Museum Guards Wanted Bulletproof Vests

Union Official Representing Guards At Holocaust Memorial Says Company Ignored Requests

(AP)  A union official says he asked for protective vests for guards at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum two years ago, but they never got them.

Guard Stephen T. Johns was shot to death Wednesday when an 88-year-old gunman opened fire in the museum. The gunman was critically injured but no one else was hurt.

An official with the union that represents the guards says he pushed for protective vests after a man made threatening remarks to guards several years ago.

Union district director Assane Faye says the company that employs the guards never issued the vests.

Johns worked for Wackenhut Security, which says he was shot in the upper left torso. The company would say only that all officers were wearing appropriate equipment as specified in their contract.

[ktgilb1]

A union official says he asked for protective vests for guards at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum two years ago, but they never got them."

Typical American these days, let everyone else take care of you, FORGET about taking care of yourself by buying your own, wait for the Govt or the boss to buy one for you.
Posted by Newster1 at 6:17 PM : Jun 11, 2009



So this is the victems fault!!!????

[ktgilb1]

smell a frivolous law suit coming from this guard's family. I like how the mainstream media has turned this from an attack on a jewish institution by a maniacal white supremacist nut, to an attack directed towards the black community. This loser hated EVERYBODY who wasn't Aryan, period. It doesn't matter if the guard on duty was white, black, latino, or asian. The gunman would have killed them regardless of skin color. Granted, this hater is a "rightwing domestic terrorist". But let's be honest here, Farrakhan's "nation of Islam", and the "New Black Panther Party" are domestic terrorists too. The only difference between these "leftwing" black groups who use intimidation and their hatred for the white race to try and further their movement, is they are all talk and no action. Just like when they made all kinds of bogus accusations and stirred up anti-white sentiment in NC when the black w*h*o*r*e accused the university team of raping her. And when they found out she was lying they just quietly disappeared like chickensh**s. Or, ask the anti-Obama voters who were harrased by the NBPP at polling places on November 4th last year, courtesy of ACORN. As far as a "museum guards" wanting bullet proof vests, that's the responsibility of the contract guard service that employs the guards, noone else.
Posted by libsRlost at 1:50 AM : Jun 12, 2009
+ report abuse + permalink


What in the hell are you talking about?!!

The Nation of islam, NBPP? what do they have to do with this? This was a nutcase who happened to be white shooting another human being? its already tragic enough, why are you politcizing this? and what do you mean Frivolus lawsuit? who would they sue? possiable the shooter or his family for wrongful death, but thats it.

[gramto8]

intrinsic*

[gramto8]

As far as a "museum guards" wanting bullet proof vests, that's the responsibility of the contract guard service that employs the guards, noone else.

Posted by libsRlost at 1:50 AM : Jun 12, 2009

I don't recall anyone saying that it was the MUSEUM's fault. The union rep would have been dealing with the EMPLOYER of the guard, not the museum.

BTW, what is with the " " around the words - museum guards. Museums generally house items of intrisic and/or historic value. They almost always have guards!

[casionova]

I smell a frivolous law suit coming from this guard's family.
Posted by libsRlost

Like you would feel that way if it was your family that got murdered

[harpoot]

I'm sure some MBA idiot got a bonus for saving the cost of the vests.

[dwright1now]

Wackenhut Security has always been a company that has put profits over people lives. This is not the first time this has happened. This company likes their fat wallets than giving theri people the tools to do their jobs. I hope Stephen Johns family sues the heck out of Wackenhut Security and maybe put the CEO in jail. Must be nice for that joker to sleep in his bed at night in his fancy mansion knowing all that money he should have spent on bulletproof vests bought his shiny new Aston Martin sports car. What a looser.

[ibsteve2u]

"The company would say only that all officers were wearing appropriate equipment as specified in their contract."

Read:

"Hey, pal - the purchase of personal protective equipment would inhibit profits. You go to work with the gear you have, not the gear you want."

[jincstress]

Theyll wait until this blows over and then tell the guards " sorry...budget cuts...but if you want to BUY YOUR OWN you're more than welcome." If war museum guards get body armor before our soldiers fighting in actual war get them- I'm moving.

[gravyboat3000]

They'll get their vests now.

My thoughts go out...

[summarex]

RE: Blood Talk

Scuse me but Rush is an ultrazionist. When he hears about a black man dying to further the cause of Zionism he gets all teary eyed and emotional!

[truth_police]

Azzonie Still Doesn't "Get It" - Azzonie, if we take you at your word, and accept your statement that you absolutely can NOT distinguish the difference between my earlier comments, and "hate speech" that threatens and portends violence (Like von Brunn's "You want my weapons -- this is how you'll get them") - Azzonie, if we accept your confession that you canNOT tell the difference, then in effect, you serve as a graphic example of what I am talking about, namely, someone at the lowest end of the "Cerebral Cognition" scale, who loves guns more than he loves peace, sanity or safety. When you have that kind of profound inability to make critical distinctions, you necessarily become part of the "problem" NOT part of the solution. And everything that comes out of your mouth is guaranteed to be upside-down - reality standing on its head. YIKES!!!!

[four17]

ANYONE hired to protect the property and citizens of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA on public property should by law be issued and required to wear protective equipment while performing their duties. The flag and all that represents it is a target for ignorant people 24/7/365. The equipment not only protects the wearer but can also be a factor in citizens such as my family or myself surviving an attack. Bullet proof vests are not illegal to purchase of own by a private citizen however any employee of the government or their contractors should be provided by the government or the employer. Then this story and the next ones would possibly have not been as tragic.

[winstrv]

We could all be like the Democrats and ask the UN for a resolution against killing. We could sit around and wring our hands wondering how this could happen. We could blame this and anything bad that happens on Bush and the Republicans. I know, let us take the Democratic stance against anyone owning guns. That way only the criminals and police officers will have them. I know the criminals will applaud this Democratic initiative.

[ubrew12]

Sometimes its just up to a madman. Sh*t happens, who knows why or how. This attempt to attach blame should fail. The idea that guards should have bullet-proof vests deserves a hearing. It doesn't deserve one now. Thats the journalistic equivalent of ambulance chasing.

[wtcmedic911]

For the money the security company must charge i would think they could afford vests for the guards. you could get a small arms to moderate caliber for 22lr-357/44 mag for aprox 400-500.00 more for a rifle round protection and for knives a ceramic plate. would think the company could deduct the cost and buy in bulk. its sad regardless.....

[wtcmedic911]

If I'm not mistaken, I think it is illegal for private citizens to purchase bullet proof vests.
Posted by Samuel-HiLL at 11:45 AM : Jun 11, 2009

unless its a local or city law its not a federal crime to own a vest. there are many supply places that you can purchase all the equipment. in dc i know they have plenty police/fire/rescue supply companies.

[shurch4truth]

"Nothing stops them from buying their own. I have to buy equipment for my job and so does a lot of Americans".

Posted by bannednancy at 11:09 AM : Jun 11, 2009

So a guy who works in a nuclear plant has to buy his own protective clothes?

So a guy that goes to war to fight for your freedon should buy his own humvee?

So a cop that rides a motocycle shoud buy his own helmet?

So a firemen should by her own turn-out equipment?

There's a differenc between having to buy your own hammer and specilized protective gear in an inheritly dangerous job......but you don't get it because you listen to Rush Limbaugh all day.

[shurch4truth]

Blood Talk

What is it?

Its what all the ultra conservatives listen to and it drives some of them to kill people

For example, Oklahoma City......this included killing children

Who does it?

Guys like the head of the GOP.....Rush Limbaugh


And other people that the right wing conservatives listens to like Glenn Beck and Michael Savage

What should we do about it?

Tell your righ wing friends to change the radio station

[azzonie]

truth_police, you sound like one of the wacos that commits this sort of crime. Paranoid conspiracy theorists like you have a lot in common with the shooter. Especially your mistrust of ?the system?. I expect you will be a news story yourself someday.