Bouncing in the Kingdom of Kong

In a country where law dictates the boundaries of our activities and citizens are punished according to the magnitude of their indiscretions, night club bouncers are provided a free pass. Bouncers accept the unrewarding job of controlling large crowds of people in often congested quarters for little pay. They are exploited by prospective party attendees at the door and bear the brunt of the machismo attitude created after a few beers by patrons.

I suspect that “bouncing” is a strenuous job and entails a lot of responsibility. However, I wouldn’t know – I’m just the unruly patron. I see bouncers presiding over their territory like a mother bear over her cubs. When party-goers step out of line, they pounce on them with often illegal and unethical tactics. They commit pre-emptive assaults in an effort to keep the peace without any need for justification. No where is this conduct better exemplified than in one of Harvard’s favorite fraternal venues – the “Kong.”

Be forewarned that when you enter the Kong you are essentially entering a sovereign nation without a constitution for governance. Bouncers are not trained proper techniques for mediating disputes, they are not required to meet any qualifications for employment, and they do not operate under any system of checks and balances.

Furthermore, they work in privately owned establishments which afford them the luxury of using whatever means necessary to “protect their property.” If you couple that with the natural propensity most bouncers embody towards aggressive behavior – a veritable totalitarian regime emerges.

These dictato…wait, bouncers blatantly disregard the civil rights of their customers, often just because they can. Meanwhile, the paying Kong club-goer, looking to revel in the chic party atmosphere and imbibe the occasional scorpion bowl, better not enjoy the party too much or the men in black will attack.

Amid the frustration expressed in this article, constructive elements can be found. The problem has been highlighted and as the Dude says, “this aggression will not stand, man.” Better policing efforts need to be implemented to mediate the power of bouncers and hold them accountable.

A better understanding of the civil and criminal justice systems needs to become a prerequisite for bouncers. They represent an enforcement mechanism – no different than police officers. They need to operate with the understanding that polite discourse often resolves situations, not force.

Bouncers serve a useful and much needed service, so let’s authenticate their occupations and provide them a constitutions-esque framework for which to behave. It's time over throw Kingdom “Kong” along with other like-minded counterparts and give the power to party back to the patrons.