’.
It was like when somebody is followed around a store because they might be a potential shoplifter.🙄 They are not even there to assist you.. You’re being watched to see what you ‘might’ do. It’s pathetic and I laugh about it now.
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FFGhost
Please note that flasks and metal cutlery of any sort are not permitted.
LOL. You expect us to endure 6 hours of monotone dribble without a little liquid reinforcement?
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Beth Sarim
Most if not attendants are company men.
Like secret service agents,,,but only acting for the Borgs behalf.
They carry radios often wearing sunglasses and acting tough.
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Foolednomore
When I was courting my first wife the a few elders would follow us around like spies to catch us in something. Little KBG agents.
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DesirousOfChange
Being an "attendant" at least gave you "reason" to walk the halls vs having to sit for hours drinking the KoolAid.
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Journeyman
I can't do it now for health reasons, but when I used to be an attendant, I liked it because you didn't have to sit still for hours on end listening to the same old talks, and you did actually get to help people if you had the right assignments (and the right attitude to the role). I used to try to get assigned to concourse or door/gateways. On concourse, you generally couldn't hear much of the programme so that was a result, and on the doors or gates, although you could hear the programme, there was usually too much happening to get bored and you could genuinely help people like parents losing their kids, older ones or pregnant sisters feeling unwell, that sort of thing. At least made it feel more worthwhile.
Back then, we didn't have any of this interrogating of visitors or checking for badges. We were told we were there to greet people, generally look out for trouble, and keep the crowds moving to prevent bottlenecks (doesn't look like that would be a problem at most conventions these days! )
The worst attendants were the young teen/early 20s ones who thought they were in some kind of 'cool bro' security service, and the over-officious captains (usually single or younger married elders) who had too much time on their hands and acted like they had some high-status job that was a cross between people management and policing.
For a few years I worked with the security team because I'd already acquired a 'secular' security licence for work and wanted to see what it was like. That was much more laid back. Most of those bros had 'real' security jobs so were more lowkey and didn't have the exaggerated swagger of the less experienced attendants who are usually the ones that visitors encounter first. You all had to cover each others' backs and had a different control room and separate shifts from the rest of the attendants, so could come and go as you pleased, as long as you stayed on post when assigned and kept permanently in radio contact with base. But later, the org tightened up the rules and now only their 'approved' heavies from Chelmsford can do that role I believe (and of course in hired venues they have to defer to the venue's own security teams - rightly so.)