I know you are being facetious, but everyone should probably know that those signs have no legal force whatsoever in the vast majority of states. The worst that can happen to you is that the owner of the business can call the police and have you trespassed, which means that you then can't return without threat of arrest for trespassing.
They can NOT arrest you for "illegally" carrying a gun unless the relevant authority (state, city, county etc) in your area has passed a law limiting where you can carry. Washington state, for example, has preempted the whole state for carry laws so there is no enforceable law or rule that says you can't carry into a theater.
As usual, check your state law to see if your state (Texas, for example) has given force of law to the posters of those signs. But most states haven't.
The sign means something. It means they think I shouldn't have a gun on their property and I am happy to oblige them, for no other reason that to avoid the scum that are attracted by that sign.
They don't want me and my gun on their property carries that penalty that my money will be spent elsewhere.
It matters not to me to see a film six months after it opens in the comfy confines of my home. The food is better, cheaper and I don't have to deal with my inconsiderate fellow movie goers... Come to think on it, all of those reasons are good enough to stay away from a theater, the gun thing is just icing.
It seems like for a long time the movie industry has been ever more interested in discouraging me to spend money on it.
That sign is on a private premise. You will not get jail time for defending yourself there. The theater would only be allowed to sue you for "restitution" over not complying with a private rule on private property.
And with a competent lawyer you could reduce that amount to very small and make the theater look bad for promoting victim disarmament.
It's like you being told by one of your friends not to bring your gun but you do it anyways and end up needing to use it because of an armed intruder. Your "friend" could only sue you for damages in a civil court of law. He could not sue you in a criminal court.
Where it could get you in jail is government buildings or schools. Because there the government can actually press criminal charges on you.
When you go to college campus, that's where you need to worry the most about the law. Not when you go to the theater.
But I don't think anybody will sue your nor charge you for stopping a lethal attacker and defending yourself and others on a school campus.
A good lawyer will most certainly win the case.
If you go into government buildings, however, they would most certainly press criminal charges, so make sure they have their own armed security. But they most always do.
It looks like the dumbass had successfully suicided by cop.
ReplyDeleteHe went into the theater with pepper spray, a hatchet, and a realistic looking air gun, and attacked and cut patrons until the police ended him.
My SOP in regards to no guns allowed or gun free zone at a bidness, is to not give them my money. Simple, no guns, no bidness.
ReplyDeleteI know you are being facetious, but everyone should probably know that those signs have no legal force whatsoever in the vast majority of states. The worst that can happen to you is that the owner of the business can call the police and have you trespassed, which means that you then can't return without threat of arrest for trespassing.
ReplyDeleteThey can NOT arrest you for "illegally" carrying a gun unless the relevant authority (state, city, county etc) in your area has passed a law limiting where you can carry. Washington state, for example, has preempted the whole state for carry laws so there is no enforceable law or rule that says you can't carry into a theater.
As usual, check your state law to see if your state (Texas, for example) has given force of law to the posters of those signs. But most states haven't.
Thankfully, in Florida that sign means nothing, and I will ignore them.
ReplyDeleteThe sign means something. It means they think I shouldn't have a gun on their property and I am happy to oblige them, for no other reason that to avoid the scum that are attracted by that sign.
ReplyDeleteThey don't want me and my gun on their property carries that penalty that my money will be spent elsewhere.
It matters not to me to see a film six months after it opens in the comfy confines of my home. The food is better, cheaper and I don't have to deal with my inconsiderate fellow movie goers... Come to think on it, all of those reasons are good enough to stay away from a theater, the gun thing is just icing.
It seems like for a long time the movie industry has been ever more interested in discouraging me to spend money on it.
They can rest easy that they were successful.
That sign is on a private premise. You will not get jail time for defending yourself there.
ReplyDeleteThe theater would only be allowed to sue you for "restitution" over not complying with a private rule on private property.
And with a competent lawyer you could reduce that amount to very small and make the theater look bad for promoting victim disarmament.
It's like you being told by one of your friends not to bring your gun but you do it anyways and end up needing to use it because of an armed intruder. Your "friend" could only sue you for damages in a civil court of law. He could not sue you in a criminal court.
Where it could get you in jail is government buildings or schools. Because there the government can actually press criminal charges on you.
When you go to college campus, that's where you need to worry the most about the law. Not when you go to the theater.
But I don't think anybody will sue your nor charge you for stopping a lethal attacker and defending yourself and others on a school campus.
A good lawyer will most certainly win the case.
If you go into government buildings, however, they would most certainly press criminal charges, so make sure they have their own armed security. But they most always do.