The fiasco over a promotional giveaway by the Daily Telegraph has swelled into a public outcry. Dozens of people — including the editor and circulation director of the newspaper — were given the heave-ho from a parking area overlooking the Mercer County Airport by a person who identified himself as a federal agent for Homeland Security, and other titles.
The newspaper annually hides a plastic oval in the shape of an egg with a coupon inside that will reward the finder with $1,000 upon return to the newspaper offices. Billed as The Great Easter Egg Hunt, the project annually has attracted scores of area hunters who study clues printed daily identifying the location of the treasure.
This year, the popular project turned ugly when many hunters complained about threatening treatment by an overzealous “security agent”, an unfortunate development that for many has marred the intentions of the giveaway.
At issue was the location of the hidden egg, which was found last Saturday and brought to the Daily Telegraph Monday morning for the $1,000 redemption.
The prize was hidden beside a large boulder at an unpaved parking area near the Airport parking lot. Recognized for years as a public parking area, the lot seemed a good location inasmuch as it did not interfere with any airport operation or business. There was no signage indicating any restrictions of trespass.
Even so, airport management took issue with the arrival of hunters and the person wearing a jacket with “Airport Security” emblazoned on the back aggressively forbade anyone from searching for the egg, although when it was placed there Thursday, March 15, there was no one present to warn of any federal security violations.
An airline official based at the airport called the newspaper Monday supporting the attention the airport got, and apologized for the ensuing fallout. He welcomed the 200 or more hunters who looked for the egg over the weekend.
We understand the budget restraints of all agencies everywhere and the resultant limits of hiring agents, but surely a more efficient, professional use of security measures could be found. After all, the public itself is supposed to be the subject of protection.
Arrogance for our own protection doesn’t wash with anyone.
When we innocently hid the egg on March 15, we had no way of knowing of any restrictions. If the unpaved popular parking lot is vital to our protection from attack, it should be clearly marked.
We strongly urge the Mercer County Airport Authority to move swiftly to deal with the multitude of complaints that have bombarded the newspaper since Monday.
As for the newspaper, we sincerely regret the verbal abuse endured by all those who simply were looking for an egg of treasure. We know the humility and the fright of legal bombast.
A footnote we feel is an overlooked quality of all who were run off: No one was arrested because no one seriously challenged the appearance of federal security. The respect for authority was there. For that, we all can feel proud.
Source: Bluefield Daily Telegraph
XML Feeds
