Posted on 07/08/2008 1:21:49 PM PDT by neverdem
Walt Disney World fired a security guard on Monday after he protested the company's decision not to allow people with concealed weapons permits to keep guns in their cars on Disney property.
Disney terminated Edwin Sotomayor, 36, of Orlando for violating three Disney employee policies, essentially for failing to cooperate with an internal investigation, said spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez. Sotomayor vowed to continue his fight.
At issue is Florida's new law that allows people with concealed weapons permits to keep firearms in their vehicles in employee parking lots.
Disney advised its employees late last month that the theme-park resort is exempt from that state law, and that they may not bring firearms onto the property. Disney stated that its gun policy is based on safety concerns for visitors and employees.
Sotomayor alerted local media last week that he intended to challenge Disney's claim of an exemption to the new law by bringing a gun to work, locked in his vehicle. When he showed up for work at Disney's Animal Kingdom on Friday, he declined to let Disney authorities search his car. Disney suspended him pending an investigation, then fired him Monday...
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
I understand why Sotomayor did not want Disney searching his car, but it does give Disney an excuse for firing him. If, as reported, he refused to let Disney search his car and refused to cooperate with a subsequent investigation, they do not know that he had a gun, although they has reason to believe that he did. As such, he was not fired for having a gun, and he’s in a much weaker position to challenge Disney’s claim that they are exempt from the law. He has to prove a bunch of other stuff first.
This should be viewed as a private property rights not the right to bear arms. However if he had parked in a public place it’s a different matter.
yes they do, they have always tried to circumvent the laws here in florida. they have their own police force over there that write speeding tickets. the mouse house is not what walt would have wanted and i am sure he is turning in his grave at what it became.
"Mr. Mouse, you can't divorce your wife just because she is having mental problems!"
"No, your Honor, I didn't say she was crazy... I said she was #$%^@&g Goofy!"
That one never gets old...
I get so sick of hearing this disingenuous argument. Disney is not private property in the same sense that your house is private property. It IS A PUBLIC BUSINESS. They cannot keep people out because they’re black. They cannot keep people out because they’re handicapped. They cannot keep people out because they’re gay. There are different expectations of what you can and cannot allow if you open a business to the public. If you open a public business you must lower your expectations on who and what you may allow on your property. (But of course you knew that. This argument has been gone over so many times on this forum that you’d have to be blind not to have seen it before. I don’t know why I even bothered responding. )
They've pulled a legislative fast one, basically. Whether or not it will stand up to court challenge remains to be seen. It's good to hear McCollum's FL DA office is now taking reports of violations. And I expect to see a follow-up bill sometime next year that will plug this loophole.
Individuals can file complaints if their right to have a firearm, locked in a vehicle in a parking lot, for self-protection and other lawful purposes is being violated by a business.
ALERT: Attorney General taking Complaints of rights violations under new gun law
Attorney General Bill McCollum's spokeswoman Sandi Copes said the attorney general's office is encouraging anyone with a complaint about rights violations under the new gun law to contact the office.
That means complaints can/should be filed by any customer, vendor, invitee or employee whose right to have firearm in a private vehicle for self-defense or other lawful purposes is being violated by a company's gun ban policy that prohibits a person from having a firearm locked in a vehicle in a parking lot.
That includes the DisneyCorp., Universal Studios, Georgia Pacific or any other business that continues to ban lawful possession of firearms locked in private vehicles in parking lots after passage of the new law.
The hot line number is: 866-966-7226 or you can file an online complaint at www.myfloridalegal.com. Click on the button at the bottom of the page.
Or use MY FL LEGAL
Complaints can also be filed by using the following infomation.
To contact Attorney General Bill McCollum please email:
ag.mccollum@myfloridalegal.com
Main office mailing address:
Office of Attorney General
State of Florida
The Capitol PL-01
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
Main office telephone numbers
Switchboard: 850-414-3300
Citizens Services: 850-414-3990
ADA Coordinator: 850-414-3900
Florida Relay/TDD: 800-955-8771
Florida Toll Free: 1-866-966-7226
I’m not in Florida, but I’ll pass the message. See comment# 89, please.
bttt
I’m wondering if the law covers customers of a business or just employees?
I found it. It essentially covers everyone, employees, customers, invitees etc... For those who are interested in the actual text of the law can be found here - http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=37914
“AOL uses explosives?”
Yes. AOL email spam makes me explode.
Sorry I got my first two days and dates confused. The article was published Tue. July 8th, the employee was firedt Mon. July 7th. The Friday, July 4th day and date seems to be accurate though.
I don't have that problem with them, I left that anti-gun company 13 years ago.
99.9999% sure I will never go back.
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