The hug line

[Steven McIntosh]

You obviously don't understand that it is open to the public.  I have given you an example of a private convention, and you're just basically saying its private because you pay for it. Wrong.  You pay for public transportation, does that make it your private bus? No. Anyone can ride the bus as long as they pay.

Yet the Jesus protesters weren't allowed to get any closer to the convention than the sidewalk, let alone even get in the registration line to pay, thus making Fanime a private event.

I say if people want to hold up "hug me" signs, they can do so on the free sidewalk with the protesters. Two problems solved.

[Stormfalcon]

You obviously don't understand that it is open to the public.  I have given you an example of a private convention, and you're just basically saying its private because you pay for it. Wrong.  You pay for public transportation, does that make it your private bus? No. Anyone can ride the bus as long as they pay.

Yet the Jesus protesters weren't allowed to get any closer to the convention than the sidewalk, let alone even get in the registration line to pay, thus making Fanime a private event.

I say if people want to hold up "hug me" signs, they can do so on the free sidewalk with the protesters. Two problems solved.

Hmmmm...I like that idea.  The protesters and the free-huggers annoying each other while the rest of the con mocks them both at once.  Nice.

[Dagger-6]

On Monday there was a line down by the Dealers Hall and I have to say that even though I like hugs, I avoided a few. [Some from some pretty unattractive hug givers]. However, I did hug this long line of really cute guys and two of them were shirtless! xD They weren't begging for hugs, but dammit to me - in my mind - they were screaming "HUG ME"! So my friend and I did. o_o And we went back and did it again. And then a third time. xD They were just so smexy. I say the 'FREE HUGS' signs are okay as long as you are cute enough to get one. Seriously. Some pretty ugly people had those and they smelt and looked pretty bad. =/ Ew. Also no 'AND/OR KISSES' signs. JUST NO!!

I know you're joking, but noooo...can't discriminate based on physical appearance. ^^;;;  Definite no-no there.

As for whether Fanime is a private/public event space, I'm just going to leave that up to people versed in legal matters.

What I do know for sure is we can (and do) ban people, prevent them from attending, remove them from the convention center grounds, and set limitations on their behavior as needed to promote a better experience for attendees.

So, if needed we may put limitations on signs or behavior while holding signs.  Or, as the NRA is so fond of saying, we may have to better enforce the rules we do have.

Again, personally I would like to find a way for them to have fun while not detracting from the experience of other convention attendees.  Thank you for the feedback, and please continue to pitch ideas!

Though I doubt we'll be evicting them to the sidewalk next to our friend neighborhood preachers.  That's just mean.

[idontknow]

On Monday there was a line down by the Dealers Hall and I have to say that even though I like hugs, I avoided a few. [Some from some pretty unattractive hug givers]. However, I did hug this long line of really cute guys and two of them were shirtless! xD They weren't begging for hugs, but dammit to me - in my mind - they were screaming "HUG ME"! So my friend and I did. o_o And we went back and did it again. And then a third time. xD They were just so smexy. I say the 'FREE HUGS' signs are okay as long as you are cute enough to get one. Seriously. Some pretty ugly people had those and they smelt and looked pretty bad. =/ Ew. Also no 'AND/OR KISSES' signs. JUST NO!!

that's disgusting for you or anyone to say something like that. so what? ugly people aren't good enough to get hugs?

however i'd have to side with you for the "and/or kisses" part. that is a big and definite no

hug lines are okay, as long as it ddoesn't get out of control.

[Mordyan]

You obviously don't understand that it is open to the public.  I have given you an example of a private convention, and you're just basically saying its private because you pay for it. Wrong.  You pay for public transportation, does that make it your private bus? No. Anyone can ride the bus as long as they pay.

Let me try one more time. Just because anyone can pay to attend Fanime does not make it "open to the public" or a "public" place, protected by freedom of speech laws. Your example, of the other convention, where it is by invitation only, applies to Fanime as well. Fanime "invites" anyone who can pay a membership fee to be a part of the convention. Thus it is still exclusive. People who can't pay are not members. You may be confused by the fact that Fanime publicly advertises membership and also allows non-members to walk around the concourse. However it still retains the right to remove anyone for violating Fanime policies, even if they didn't pay.

That's right, they can kick you out for a weapons violation even if you did not pay. San Jose's own weapon policies are different from what Fanime has set forth. Fanime is allowed to enforced those policies because it is a private event. This is because the entire facility is a private place owned by SJCC. Fanime pays for the privilege to use the location, and then we members pay for the privilege to attend the con. I suspect that if Fanime wanted to, they could block the concourse from access by non-members as well. Your bus example doesn't work either. Even if you do pay, the driver can kick you off.

Now a sidewalk is a public space. Public parks as well. In fact in California the Pruneyard case ruling allowed that residents may peacefully exercise their right to free speech in parts of private shopping centers regularly held open to the public.

Whew... that was a lot. The funny thing is I doubt whether hug lines are protected free speech anyways. heh

What was the point of this topic again? Oh yeah to discuss whether the hug line bothered people. Carry on!

[Saeko]

Public or private; either way, rules will have to be implemented or else this whole thing would be so much more unorganized.

I think it's safe to have signs... I mean I saw some people that had signs that said 'You lost the game' and that's pretty much harmless, I suppose. (btw, you lost the game :D Hahaha.) Plus, I think if we ban all signs wouldn't people just start yelling that they're giving free hugs? Basically, I think people are just going to do the same thing, but without signs? :/

Like other people have said, people just have to make sure that the hug lines stay within their vicinity and not go astray and randomly touch people without permission; just like how you're not suppose to take pictures of people without asking them first. It's common courtesy.

Someone can make giant 'hug rules' posters and stick them around the walls where there are commonly hug lines. xD
1. Don't hug without permission
2. Don't yell at people who don't hug you/Don't intimidate; people will choose to hug you, not the other way around.
3. Don't block paths

That's pretty much the major concerns, right?

[idontknow]

Public or private; either way, rules will have to be implemented or else this whole thing would be so much more unorganized.

I think it's safe to have signs... I mean I saw some people that had signs that said 'You lost the game' and that's pretty much harmless, I suppose. (btw, you lost the game :D Hahaha.) Plus, I think if we ban all signs wouldn't people just start yelling that they're giving free hugs? Basically, I think people are just going to do the same thing, but without signs? :/

yeah i agree; i'd rather have signs than people yelling at me.

Someone can make giant 'hug rules' posters and stick them around the walls where there are commonly hug lines. xD
1. Don't hug without permission
2. Don't yell at people who don't hug you/Don't intimidate; people will choose to hug you, not the other way around.
3. Don't block paths

you can't post stuff on the walls. and yeah. what you says pretty much sums it up :)

[Kertus]

Someone can make giant 'hug rules' posters and stick them around the walls where there are commonly hug lines. xD
1. Don't hug without permission
2. Don't yell at people who don't hug you/Don't intimidate; people will choose to hug you, not the other way around.
3. Don't block paths

That's pretty much the major concerns, right?

QFT  Best and most simple plan I think see so far
In the end the hug lines or Free Hugs shouldn't be eliminated just because some people don't like it, it should just be regulated so that all the problems are dealt with.  It's just like most other issues irl, first put down a set of loose regulations and if those need to be further refined it can be done, could be done even during the con.
Ha also what's with the hate on the Free Kisses along with hugs, I didn't see too many people act on it even when people had it on their signs and even then it was just cheek.  It's the people choice what they were offering, just because it makes you uncomfortable or you might think it's gross doesn't mean it's a 'bad' thing and need to be stopped (sorta reminds me how people are about gay marriage).  All we need are those loose regulations so that the hallway is clear enough and people don't feel intimidated, that should be enough I think.

The sign could be posted on an easel or something across from the hug wall like other signs are at Fanime, then the hug wall people would constantly see it as well.

[Tony]

You obviously don't understand that it is open to the public.  I have given you an example of a private convention, and you're just basically saying its private because you pay for it. Wrong.  You pay for public transportation, does that make it your private bus? No. Anyone can ride the bus as long as they pay.

Your analogy isn't quite accurate. In this case, it's not a member of the public paying to get on the bus; it's that an entity is renting the entire bus, and so it can do whatever it wants with it.

In this case, FanimeCon rents the entire SJCC and can pretty much accept or eject people from it as we like. But we use that right very sparingly, and 99% of the time it's because someone did something criminal.

Also note that it can be argued that aggressively soliciting hugs, or worse - hugging without permission - is either sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Lastly, it's against forum rules to swear.

[ewu]

Lastly, it's against forum rules to swear.

insert: fist shaking

[Dagger-6]

*Hands Ewu a "Free Fist Shakings" sign*

[ichigocorcor]

How did you feel about it?  And people with signs in particular?
I thought they were cute! I love hugs and for me, it really added to the environment and "we're all friends at Fanime" atmosphere.

Are they harmless fun?
They didn't do anything more to me than put their arms around me, so yeah, it was totally harmless. I don't know what anyone's talking about with screaming and yelling, I passed the hug line multiple times throughout all four days at con and I don't remember any yelling.

Are they annoying and kind of creepy?
Some of the signs were weird; I avoided those signs. A dude was holding a "Hug Me, I'm Ecchi" sign, and that was a little creepy, so I just didn't hug him. Most of them were cute little girls and crossplayers and that was totally fine.

Are they fine, as long as we better kept people in check so that they didn't heckle or run up and jump on people?
Rovers did an AWESOME job with crowd and creep control this year. And no one ran and jumped on people to my knowledge.

Are people holding signs just bad to begin with?
No way~!

[Liquid]

There was one dude with a sign that said "Free lame excuses."

We went up to him and asked for a lame excuse....and he said "Sorry, I left my list of lame excuses in E-gaming =\"

I promptly called him lame and continued walking. :D

[ewu]

ROTF:)

[FanFicGuru]

There was one dude with a sign that said "Free lame excuses."

We went up to him and asked for a lame excuse....and he said "Sorry, I left my list of lame excuses in E-gaming =\"

I promptly called him lame and continued walking. :D

If I see that guy I will make sure he knows how lame he is.

[tsumi.no.tsubasa]

Ha! I read another blogger dub the "hug line" as the "Hall of Desperation" which I agree with wholeheartedly. I couldn't help but wonder about these kids who were so desperate for physical contact that they'd crowd a hallway asking sweaty smelly people to hug their sweaty smell self. If I wanted to be accosted like this I could go to downtown SF and let the bums panhandle at me for money. It certainly felt similar.

I was also with my friend who has a disabling spine injury, and she was absolutely terrified to go through the hall. With the way they were flying around and leaping onto other people, she was always afraid someone was going to jump on her and re-injure her. To make it worse, we HAD to go through it to get to our hotel because she can't walk long enough to go around. And THAT made it a HUGE problem.

[Nina Star 9]

I prefer my personal space and ability to walk to the other end of the CC without being harassed and having to spend quite a bit longer than I should trying to force my way through a crowd of people who want to touch me in ways I would not like to be touched by strangers.

I hope something is done next year. I have been going to this con for many years now, and while there are always been the "free hugs" people around, this year was probably the worst I have seen (or can remember, at least).

[Piichuu]

I don't really mind the hug lines, of course, I don't get involved in them myself.
There was a shirtless guy doing is Sunday or Monday though... that was kind of creepy.
Also this other guy... I won't even bother to say what but it was really creepy.

[Steve.Young]

You obviously don't understand that it is open to the public.  I have given you an example of a private convention, and you're just basically saying its private because you pay for it. Wrong.  You pay for public transportation, does that make it your private bus? No. Anyone can ride the bus as long as they pay.

Your analogy isn't quite accurate. In this case, it's not a member of the public paying to get on the bus; it's that an entity is renting the entire bus, and so it can do whatever it wants with it.

In this case, FanimeCon rents the entire SJCC and can pretty much accept or eject people from it as we like. But we use that right very sparingly, and 99% of the time it's because someone did something criminal.

Also note that it can be argued that aggressively soliciting hugs, or worse - hugging without permission - is either sexual harassment or sexual assault.

Lastly, it's against forum rules to swear.

Quoted for Emphasis.

Please remember to follow the forum rules, thanks.

[mDuo13]

I was mildly pleased to see that there were almost no dumb signs on Friday, and somewhat miffed when by Saturday the "Free Hugs" phenomenon was back with a vengeance. It doesn't intimidate me or anything, but it's kind of embarrassing that by going to the con I am associated with these people.