ALERT: AMC Theaters have posted 30.06

[DoubleActionCHL]

I had considered buying tickets, which would really have an impact on the bottom line, but I suspect they would get wise after a couple of refunds and cut us off. Either way, we've made a point. And it wouldn't be a bad idea to give away the cards with the tickets. Just keep in mind that an awful lot of the non-carrying public are as clueless as the AMC Theater management.

[Oldgringo]

This is just one more reason why Mrs. Oldgringo and I really like our NetFlix subscription - really.

[WildBill]

Last weekend I went to a Cinemark theater and didn't see any 30.06 signs. They are part of the same company as AMC, but I guess they don't have the same posting policies.

[GlockFan]

Isaw one little 8x11 sign on one door on the front and the back doors.That was at the Fontains in Stafford

[longhorn_92]

This is just one more reason why Mrs. Oldgringo and I really like our NetFlix subscription - really.

Not to mention that it's $9 a person just to see a movie...not to mention snacks!

[SlowDave]

I dunno if you're really gonna win anything with buying a bunch of tickets and irritating the mgmt during their heavy business night. If I were the mgr, I think I'd wanna do whatever it took (like keeping the signs up) to keep that group away from my business.

Seems like the thing that has to get across, and is short, simple, and ready for sound bites, is that criminals are the only ones "allowed" to carry guns at these places. Maybe just 10-15 people, standing around with big signs that say something like:
"CRIMINALS: please enter freely with weapons.
VICTIMS (law abiding citizens): disarm before entering."

or...
"CRIMINALS: enter freely with weapons. AMC theatres guarantees you undefended victims inside. Have a nice day"

In fact, I've thought of having a bumper sticker type thing made to stick underneath any 30.06 sign I see. Think of it... here's the 30.06 language (english only):
"Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by holder of license to carry a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchcapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (concealed handgun law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun."
My sticker would read: "Criminals are free to proceed armed as usual." I'd just stick that underneath the 30.06 sign. Wonder if it would have the desired effect. Funny that even the 30.06 sign specifically restricts ONLY CHL holders. What a world.

Could you get in trouble for such a sticker? Or... realistically, are you likely to?

[M9FAN]

Last weekend I went to a Cinemark theater and didn't see any 30.06 signs.

I was at the Cinemark theater in Pearland this past Sunday; it, too, was not 30.06 posted. (Nor did it have any gun buster signs).

[Purplehood]

I dunno if you're really gonna win anything with buying a bunch of tickets and irritating the mgmt during their heavy business night. If I were the mgr, I think I'd wanna do whatever it took (like keeping the signs up) to keep that group away from my business.

Seems like the thing that has to get across, and is short, simple, and ready for sound bites, is that criminals are the only ones "allowed" to carry guns at these places. Maybe just 10-15 people, standing around with big signs that say something like:
"CRIMINALS: please enter freely with weapons.
VICTIMS (law abiding citizens): disarm before entering."

or...
"CRIMINALS: enter freely with weapons. AMC theatres guarantees you undefended victims inside. Have a nice day"

In fact, I've thought of having a bumper sticker type thing made to stick underneath any 30.06 sign I see. Think of it... here's the 30.06 language (english only):
"Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by holder of license to carry a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchcapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (concealed handgun law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun."
My sticker would read: "Criminals are free to proceed armed as usual." I'd just stick that underneath the 30.06 sign. Wonder if it would have the desired effect. Funny that even the 30.06 sign specifically restricts ONLY CHL holders. What a world.

Could you get in trouble for such a sticker? Or... realistically, are you likely to?

I really like this idea.

I might suggest:

Some folks standing around with signs reading,

-30.06 Zone Ahead. Legally-armed citizens please remove your weapons before entering. Good luck.

And other folks with signs reading,

-30.06 Zone Ahead. Illegally-armed citizens (Thugs, Crooks, etc.), you are entering a victim-rich area. Good-hunting.

[jimlongley]

In fact, I've thought of having a bumper sticker type thing made to stick underneath any 30.06 sign I see. Think of it... here's the 30.06 language (english only):
"Pursuant to Section 30.06, Penal Code (trespass by holder of license to carry a concealed handgun), a person licensed under Subchcapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code (concealed handgun law), may not enter this property with a concealed handgun."
My sticker would read: "Criminals are free to proceed armed as usual." I'd just stick that underneath the 30.06 sign. Wonder if it would have the desired effect. Funny that even the 30.06 sign specifically restricts ONLY CHL holders. What a world.

Could you get in trouble for such a sticker? Or... realistically, are you likely to?

I will admit to having the same temptation, and even to printing up a couple in anticipation of doing so, but then good sense (not necessarily common) kicked in. If caught, one could be charged with defacing private property and even lose one's CHL for a while. I can see an angry business owner claiming that they will have to repaint the entire front of the building, at a cost of more than $1500.00, or a zealous anti-CHL prosecutor claiming that the sign defaced was for "Public communication."

I decided not to do it.

Sec. 28.03. CRIMINAL MISCHIEF. (a) A person commits an offense if, without the effective consent of the owner:

(1) he intentionally or knowingly damages or destroys the tangible property of the owner;

(2) he intentionally or knowingly tampers with the tangible property of the owner and causes pecuniary loss or substantial inconvenience to the owner or a third person; or

(3) he intentionally or knowingly makes markings, including inscriptions, slogans, drawings, or paintings, on the tangible property of the owner.

(b) Except as provided by Subsections (f) and (h), an offense under this section is:

(1) a Class C misdemeanor if:

(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is less than $50; or

(B) except as provided in Subdivision (3)(A) or (3)(B), it causes substantial inconvenience to others;

(2) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of pecuniary loss is $50 or more but less than $500;

(3) a Class A misdemeanor if:

(A) the amount of pecuniary loss is:

(i) $500 or more but less than $1,500; or

(ii) less than $1,500 and the actor causes in whole or in part impairment or interruption of public communications, public transportation, public gas or power supply, or other public service, or causes to be diverted in whole, in part, or in any manner, including installation or removal of any device for any such purpose, any public communications or public gas or power supply; or

(B) the actor causes in whole or in part impairment or interruption of any public water supply, or causes to be diverted in whole, in part, or in any manner, including installation or removal of any device for any such purpose, any public water supply, regardless of the amount of the pecuniary loss;

(4) a state jail felony if the amount of pecuniary loss is:

(A) $1,500 or more but less than $20,000;

(B) less than $1,500, if the property damaged or destroyed is a habitation and if the damage or destruction is caused by a firearm or explosive weapon; or

(C) less than $1,500, if the property was a fence used for the production or containment of:

(i) cattle, bison, horses, sheep, swine, goats, exotic livestock, or exotic poultry; or

(ii) game animals as that term is defined by Section 63.001, Parks and Wildlife Code;

(5) a felony of the third degree if the amount of the pecuniary loss is $20,000 or more but less than $100,000;

(6) a felony of the second degree if the amount of pecuniary loss is $100,000 or more but less than $200,000; or

(7) a felony of the first degree if the amount of pecuniary loss is $200,000 or more.

(c) For the purposes of this section, it shall be presumed that a person who is receiving the economic benefit of public communications, public water, gas, or power supply, has knowingly tampered with the tangible property of the owner if the communication or supply has been:

(1) diverted from passing through a metering device; or

(2) prevented from being correctly registered by a metering device; or

(3) activated by any device installed to obtain public communications, public water, gas, or power supply without a metering device.

(d) The terms "public communication, public transportation, public gas or power supply, or other public service" and "public water supply" shall mean, refer to, and include any such services subject to regulation by the Public Utility Commission of Texas, the Railroad Commission of Texas, or the Texas Natural Resource Conservation Commission or any such services enfranchised by the State of Texas or any political subdivision thereof.

(e) When more than one item of tangible property, belonging to one or more owners, is damaged, destroyed, or tampered with in violation of this section pursuant to one scheme or continuing course of conduct, the conduct may be considered as one offense, and the amounts of pecuniary loss to property resulting from the damage to, destruction of, or tampering with the property may be aggregated in determining the grade of the offense.

(f) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if the damage or destruction is inflicted on a place of worship or human burial, a public monument, or a community center that provides medical, social, or educational programs and the amount of the pecuniary loss to real property or to tangible personal property is less than $20,000.

(g) In this section:

(1) "Explosive weapon" means any explosive or incendiary device that is designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of inflicting serious bodily injury, death, or substantial property damage, or for the principal purpose of causing such a loud report as to cause undue public alarm or terror, and includes:

(A) an explosive or incendiary bomb, grenade, rocket, and mine;

(B) a device designed, made, or adapted for delivering or shooting an explosive weapon; and

(C) a device designed, made, or adapted to start a fire in a time-delayed manner.

(2) "Firearm" has the meaning assigned by Section 46.01.

(3) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code.

(4) "Aluminum wiring" means insulated or noninsulated wire or cable that consists of at least 50 percent aluminum, including any tubing or conduit attached to the wire or cable.

(5) "Bronze wiring" means insulated or noninsulated wire or cable that consists of at least 50 percent bronze, including any tubing or conduit attached to the wire or cable.

(6) "Copper wiring" means insulated or noninsulated wire or cable that consists of at least 50 percent copper, including any tubing or conduit attached to the wire or cable.

(7) "Transportation communications equipment" means:

(A) an official traffic-control device, railroad sign or signal, or traffic-control signal, as those terms are defined by Section 541.304, Transportation Code; or

(B) a sign, signal, or device erected by a railroad, public body, or public officer to direct the movement of a railroad train, as defined by Section 541.202, Transportation Code.

(8) "Transportation communications device" means any item attached to transportation communications equipment, including aluminum wiring, bronze wiring, and copper wiring.

(h) An offense under this section is a state jail felony if the amount of the pecuniary loss to real property or to tangible personal property is $1,500 or more but less than $20,000 and the damage or destruction is inflicted on a public or private elementary school, secondary school, or institution of higher education.

(i) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an offense under this section is a felony of the first degree if the property is livestock and the damage is caused by introducing bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease, or a disease described by Section 161.041(a), Agriculture Code. In this subsection, "livestock" has the meaning assigned by Section 161.001, Agriculture Code.

(j) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), an offense under this section is a felony of the third degree if:

(1) the tangible property damaged, destroyed, or tampered with is transportation communications equipment or a transportation communications device; and

(2) the amount of the pecuniary loss to the tangible property is less than $100,000.

[Purplehood]

That is why the sign-thingie appealed to me. If someone stuck any sticker on anything of mine, I would be so torqued-off that I wouldn't give a whiz what it says.

[MBGuy]

SlowDave has an excellent idea. I wonder what effect this would have on Katy Mills Mall. Every once in a while my wife forces me in there for something and I just can't help thinking how tremendously idiotic it is to force us to leave our sidearms in our vehicles where they can be stolen, and how there's NO generic signage for the criminally minded ones.

Amazing.

Anywhow, if we can get 15 or so people with signs at the entrance by the movie theatres on a Friday night, I wonder what the effect would be:

1. They'd add 30.06 to the parking lot to show us a lesson.
2. They'd ask us to leave and if we don't we'd get escorted by the Katy PD.
3. They'd buy our point.

Anyone else? I hate to say it, but I think it'd be option 1.

[SlowDave]

Well, I think this could still work. As to the group with signs, the only thing I could see possibly being against the law would be some type of "demonstration without a permit" violation. Someone could check in and get a permit and fix that. I don't see how you'd be denied such a permit, nor do I see how they'd clear you out if you had a permit as long as you weren't being belligerent or blocking traffic in/out of the building. As to posting the parking lot, that wouldn't fix their problem as you'd still be allowed to come demonstrate (although it would require disarming). And if we're not going there anyway, who cares if they post the parking lot? I don't really have plans to go park at the AMC Theatre and hang out in my car in the parking lot armed, just because.

As to the stickers, the post of the law on defacing of property supports this approach very well. It requires that a) you not place the sticker where it obscures the 30.06 (I wouldn't as that takes away from the effect) and b) that the sticker is easily removable, which I'm okay with. If you follow those two rules, I think you'd be okay. Put the sticker there and it lasts for a few hours or a few days until the owner or someone removes it, and some people see it and maybe even... think! (gasp!) And heck, it might even cause the owner/rep to think about it. Lather, rinse, repeat a few hundred thousand times and who knows what happens.

Anyone wanna crank out some (easily-removable) stickers and sell them here?

[DoubleActionCHL]

Well, they do make those clingy plastic stickers that use no adhesive. And rather than carrying signs, why not T-shirts with our message?

[Dutchster]

AMC is definitely anti-CCW across the country. All their theaters in Ohio are posted as well. What's kind of funny is that they don't seem to be able to buy a permanent sign. When the Ohio smoking ban went into effect all the theaters got the permanent window stickers required by law. Their gun busters are still being printed off of an ink jet and taped to the window. Sometimes they disappear and come back a few weeks later. You'd think they'd have them permanently made since it's a corporate policy, but oh well.

[SlowDave]

Well, they do make those clingy plastic stickers that use no adhesive. And rather than carrying signs, why not T-shirts with our message?

I like the clingy plastic stickers, except that they might cost more.

The advantage of the signs over t-shirts is height/visibility: you can see the signs from 100' away and only the closest person to you can see the t-shirt, since they block the view of others. Also, people will generally (I think) read a big sign due to its novelty, whereas most folks have come to ignore whatever is written on t-shirts. I'm open to any and all though.