A Convention's weapon prop policy...

I have been keeping an eye on this topic and was just reading the Weapons policy for Anime Expo which stakes that you can't bring any form of weapon in BUT once you have purchased one from within the Expo it must remain wrapped and removed from premises. What freaking hypocrites! If this **** migrates here to Oz I'll consider leaving. It appears common sense no longer prevails in OUR galaxy any more.
 
The answer is relitively simple. IF your group - Galactic Knights, 501st, Mercs or however is trooping an event then have your command staff check with the organisers beforehand to ensure that you are exempt for the rule that applies to the general public.
I don't know how it works for other countries, but here we "work" the event - so we don't pay to get in and we aren't subject to any prop weapons restrictions. Perhaps that's the way to go.
IF the event organisers turned around and said to us "actually, you can't carry those weapons" we'd not attend. IF we had arrived and they then said that then we'd leave.

Whilst it sucks that they are doing this to all costumers - it should be possible for those in various groups to get around these kind of rules.
 
Most of the time we usualy have to pay to get in....I know other UK groups do what Orthar posted above though. It sounds WAY better than going in as a single person trying to do something IMO. However, being in the UK, I'd think it'd be harder to get the prop weapons there in the first place. :p ;)
 
Most of the time our clans check ahead of time to see what restrictions the event has, but at Orthar also states above...we rarely run into this because 90% of our troops are in a "hired" (you hire mercenaries right? =P) status.

I personally have never been tagged at a convention, and I've never been asked by staff to get a weapon tagged at any con (DCon and SDCC included). I only pull my pistols for pics, and rarely carry anything larger than a pistol...so that may have alot to do with it. I don't care for the brightly colored tape on my nice weapons, and don't go out of my way for them to put it on. =P
 
The media has an agenda like these anime's do. They don't want the non-anime tumes running the show.


Actually, the weapon policy doesn't single out any genres. The weapon policy singles out ALL genres, whether it is Star Wars or anime. If anything, the weapon restrictions are going to hurt the anime costumers just as much as the Star Wars costumers. (Just go to their website and read their policy. You can see that it applied to all costumers alike.) 501st costumers have been going to this particular con for years , but this new revised weapon policy is going to hurt both Star Wars and anime costumers alike.

You can't blame the entire anime genre for this convention's restrictive weapon policy. Traditionally many anime conventions have always welcomed Star Wars costumers, and I can tell you that the Japanese are totally crazy about Star Wars.

In fact, in Japan some of the costumers there have carried realistic looking props in the past at some of their events.
 
We are costumers...we are trying to look "real". I personally dont want to have to carry around unpainted nerf blasters or have my nice weapons covered in orange and pink tape...perhaps cons should have checkpoints before you enter to make sure that all weapons are safe...or something!!! Boomer and Django have great points...:cheers my two cents and IMHO...:)
 
this is a stupid idea. What's to stop someone from painting a real gun those bright colors? Put it in a holster and it looks just like a fake one.

yep.... :lol:


i said the same thing about the zip ties even though i think those are a lot better than the paint...and more fair to people who are just trying to make the costume look as real as possible.


i think stricter check points for weapons should be used.....and maybe people on the floor as well making sure everyone's prop weapons are registered so in case of any incident the center knows exactly what you took in.



in the end....rules are just rules...if someone wants to do something stupid...they can find a way to
 
I can see why they would want to make such a ban... and well... as cool as blasters are, sometimes you just have to accept the rules. It's not like I'm going to see a stormtrooper and say "hey that guy doesn't have a blaster... LAME". I'll see him and say "that guy looks awesome". I think people are making a big deal out of what seems to be a non issue imo.
 
Actually I am of the opinion they would. Okay maybe they'd not say it's lame but they would want to know why the Stormtroopers are unarmed, and why Rex or Jango for example has empty holsters. When people expect to see it on a character they notice when parts of it are not there - even if they are not 100% familiar with everything to do with said character.
I trooped the Download Rock Festival last year without my jet pack after one of the straps of the harness broke whilst I was putting it on. Loads of people notcied I did not have it and commented - usually along ther lines of "Hey Boba! Where's your rocket pack?" They noticed that (but not that my armour is not boba's! :lol:) So they'd notice a lack of weapons.
Personally I couldn't care less about Anime characters not having their huge swords (but then I have no interest in anime) - besides, I couldn't tell one anime character from the next and niether could most of the public. But stick Vader and some Stormtroopers or Clones out there and practically everyone on the planet knows who you are! - minor exageration. And in my experiance practically everyone that comes over wants to be shot, arrested or sabered for a photo - not exactly easy to do if some Jobs-Worth has said "No blasters! No blasters!"
Get your group to get an exemption to the rule or don't attend.
I've walked into jewellers stores in full armour and carrying more (prop) weapons then a New York street gang. If any place has a worry about possible real guns its them, yet all they wanted to do was pose for photos with us!
Okay, America has far more guns then almost anywhere else, and yes someone could decide that their Stargate uniform for example, would look so much better if they took the real gun they happen to have or maybe even just the realistic bb gun. But a little common sense says that the first is unlikely and that a simple check by a member of convention security with firearms experiance would identify any actual weapons easily.
What's next "Errr.. Sorry Darth but you can't bring that in here unless it's made of neon pink foam and squeeks when you wave it about"?
 
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I would have to agree with the checkpoints. Every gunshow I have attended has an officer at the front to make sure your weapon is clear and the puts a ziptie on the trigger or slide so you can be assured its not loaded. Does he also check to see you don't have a knife or cutters to remove the ziptie??? NO! Its just so that a person that wants to look at your gun can feel assured that you have it unloaded. If a nut wants to bring in ammo and start blasting, FEEL FREE! He won't get his third round off before twenty gun dealing Oklahoma rednecks put a nice group in his chest and forehead.
Here is the kicker, these conventions are run by the gun hating left. I say this out of common sense. If a gun toting maniac was to come in with a shotgun in his pants or two glocks strapped to his chest are they going to catch him??? If a costumer wanted to hide an H&K MP5 in his rocket pack will it be found??? No! They want to avoid the perception that they condone the Second Amendment. They want the world to know that they are anti-gun and they send the message the way they can.
In Australia and England are you safer because they removed your rights to firearms or are the only people left with guns the criminals??? I know that Japan once made public after WWII that they refused to attempt to invade the US mainland because all us crazy Americans had guns....think about it...Perception...both sides...I digress
 
Let's not get too hasty here. This is about prop weapons at cons, not the 2nd Amendment or right to own firearms. Let's try to remember that so this thread doesn't get locked and we can still have fun.

That being said, I'm really angry about this, even though I'll never go to an anime con. If these stupid policies keep going the way they are, soon you won't be able to wear any face coverings for "security reasons!"
 
.........stirrrrrrring the pot...........stir......stir.......MUHAHAHAHAH!!!


But you do have to ask yourself, "What are they truly trying to accomplish?" Are they keeping people safe or presenting an image? If it's not them then it might be their insurance carrier making silly rules as well? Agenda or finance? I can only sit and watch because either way it is the negative steroe-type that firearms have gotten that force narrow minded people into thinking that somehow they are making the world a better or safer place and all they do is clinch thier grip tighter on the American populace. Its like the dog that you beat mercilessly for ten days then wonder why he won't come when you call him....IMO!!!
 
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ONCE AGAIN, CHEERS, BOOMER!!

and on a side note. We're all fairly reasonable people here. At least I am sometimes! :p

I just want to compliment EVERYBODY on both sides of this argument. We are discussing, even arguing against one another around, a VERY Volatile subject. However, I see we are ALL giving passionate, but CIVIL arguments. Free, open discussion amongst people is how things are solved properly.
 
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Sorry to get off topic. I agree with Boomer, and the way the country is moving right now it is only a matter of time before someone will be knocking on our door, looking to take any guns or ammo. Not to get into any politics, but if you don't think it's true ask any of your local gun dealers. Ever since November gun sales have been at a record high, the economy might be bad but people are buying up as many guns as they can.
 
lol it's funny, I'm very pro gun rights, yet I'm one of the only ones who came out on the opposing side for this. Honestly, I'm fine with the guns, but I also understand why they are choosing to ban realistic looking toy guns. Even in stores today, you would b hard pressed to find a toy gun that is not green or pink. While I'd love to carry a blaster, it won't make or break the convention for me. Anyways, that's my two cents lol
 
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