"Reef Safe" Vendors

[CheckeredPants]

I keep seeing "Reef Safe" all through this thread, makes me think that it's branding for company of some sort.

I’m thinking it’s a catchy way to raise awareness about an issue within the reefing convention space.

 

[MTBake]

I thought this would be about vendors that only sold aquacultured corals based on the thread title, lol!

 

[helen ann]

Can we try to not attack one another? I am open to all feedback and even the criticism on my idea, can we try and just have the conversation without it getting ugly?!?

 

[SandJ]

1)Would the wristbands be optional? Can I refuse it when I enter?
2)And if they are optional, what keeps someone from just cutting a kids wrist band off?
3)Sometimes my husband and 8 year old tag along to frag shows. How will it work with 2 parents at an event? Or if my older kids (18 and 16 years old) take my 8 year old?

@helen ann , sorry to repost these questions but I did not see the answers anywhere.

 

[CheckeredPants]

I honestly wasn’t really sure what I was witnessing in the moment and my instinct was to grab my son. That was it. I got angry and my younger son realized I was upset. I then left the venue with the people we were there with and I said something to them once we were walking to our cars.

 

[samnaz]

It’s been a while since I’ve posted in these pages and now I see why. Constant conflict over things that should be a simple act of kindness. I am currently under the assumption that some of you if not most have never been on the receiving end of this type of abuse and it shows greatly in your comments. And since this may be my last opportunity to speak before I am expelled I’ll say this. You can conjecture yourselves to death thinking about how these situations could impact the bottom line. The fact of the matter at hand is, to some of you, it’s absurdity to even speak of any opportunity that might create a hurdle for anyone attempting to make a buck. It actually says quite a lot about who and what we are as a group. And before any of you go clutching your pearls and gasping with offense, I’d suggest you ask a victim how they feel about the idea.

+1 I 100% agree with all of this.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

I've cleaned up some of the posts. Guys, we can debate the ideas about the proposed action. We will not call into question each others motives or life events that have been shared. Please remember our site terms of service. We ask that everyone be treated with respect here.

 

[mattzang]

well this was slightly different than what i thought i was clicking on.. lol

so we don't want to name the vendor.. can we at least get the basics of his meganslaw page without his name and address? then we know whether or not the guy is a legitimate threat going forward or a serial urinater

i'd also say, meganslaw is public knowledge for a reason. some states are stupid and list all crimes including urinating in public, but i'm from California and they only list sexual crimes committed against minors. so if you're on there, you're doing it real wrong.

 

[Johnike]

You go Helen! Atta girl.

 

[helen ann]

@helen ann , sorry to repost these questions but I did not see the answers anywhere.

Nothing will stop anything from cutting them off just like when I take my kid to chucky cheese they give us bracelets, someone could easy cut it off him but if someone tried to remove him from venue they would be unable too.

None of these ideas are 100% but that does mean we shouldn’t use them, that would be like saying that hospitals, fire departments, other trade shows, and indoor playgrounds shouldn’t either, it’s just an added safeguard for parents.

 

[Acrofiend]

Background checks on all the vendors!

 

[motortrendz]

Background checks on all the vendors!

And what about every person who walks though the door? Or the people who are walking down the street? If they're legally allowed to be there you cant single them out.

As for the one who put his hands on a kid... that should have been reported.. that would have ended that situation.
See something say something. That's the right way to get something done. Not to go after people who may have made a mistake in their life they they did their time/therapy made corrections in their life and are now a contributing member of society. I've worked in some of the worst prisons, I've seen what unfixable looks like. And I've also seen people who genuinely changed their lives. And will have a stigma/cloud over their head for the rest of their lives.

Im.honeslty done with this thread. Im.sorry for anyone who was a victim, and I'd do anything to prevent anyone from getting hurt without infringing on the rights of someone who paid their debt... the best way to be safe is to have a plan yes!, but it's also the responsibility of the parent guardian of a child to make sure they're safe. Honestly getting annoyed by this thread now.. can we just go back to talking about fish and coral. And leave the law enforcement stuff to law enforcement forums

 

[helen ann]

Background checks on all the vendors!

To be honest that was my first approach and I got so much more pushback than I am getting now.

So, after a lot of research and knowing he had a right to be there is why I came up with this idea‍♀ but as we see, this idea isn’t any more acceptable to people.

 

[motortrendz]

Theres almost 800,000 people nationally in that list. I'm sure a good % of them have changed their lives. It's the ones who are not on the list who are predators that I would worry about. I dont need safe zones...I AM MY CHILDS SAFE ZONE.

It's just like saying take guns away well all be safer... lol except that people not following the law are still gonna do what they want.

 

[helen ann]

Um no... I'm stating facts.

Theres almost 800,000 people nationally in that list. I'm sure a good % of them have changed their lives. It's the ones who are not on the list who are predators that I would worry about. I dont need safe zones...I AM MY CHILDS SAFE ZONE.

It's just like saying take guns away well all be safer... lol except that people not following the law are still gonna do what they want.

Ok, then as I stated ... all other places that do something similar aren’t needed as well.

I too am my child’s safe zone but if something as simple as an armband makes him even 1% safer then why not just do it?!?

 

[motortrendz]

Ok, then as I stated ... all other places that do something similar aren’t needed as well.

I too am my child’s safe zone but if something as simple as an armband makes him even 1% safer then why not just do it?!?

I'm all.for the armbands. I said that earlier. It's the other comments that really are unnecessary. This whole conversation would have gone a completely different way if this was just about keeping kids safer only. But theres lots of added "fluff" in this about someone and their past.

How about added security in the event of an active shooter? Have plan for that too?? I'd be more consered about that. Metal detectors coming in? I'm all for safety for all. And having a plan is awesome. But this just feels like it's more personal (obviously bc of your experience, and I'm so sorry that happened to you) but as I said before you csnt background check everyone that walks though the door, which there will be more consumers than vendors. So the likely hood of a consumer being an offender is alot higher. I'm not trying to give you a hard time or fight. You said you wanted a dialog. Im giving you a dialogue. Its. Its not personal to me. One thing I have had to learn while working where I did was you cant judged everyone by their offense. You have to treat them with the respect youd expect. And their actions in the situation deems how that are treated in return. Hope that makes sense what I'm trying to say.

 

[tripdad]

I have been sitting here staring at this thread for about 20 minutes now and trying my best to understand why I can't let it go, just click off it onto another thread. The reason is because it rings to what is wrong with America right now. The "I'm mad at you, I disagree with you so I'm going to destroy you" attitude. I don't think the OP means to go down this road, however she is close to doing so. I think her intent is to protect children, period, nothing more, nothing less. But, that said, outing this man is wrong. In this country we have rules that we all agree to whether we are born into citizenship or seek it out. One of them is that our legal system be fair and balanced. If this man has been judged, sentenced and served his sentence and abided by the rules placed on him by the court then WE as citizens have agreed to respect that. It is not our right to become judge, jury or executioner. I am about the least religious person I know but I do understand the Bible and I do understand that we all have the right to seek redemption. Do I have the right to disregard another mans rights after he has been judged, sentenced and served by our court system because of my own scars, my past experience? We cannot if we want to keep a fair and balanced society. Protect the children but remember we are all someones child.

 

[Silver14SS]

To be honest that was my first approach and I got so much more pushback than I am getting now.

So, after a lot of research and knowing he had a right to be there is why I came up with this idea‍♀ but as we see, this idea isn’t any more acceptable to people.

I think I've asked 3 or 4 times now, if there was no incident, why were they even researched after the fact?

And what's the criteria to be accepted into the safe squad to get the "not a felon" badge?

 

[helen ann]

I'm all.for the armbands. I said that earlier. It's the other comments that really are unnecessary. This whole conversation would have gone a completely different way if this was just about keeping kids safer only. But theres lots of added "fluff" in this about someone and their past.

How about added security in the event of an active shooter? Have plan for that too?? I'd be more consered about that. Metal detectors coming in? I'm all for safety for all. And having a plan is awesome. But this just feels like it's more personal (obviously bc of your experience, and I'm so sorry that happened to you) but as I said before you csnt background check everyone that walks though the door, which there will be more consumers than vendors. So the likely hood of a consumer being an offender is alot higher. I'm not trying to give you a hard time or fight. You said you wanted a dialog. Im giving you a dialogue. Its. Its not personal to me. One thing I have had to learn while working where I did was you cant judged everyone by their offense. You have to treat them with the respect youd expect. And their actions in the situation deems how that are treated in return. Hope that makes sense what I'm trying to say.

I understand I can’t make it 100% safe. I can’t stop an active shooter nor can I do anything about the attendees who may want to harm anyone.

I didn’t make the OP here and had I, I might have changed the wording but it is what it is at this point.

My intention was only to have a conversation, engage the reefing community on their thoughts.

 

[motortrendz]

If your running/hosting the show you can do whatever you'd like... and we know your not the OP but he did post your original post.