The 17th annual Bakersfield Business Conference was more patriotic than ever before.
In light of the terrorist attacks against New York and Washington, D.C., more than 9,000 attendees brought their spirit of allegiance along with their flags to the grounds of California State University, Bakersfield Saturday.
When they arrived they were greeted by another recent result of the terrorist attacks — security. Multiple agencies including CSUB police, the Bakersfield Police Department, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department as well as the FBI, Secret Service and Bakersfield Fire Department were in full effect during the all-day event.
Conference-goers were greeted in the morning by long lines and metal detectors at the entrance. Before the lines, police cadets lined the entrances and roadblocks kept cars out of restricted areas.
Everyone passed through the detectors including the media, checking bags and attendees’ personal effects.
Despite the militant style of security, including full-uniformed SWAT and bomb squad officers roaming the grounds, people who traveled to the conference were not only happy to go along with the enhanced measures but were happy to have them.
“I’m really glad for extra security,” said Eva Williams, one conference-goer. “They looked in my purse. They had us pull out phones, pagers, that sort of thing. They told us that the security would be here.”
Others commented on the line that grew for more than 250 feet at one point. Yet, no one complained.
“I can’t remember lines like this,” said Dot Johnson who traveled from Ridgecrest.
With her, Ken Kelley of Ridgecrest, said that he’s happy the security is here and that the wait was worth it.
“We spent 30 minutes in the line,” he said.
“I feel safe enough to come. I’m confident in the people securing this place.”
Conference organizer and host, attorney George Martin, managing partner with the sponsoring law firm, Borton, Petrini & Conron, LLP, said that by showing up, participants were thumbing their noses at terrorists.
“Frankly, I don’t give a damn about those terrorists,” Martin said. “I bet you that there isn’t another event in the country that you could go to that is more secure than the event that you are sitting in today.”
Martin almost canceled the event after the attacks on the East Coast.
After rallying the crowd, Martin boasted about this year’s conference featuring world leaders, entertainers and numerous other motivational personalities.
“You will laugh, you will probably cry, you will reflect, you will learn and hopefully, you will always remember.”
Making sure that the event was memorable for all the right reasons was a group of security officials led by Jack Campbell.
Campbell, a former SWAT commander with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, said that all necessary steps were taken to protect the public, that the show of strength was to not only thwart possible incidents but to visibly make the conference safe.
Campbell also said that a three-mile radius of airspace was restricted during the conference by the Federal Aviation Administration.
“If a person doesn’t heed the warnings and if they fly over, they’ll have their pilot’s license revoked from the FAA.”
Working alongside Campbell was Sgt. Danny Shrider, commander of the Bakersfield police’s SWAT division.
He said the SWAT members were on patrol throughout the day to spot any unusual behavior.
“We’re here every year,” he said. “We haven’t really changed much versus past years.”
He said that in years past people would ask why they were there and if there was a bomb threat.
This year, Shrider says, people didn’t asked questions and stayed away from the officers except in instances of “thanking us for being here,” he said.
Martin promised that next year would be even better. Scheduled to appear in 2002 will be Margaret Thatcher, voted in years past as the best speaker.
Guests’ reactions were reflective of the nation in the past weeks since the attacks.
Conference-goers like Johnson immediately noticed the new tent which incorporated two huge American flags printed on the tent’s canvas roof.
“I was concerned about our red, white and blue tent. That it’s a target,” said Johnson.
But the majority of people wanted to send a message that nothing would stop the conference.
“We need to be brave if we’re going to be free. We’re going to be brave here,” said Martin.
“We’re going to thumb our noses at those little suckers. We’re going to sit under this big flag and have a great time.”