I agree with you 110%!!! Far too often, when clubs and/or entertainers want security, rather than going to trained security professionals, they just go find the biggest, uglyest dudes they can find and call them security. Well newsflash, being big and ugly, or not so ugly for that matter, does not constitute real security, but rather a dangerous delusion. As soon as that delusion gets tested, disaster is two steps behind. A classic example of this is the E-2 niteclub tragedy here in Chicago a few years ago where 25 people needlessly lost their lives because of some idiots masquerading as security did something no trained security professional would ever do. Imagine a crowded night club with numerous industrial size fans blowing. Two women get into a fight and rather than step in and physically seperate the two, the so-called security pulls out a can of 10% pepper spray and spray the women. They must have sprayed quite a bit because it caused an instant panic. In the process of trying to run out of the only door, 25 people, 12 females and 13 males were trampled to death. Why would any sane person spray pepper spray in a room where you have even one, much less numerous industrial size fans blowing????????
In case you don't know, pepper spray was originally designed to repell bear attacks from people who were hiking in bear country. Pepper spray is an inflamatory agent designed to make the eyes swell shut and causes the esophogus to swell to the point that it will only allow enough breathing for basic life support. Additionally it makes the victim feel like his/her face is on fire. The effects last from 30 to 45 minutes. The only way to treat it is to submerge your face in cold water for as long as you can hold your breath for the next 30-45 minutes!
What should have required 2-3 security personel less than 30 seconds to seperate and eject the women ended up costing 25 people their lives.
Like so many things here in amerikkka, superficiality and image has replaced substance. Unfortunately, too many club owners/entertainers would rather hire a big ugly untrained brute who looks intimidating and pay them peanuts rather than hire some trained security professionals who's job is to maintain a safe pleasent environment where people will want to come back to.
I decided to stop bouncing when I simply got fed up with people threatening me. My personal policy is that if someone threatens me, they have till I get my hands around their throat to either carry out their threat or leave. As a security professional however, my job was to keep the peace, not kick the ass of every ignoramous who said something I didn't like. When I didn't feel like I could take it any more, I quit and did something else.
If a club owner doesn't fel that the source of his income (the participants) is worth giving adaquet protection, then you need to find somewhere else to party. After all, you are going out to have fun, not get caught up in a tragedy.