Will, I know you've been seriously handicapped since Karl Rove wasn't indicted but just for one sec, think! This would NOT come out of a corporation. They would simply provide a bullet point list that would be easy to remember. NO company, I don't care what business they're in is going give a "safety tip" sheet like this!
They would include NO history lesson Even if they did, the rest of the world isn't connecting this "occupy" crap to the Arab Spring. You guys are the only ones doing that. Why would they even know about OR mention some 4 page publication? These are safety tips! Why would they want to cloud their message with stuff that has absolutely NO bearing on being safe. Besides these banks aren't the least bit interested with your manifesto (and if they thought it germane they would've included it in this DUmmie created UNprofessional mini short story). They're worried about keeping their employees safe not about who's joining, who's disenchanted, or anything else. Again...this is about safety NOT history, sociology or psychology.
And it's extremely poorly written. There isn't a secretary anywhere in a company like a bank (no matter what department) that would let this off her desk!
But let's say, for whatever reason, a bank DID write this (if so I'd like to know because if it's mine I want to find a new one...damned if I'll bank at a place that puts out this drivel), lets look at the safety tips.
- Avoid poorly lit areas and isolated locations that may make you vulnerable to an attack.
This is practical advice in general, especially in a big city but what does it have to do with dealing with a mob? In SF most people who drive to work park their car in a lot. The majority of them have attendants or security guards. None of them are free. However, a bank would most likely have a parking lot and the employees would only have to walk out the door and walk to the car. No flash mobs. Banks tend to get a little nervous about that kind of thing and would call the police. Even without flash mobs or stinky protesters if someone feels uneasy walking to their car IN THE PARKING LOT a security guard will be happy to accompany them. At a bank they're armed.
- Keep the cars doors locked while driving in the area of a mob or protest march.
Most people would tend to do this anyway in a large cities. My truck locks automatically once I get to a certain speed (like 10 miles an hour or something). And why wouldn't they just tell their employees to avoid certain areas? Not because of fear or violence just because they probably couldn't drive thru the unwashed masses and the trash these "earth lovers" leave everywhere & police barricades? The police won't let cars through anyway.
But most likely they'd provide an alternate route. Since most of these employees are the actual working people you're supposedly fighting for, their employer would want to help them avoid the inconvenience of trying to navigate through people crapping on police cars, waving signs, and throwing trash around. Now, when the unions get there with their thugs, that would be the time they'd warn about the danger.
- Project an image of confidence and strength. Walk with a purpose and avoid hesitation, keep your head up, shoulders back and make eye contact with people you pass.
Again, these are general safety instructions. I've heard them before. Of course one might ask why one would even need them when this "Trash & Stink Up Part of the City Insuring the 'Working Class' Can't Get to their Jobs Occupation" are supposed to be marching FOR workers (a special gift from the unemployed to the taxpayers who fund them, I guess). Still, I would think an employer would provide them with alternate routes should they want to walk around outside.
- Avoid confrontation and unnecessary contact with protesters.
Again, there's no reason employees would be here. Not out of fear but because they wouldn't want to deal with the people, the smell & the mess when all one has to do is walk down a different block.
- Avoid walking or driving alone. There is safety in numbers.
If I'm driving, I would know there is no way I could drive through this crowd, through police barriers & through large trash piles that contain things like mattresses. Anyone who lives and/or works in a large city would know the neighborhoods and circumstances where they shouldn't be walking alone. Still, the most useful information I could give my employees would be alternate routes to avoid these people. One whiff of the "aroma" and the workers would probably turn around anyway.
- Carry purses close to the body.
Yeah, especially in SF. I've known people who've gotten mugged. One was a man with a wallet in his pocket. Doesn't get more "close to the body" than that. But if these working class people have to worry about you mugging them, then maybe it's time to rethink the message.
- Wallets and cash are best kept in a front pocket.
See above. But, if I'm carrying my wallet in a front pocket about all they'd get out of my purse, would be my hairbrush, make-up, a pad of paper, a couple of pens, some hand sanitizer (okay this I would need) and maybe the change I threw in the bottom. And shouldn't they be warning employees to do the same with my cell phone since later you're going to tell me to keep contact information there?
- Avoid wearing Bank ID or logo items outside the bank if possible.
Aren't these people walking down alternate streets? In SF, even in the dog days of summer for everyone else, you usually have to wear a sweater (it's damn cold by the bay) which one would think you could hide the ID inside of. But okay, I'll give you this one.
- Keep your cell phone charged and close at hand.
Would someone leave their house with an uncharged cell phone, especially if they don't have a car charger. There are myriad reasons one would need a cell phone aside from calling 911 (which may or may not be necessary because the police are there minding the crowds & arresting some of the idiots who think this is a cool way to bring attention to the American people). It does. We don't take you seriously because instead of peacefully holding your signs and chanting some slogan as the Tea Party people do, you're acting like spoiled brats. It's a turn off because the message is overridden by the stupidity. We wonder if the message is the most important thing or acting like teenagers throwing a tantrum. BTW, your message is getting lost. It's a good thing their employer told them about the 4 page newsletter so they can read their list of disparate demands since the message has been lost.
- Have emergency contact information pre-programmed into your phone.
Because 911 is SO hard to dial and they wouldn't already have important numbers in their contacts?
- Have your keys out and ready before you need them.
Yep, this is something I've been told to do even when I'm walking to the parking lot at the grocery store in my little tiny town. Still, if I'm avoiding the mob per your instructions, wouldn't my biggest concern be muggers, rapists or other riff raff? After all these people are supposedly fighting for me, the poor working stiff. I'd think these would be part of general safety tip handout not limited to stinky protesters.
- If you feel that you're in danger or if you observe suspicious or illegal activities, call the police or dial 911.
So, the police are already there, but I should still call 911? Considering the amount of unruly people being arrested and the barriers that need guarding aren't the police already there watching?
- If confronted or attacked, try to remain calm and cooperate by following the attacker's instructions.
So I'm avoiding the mob and still in danger of being attacked? Good group there! Again, if the police are there they'd probably notice.
- Do not attempt to reason or argue with the protesters.
Why the hell would I? If I did happen to walk down where they are I'd probably want to move through as quickly as possible given the stench. And why would I confront them? I'm just walking down the sidewalk, going from point A to point B. I'd probably ignore them (even if they were yelling at me) or give them a thumbs up to keep them out of my way. Though I do think I'd take my cell phone out and snap a few pictures and put them up on the Internet for everyone to enjoy!
- Cooperate and do not risk your personal safety.
Okay, if I'm avoiding them, keeping my property close to my body (which presumably they shouldn't be interested in anyway), and ALREADY been warned above why would they say it again? Corporations aren't that stupid. And a decent secretary, even a lowly office clerk would notice the repetition and make changes.
- Be a good witness and try to remember as many details of what occurred as you can.
A witness to what? I'm avoiding them, walking through with confidence, keeping my wallet (but not my cell phone) close to my body, calling 911 even though the police are already there watching the filthy mob and not driving there or keeping my car doors locked. Besides, if I'm foolish enough to try to navigate police barriers (again, one would think the safety people would be aware of this fact and include this in their tips) and large crowds, I probably won't have a job for very long and might as well join the assholes on the street.
You people ONCE AGAIN have been duped by one of your own making up a bouncy story. As a "writer" (and I use the term loosely) you should've spotted these inconsistencies right away. This is high school English stuff. Oh, and the biggest mistake of all? The stupid person had a PERFECT opportunity for the cops to jump out behind something and didn't even mention them.
Cindie
