My husband and daughter went to a Neil deGrasse Tyson show last night at Old National Center (we, being old, still call it the Murat, but I digress.
They arrived early to find a security check at the entrance. This was apparently not one of those "peek in the bag, let you go" but they were using metal detectors and claimed that people needed to remove everything from their pockets (pennies and gum wrapper were specifically mentioned outloud). My husband was not carrying his gun at the time but had a very small pocket knife. He didn't want to go back to the car, so he tried hiding it with his change and phone in the bowl. This failed, and he had to go back to the car to find a longer line. He also indicated they were doing pretty detailed checks of every bag brought in.
They got into the show on time but many people did not. The line was so slow that there were people entering for over 20 minutes after the show started. So this not only interfered with a right to carry, and a right to save yourself from various emergencies and inconveniences with your pocket knife, but also reduced the enjoyment of the show.
I'm wondering what person or organization made this security decision. The Shriners apparently still own the building. They, on the surface, are not anti-gun. They hold a charity sportsmans raffle every year. Would this be a theater manager?
With the rate of concealed carry permit holders in Indiana I find this security check a very bad choice from the PR standpoint as well as (obviously) the freedom standpoint. My husband also said there was no evidence of armed security in the theater. (I give some credibility to the idea of thorough security checks if there is actual security provided though I'd still prefer to keep my own at hand).
I also have to think this level of delay and intrusion annoyed a lot of people that don't even carry guns or knives.
Finally, I just looked at their website and the FAQs don't cover this issue at all. I'd be super-ticked if others saw me with my gun or knife and then knew I was putting it in my car. I'd of course be already super-ticked that I bought an expensive ticket and was being disarmed in order to use it.
They arrived early to find a security check at the entrance. This was apparently not one of those "peek in the bag, let you go" but they were using metal detectors and claimed that people needed to remove everything from their pockets (pennies and gum wrapper were specifically mentioned outloud). My husband was not carrying his gun at the time but had a very small pocket knife. He didn't want to go back to the car, so he tried hiding it with his change and phone in the bowl. This failed, and he had to go back to the car to find a longer line. He also indicated they were doing pretty detailed checks of every bag brought in.
They got into the show on time but many people did not. The line was so slow that there were people entering for over 20 minutes after the show started. So this not only interfered with a right to carry, and a right to save yourself from various emergencies and inconveniences with your pocket knife, but also reduced the enjoyment of the show.
I'm wondering what person or organization made this security decision. The Shriners apparently still own the building. They, on the surface, are not anti-gun. They hold a charity sportsmans raffle every year. Would this be a theater manager?
With the rate of concealed carry permit holders in Indiana I find this security check a very bad choice from the PR standpoint as well as (obviously) the freedom standpoint. My husband also said there was no evidence of armed security in the theater. (I give some credibility to the idea of thorough security checks if there is actual security provided though I'd still prefer to keep my own at hand).
I also have to think this level of delay and intrusion annoyed a lot of people that don't even carry guns or knives.
Finally, I just looked at their website and the FAQs don't cover this issue at all. I'd be super-ticked if others saw me with my gun or knife and then knew I was putting it in my car. I'd of course be already super-ticked that I bought an expensive ticket and was being disarmed in order to use it.