Protesters showing this year? Ignoring them is probably best....

[CosplayDevotee]

Hello! I am very new at this and kind of late in creating an ID for the fanime forums (considering it is next weekend SQUEE), but I got on the subject of the protesters from last year and the year before. I figure they are there for their own reasons (whatever they may be) and will continue to show the more attention we give them. I doubt this will do anything, but I was hoping by creating this forum maybe others would agree and give them a wide berth. I don't agree with their methods and even if I were something extreme like a satanist I would still think it is their right to believe in what they believe. Having them there frightens me because if some ignorant child or some teen that feels the need to yell throws a punch or gets too out of line, it will cause a problem. I think the protesters honestly WANT that to happen so the convention gets cancelled. This is a big problem in my mind. What do you think?

[michiko nakano]

i feel the same way you do, it's a little disconcerting knowing that someone's bound to freak out and start a riot one of these years.

[CosplayDevotee]

 >:(I know. I just know too many people that would fly off the handle. Granted, I was not there last year because I was getting married, but I heard from friends that people actually threw stuffed animals at them? I figure that is kind of assault....probably not the best thing to do. Is there a petition anywhere on this site where people can sign up basically saying to ignore them and go along their merry way?

[michiko nakano]

the type of people that would sign a petition aren't the type of people who would start a riot.  the most effective thing i can think of would be the mature types of people herding people away from the protestors.  and to adopt a general attitude that "it's uncool to give the protestors attention."

[CosplayDevotee]

 :( well I guess you are right.

I thought of that too, but I have a history of not being listened to. *shrugs* well I guess there isn't much more we can do. I think it will be raining this year anyway, maybe that will keep people inside. My worst fear is just being in the convention center and hearing that a bunch of cosplayers were taken to jail for causing a disturbance. All the dumb people ruin it for everyone else. Were you there last year? Did their number seem to increase or decrease? My friends and I were joking around wondering if they plan their years around fanime too.

[N.E.R.V.agent220]

If local law enforcement aren't going to do anything to these protestors and a riot ensues or they lay a hand on somebody, I might as well
assemble a tactical team, yes a couple of snipers a on each hotel window(Marriot and Hilton) ready to shoot. I mean those guys are annoying are rights and if all hell breaks loose. The UN N.E.R.V.forces will be in riot gear ready for battle.   

[michiko nakano]

If local law enforcement aren't going to do anything to these protestors and a riot ensues or they lay a hand on somebody, I might as well
assemble a tactical team, yes a couple of snipers a on each hotel window(Marriot and Hilton) ready to shoot. I mean those guys are annoying are rights and if all hell breaks loose. The UN N.E.R.V.forces will be in riot gear ready for battle.   

this is exactly what we DON'T want.  leave the snipers at home and ignore the protesters.

[LastExile]

Although, you have to admit that the Jesus cosplayer is hilarious when he gets mixed up in it. x]

I agree that we should try our best to ignore them, despite their attempts to rile us up.
Someone earlier mentioned that it would be raining, and that would probably keep us cosplayers inside.
The immediate thing that came to my mind when rain came up was that it would keep the protesters away.
They always do their thing in the open, with no protection. Sure, they can bring umbrellas, but what about holding up their signs?

If I were you, I'd be hoping that the rain would be holding off the protesters, not the cosplayers.

[LordMoufMouf]

I really wish people would ignore them. It really puts a damper on the atmosphere. However, it seems that too many people are taking delight in taunting them that it is unlikely they will ever go entirely ignored.

[Somebody]

When members of Fanimecon go out and provoke them and such it really (in my opinion at least) puts a bad image/reputation of Fanimecon. Please please please just ignore them! We have our rights to enjoy our convention and they have theirs to protest. Nothing we say or do will make them change their mind, and there is no "winning" as many people ignorantly commented last year (in youtube videos and such)  upon cosplayer Jesus arriving. It's really too bad that we can't just coexist neutrally-or maybe it's not that we can't but we haven't tried hard enough.  :-\

Please leave them be and go have fun doing what you really came to Fanime to do! Enjoy our panels, gatherings, productions etc.! :)

[EJAY420]

I've been coming to this con for years now. I've also seen the protestors grow in numbers recently. They've been doing it for years. I personally think it's nonsense. Believe what you want. It's just anime/game.

One thing that has always worked for me is to avoid them at all cost. I don't even try to get near that whole ordeal. Just not my concern at all. We are there to have fun. Not to cause any drama. Just ignore it. Have fun at the con!

[Mi Feng]

I made a post about it to my cosplayers suggesting that they wouldn't provoke them and just focus their energy on the photoshoot/gathering.

@everyone
Don't take this in a bad way but I just thought I'd mention it.
If everything is chaos from the drama outside. :/ And by drama I mean protesters. XP And I know how irresistible it is to taunt them, please just don't. Its not fun to waste your energy on that kind of negative stuff. We'll be inside too so they won't bother us.

[Raydere]

When the protesters show up, I just leave and go into the con center; as far as I'm concerned they can't go in there, so they won't be a bother.

[Eurobeat King]

Despite the numerous pleas of telling people to ignore the protesters here on this forum (or on other forums) a lot of Fanime attendees will nonetheless go to where they are and harass them for fun, and draw a crowd to get attention (to themselves and to the protesters)  The Jesus cosplayer(s) are already gearing up for it, some attendees are probably going to Rick-Roll the protesters again, and it'll all be on YouTube during/after the con..  :P  Another year, same result..

I don't go where they are and just ignore them.

[Neo-Zaku]

Except these people are religious fanatics. There is no coexisting with these folks because by their very nature they want everyone to conform to their way of doing things. There is no middle ground to meet these folks on, no safe understanding to come to. I do not go to their place of worship and protest the innumerable and documented crimes of their belief systems and I would appreciate that they do the same. But they won't because they are fanatics, only a few small steps removed from the people using guns and explosives to enforce their way of thinking.

I will ignore them but I will not give them the courtesy of polite discourse. They haven't earned it.

[Eurobeat King]

Are these people there at other conventions that take-place at the SJCC throughout the year?  Or just Fanime?  If they're against anime n' such, why don't they appear at other Bay Area anime conventions?  Or if there's a Los Angeles-based group, why don't they protest outside of AX?

Fanime seems to be the only con that I see them at..  :P

[ewu]

they are a local northern CA group and hit up many of the conventions at the SJCC. Again, just leave them be....


I think the point has been made and so this thread is locked.