Regal Cinemas Now Checking Bags and Backpacks

[wally]

The fact is, you can't expect a $9/hr employee to thoroughly check 15,000 backpacks and purses a night. They probably only check the main compartment, and even then only look to see if a gun is sitting right on top in plain view. They won't rake the effort to shuffle through the contents.

This reminded me of something I though strange. While boarding the Boliver Ferry in Galveston our car was pulled aside for "screening". I informed the oficer I had a CHL and was carrying, he said OK.

I don't know if it was because I had a CHL, but I was somewhat appalled by the lameness of the "search". If I was really hiding something he'd never have found it. At least it didn't take long enough to make us miss the boat.

He could just as likely have been wearing an explosive vest or belt under his clothing.

This illustrates the difference between real security and "do something!" feel-good security.

Despite Political Corectness, profiling like the Israelis do is the real solution. Maybe Trumps "plain talk" will wake folks up -- like him or hate him, he is is talking about real issues!

 

[Rush_Fan]

I have no problem with never going to a movie theater again. Overpriced food and beverages and ticket prices.

 

[homers]

free advertising and the ability to conduct a search (there's something in the Constitution about this ) for people bringing in candy and drinks. I've heard the movie studio gets 90% of the ticket sales money so the theater needs to make their money on concessions.

 

[Sniper66]

Our local Regal theater does the bag check thing. This and my local Dick's Sporting Goods store asking me if I'm an American citizen when I buy ammo are both for the purpose of wanting to give the appearance of doing "something". When one of these catastrophes occurs, everyone says "We have to do something." The only thing I fault them for is being dim-witted. But, they only want credit for having good intentions since they obviously have no solutions.

 

[TwinReverb]

Really? You can not be considered a law abiding citizen for having broken NO law?

how? I don't know how being asked to leave would be a big win for the anti gunners. I've been asked to go put my gun in my car by one establishment. No anti gunners won anything.

say again? How's that? Civil damages?

First, I guess trespassing isn't a law.

Second, I guess making headlines if the theater blows it out of proportion doesn't matter to you. It might be far-fetched, but it's not worth my time or my risk.

Third, civil court is far different than criminal court. All they have to do is prove within, say, oh, 50%, that you damaged their business. If you made a scene and they saw people leave the theater, and/or if it hit the news and/or if the cops get called, etc, they can try to take your money in court. And as a business, they have lawyers and money. Sorry, I don't want to piss off anyone with lawyers and money in a national chain. A lot of people who aren't rich like to get all proud and start a you-know-what measuring contest when I say this, stating they can't be touched. Again, it's asking the wrong question: do you have $5,000 to throw away in your own defense in court, knowing you won't get it back? Is $5,000 or more pocket change for you? It ain't for me.

My reputation and good name, and the reputation of all gun owners, is more important to me.

Quite frankly, why would someone want to support, with money, a business such as Regal, that is violating our rights in the name of so-called safety? Any gun owner who patronizes Regal while they're violating our rights should be ashamed of themselves in the first place.

In the second place, anyone who gets all bent out of shape when businesses disrespect our right to carry guns yet then gets bent out of shape when someone suggests they respect the rights of a business and/or individual to do what they want on their own property is a hypocrite.

And a hypocrite is not something I want to be. So am I going to intentionally violate their business's wishes just because I want to be a jerk? No. Either if I can't help it (USPS, for instance) I'll disarm in my car before going in, or I can help it (by going somewhere else).

It's time we exerted the influence we have with our economic power on businesses who violate our rights. So if they have no guns signs on their doors, if you can go elsewhere, go elsewhere. Asking one's self if one can get away with carrying concealed in a business that has "no guns" signs up is asking the wrong question.

 

[Sam1911]

First, I guess trespassing isn't a law.

You're trespassing if you DON'T LEAVE when requested. You can't be prosecuted (in most cases) for simply being there, violating some policy. One is breaking the law. One is not.

Second, I guess making headlines if the theater blows it out of proportion doesn't matter to you. It might be far-fetched, but it's not worth my time or my risk.

How does this even happen? I can't imagine it. "Blows it out of proportion?" They ask and you leave. Or they call the cops, who ask and you leave. That's about all that can possibly be a realistically common response. I don't have a problem with being concerned about what might happen -- but I have to have some realistic belief that a bad thing is actually possible. And in this case I really don't even have a clear picture of what the bad thing would look like. Some theater manager flipping his pancakes and screaming at me while I walk out? That's about as unreasonable a response as I can picture, and I've never even heard of THAT happening.

Third, civil court is far different than criminal court. All they have to do is prove within, say, oh, 50%, that you damaged their business. If you made a scene and they saw people leave the theater, and/or if it hit the news and/or if the cops get called, etc, they can try to take your money in court.

Let's find an instance where this actually happened to someone carrying a gun. Then I'll consider it a realistic concern. Someone sued in civil court for damages related to loss of revenue over the scene caused because they were asked to leave (and responded acceptably) for having carried a gun, without breaking the law. Let's not be scared into helplessness by implausible boogeymen.

Quite frankly, why would someone want to support, with money, a business such as Regal, that is violating our rights in the name of so-called safety?

They aren't violating MY rights. It is their place of business and they want to check BAGS, which I don't carry. They aren't keeping me from carrying a concealed sidearm -- not by ANY stretch. Why is this all that big a deal?

Don't want your BAG checked? Don't carry A BAG. Rights violated? Exactly none.

It's time we exerted the influence we have with our economic power on businesses who violate our rights.

First, we have to identify a business that is violating our RIGHTS. Like it or not, Regal Cinemas is NOT violating anyone's rights. We should probably stop using that kind of hyperbole.

Asking one's self if one can get away with carrying concealed in a business that has "no guns" signs up is asking the wrong question.

All depending on your state's laws. As always, the real question is: "What does the LAW say?" Putting extra layers of complexity on top of that underlying question is not usually necessary.

 

[Texgun]

The Regal I have attended in my area has long had an anti weapons sign (as part of a laundry list of can/can not do) hanging very high up on the ticket window in quite small language. Most likely not legal in many places. Never stopped me.

Last Thursday I was talking to the Mgr. while waiting to get into theatre. He said corporate reasoning (not necessarily his) was that:

- private property
- no question refund if you want
- they "search" nobody. They ask that bags / backpacks be opened so they can see inside but will not touch anything in those items.
- can return items to car and come back in.
- in no way can they touch a person in any way shape or form.

He did say that the only backpack a guy came in with that he had to look inside contained dirty laundry, and he was Quickly cleared!

I am not justifying their policy, just relating what this man said, and in a very polite and understanding way.

He, in fact, brought up the fact that the one guy entered into the back door in the one theatre incident.

 

[TwinReverb]

All depending on your state's laws. As always, the real question is: "What does the LAW say?" Putting extra layers of complexity on top of that underlying question is not usually necessary.

You're still not getting it. You can't support everyone's right to bear arms but then krap on the rights of private property owners through your disrespect without being a hypocrite. I'm not talking state law right now.

Do you like being disrespected? Of course not: none of us do. But then why would you disrespect the rights of the theater?

And more importantly, why are you continuing to give them money? They have made it clear before (no guns signs) that they don't respect our gun rights, and then on top of this, now they don't respect our 4th amendment rights to not have our bags checked upon entry.

Sure, you can play "footsie" with the no guns signs because of the way your state's laws are written. It's not good in the sense of establishing bad habits (what if you forget when you visit some other state where the signs have force of law?), but that's not really the point I'm making. The point I'm making is that you're still patronizing an establishment that kraps on your rights. You're paying for them to continue to keep their patrons disarmed.

You do what you want and I'll do what I want. I'm boycotting Regal.

And I'll agree to disagree here, but ultimately, my parting word of advice:

We are what we do, and our actions speak volumes.

 

[Sam1911]

You're still not getting it. You can't support everyone's right to bear arms but then krap on the rights of private property owners through your disrespect without being a hypocrite. I'm not talking state law right now.

If you aren't talking about the law right now, then you're simply making a personal value judgment, and one you could hardly expect anyone else to find compelling. Of course we'll agree to disagree.

If you feel that me carrying a private, concealed, defensive sidearm in violation of a corporate policy is violating their "property rights" and that this "property rights" (as pertains to customers violating company policy) should be as compelling as a right to defend myself if the need arises, and that makes me a hypocrite, then we certainly do disagree. But that's fine.

And more importantly, why are you continuing to give them money? They have made it clear before (no guns signs) that they don't respect our gun rights, and then on top of this, now they don't respect our 4th amendment rights to not have our bags checked upon entry.

Lets start again with the "RIGHTS" question. The 2nd and 4th Amendments protect the citizen against acts OF THE GOVERNMENT. A private party asking to look in your bag if you want to enter their property is NOT a violation of the 4th Amendment, and it sounds silly for us to say so. (Just as my entering their place, armed, doesn't violate any of their enumerated RIGHTS, either.) We're setting up big scary strawmen here. Or at least making mountains out of molehills.

 

[hamp sandwich]

It's a bs publicity stunt designed to make people feel better about going to a movie. They had to do something to reassure the chicken littles due to the media blasts about theater shooters. It's not going to help anything..

I vote with my dollars, and so do the chicken littles. This deal is for their vote, not ours, but I don't go to movies anyway.

 

[Tirod]

So far there are two reports in this thread that a particular Regal actually looks inside bags. Otherwise it's all about their sign saying they could.

Nobody said they were patting down every patron. And nobody has addressed my comment about having a video camera to pirate a new film. That is much more a concern there.

Can you take a backpack into a baseball or football stadium? My experience says no, don't even try. And most of the upscale flea markets in the area have large signs stating "No Backpacks or large bags." You will be stopped and asked to leave it at the desk. Same in Branson and Springfield, MO. It's common.

A brief comparison to flying on an airline shows just how silly this is. You are being body cavity searched on a mass volume basis when you step into the x-ray machine. It's faster and a lot less physically invasive - but no different on a Constitutional Rights basis. Which ranks higher on your scale of values, that, or peeking into your daybag to out your caramel corn stash?

Putting Regal's policy onto a level playing field, all they did was post it where it can be read. Movie theatres have had this policy for decades. Buy tickets to Europe and you'll see what an invasion of rights is. And yet people keep flying and nobody is calling up Congress because of it.

We have bigger issues to deal with - ITAR regulations are being changed so that if you have the programming to machine a gun receiver you are then in possession of US Government Property and violating National Security. Regardless that you ethically purchased them from the actual programmer who is now deprived of his income. It's your Constitutional Right to keep and bear arms - but where do you get one if the Government owns all the programming and blueprints?

That's a lot more important and will go a lot further to undermine the 2A than sneaking snacks into a movie theatre.

 

[Pilot]

Whenever I am able I try to stay out of gun free zones. They have a right to have their policy on private property, and I have a right not to go there, and I don't.

 

[TwinReverb]

@Sam1911

I am making a values judgment, yes. But that's how the golden rule works. I can't expect people to respect me if I don't respect them.

 

[pockets]

He did say that the only backpack a guy came in with that he had to look inside contained dirty laundry

Why would anyone bring their laundry to a movie? Odd.

 

[happygeek]

Why would anyone bring their laundry to a movie? Odd.

Because of the sign, obviously. He probably had his beer hiding under the laundry.

But then again, it's entirely possible he biked there and the laundry mat was another stop on what he was doing. Not everyone drives everywhere.