Klingon Behaviour in Conventions

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Despite the Klingon appearance, I was taught to keep the role play to a strict minimum when working convention security. That is one of the reasons my club got out of doing security at conventions, because it stopped being a Klingon activity.

Interesting Point that... And I Would Definately Encourage those who do to Keep it within Some of the Already Mentioned Guidelines... Though I have to Admit that "Playing" with the Attendees is Half of the Fun... Stopping People in the halls with Comments like "Why do You Need to Pass" or "This Area is Restricted" etc... Can be Fun if Not Pushed beyond the Point of Being Humor, (In other words Not actually Stopping Someone from Going somewhere, un Less they really are not supposed to be there)... One of My Fovorites is When Standing Around Places Like Bathrooms or Water Fountains and Commenting along the Lines of "This Throne is Reserved for the Emperor" Or "Do you Have Your Water Ration Card"?... And the Like... But again Never Drawing it out so that People Feel like they really can not use the Given Facility...

[qoSagh]

Comments like those are what I meant about keeping it to a minimum. Most one off comments are allowable, but one needs to realize that roleplay willprobably not be initiated. Towards the end of my working convention security I actually had problems with some dealers who did not want to deal with a costumed worker despite the fact that I was the supervisor for all dealers room security.

I actually like the Klingon look and action better than some of the other groups that I have seen doing security. The costumes add a flavor that is only found at conventions and adds to the whole experience. As does, by the way, being treated somewhat poorly by Klingons.

[Klythe]

Are Klingons warriors, or annoyances?   If you ask me, making puns is very unklingon(but that doesn't stop me from doing it anyway)

    I don't see harassing mundanes as being more Klingon.    I see it as being less Klingon, because you are missing the arrogant confidence of the Klingons.   A Klingon would never go out of his way to hassle a hyoomin for fun.  Hyoomin civilians are far enough beneath a Klingon warrior that they do not warrant even the slightest regard.  Treating them as semi-animate obstacles would be far more Klingon in my arrogant opinion than it is to bother them even if it is only briefly.  If they are in some kind of warrior costume (like a Feddie or knight or someone from LoTR) or are impeding your duty then go ahead and hassle, bluster and badger within the limits of good taste.

    Unless it is a Klingon themed convention or even, most people attend sci-fi conventions for a large variety of reasons, most of them have nothing to do with Klingons.   Forcing roleplay, even for an instant on random people in the hall denigrates Klingons (Don't we have more worthy opponents?), shows a lack of resolve when you have to back down and  irritates the mundanes and is bad all the way around. 

     I know it's fun(for you, it's not fun for them), but it is only asking for trouble.   You might get away with it for quite a while, but it is a dangerous game.   Even if you do get away with it, you create a reputation of Klingons as annoyances, not warriors.

[qoSagh]

Considering the general human public beneath you is probably more technically correct, I will grant that. However there is a certain suspension of disbelief that goes with convention attendance, part of which includes for the most part people disbelieving that they are less than Klingon. I have see that the one that don't want to play will brush you off, and the ones that do often seem to think they are worthy when they are not. Either way, Klingons being a bit more surly than humans is the accepted norm.

I think one of the reasons Klingon clubs get asked to do security is because of this. We add flavor to the day. I have been asked to movie openings by theaters simply to add color to the event, by interacting with the crowd. True in a strict role play environment most of the crowd would be beneath my notice, but we do need to realize that even they are part of the larger general fandom and are usually there to have fun just like we are. We just have different variations on fun.

[Klythe]

    But then it is the course of your duty, as a security officer for the event to ensure the crowd's obedience.  To achieve this even of obedience, at least some initidation is required to keep the hyoomin flock in line..    That is a proper role, you are acting as expected, both by the audience and the ones who run the event.

    Mostly I am objecting to some of the hall and restroom behaviour described eariler.  As both Klingons and mundanes are both visitors to a convention, the common areas are neutral ground.   Some hyoomins don't think like people (give us a brush-off) or predators(play along, fight back).  Some hyoomins think like prey, they feel trapped when the are attacked out in the open, they feel harassed and don't know where they can escape to.   If they are confronted in a Klingon area, such as a door you are guarding or a club table, they know they can escape by moving away from the Klingons, and be confident they will not be chased or confronted again as long as they avoid your space.   When confronted in the open, those hyoomins who think like prey may escape, but they will not feel safe, they will still fear seeing Klingon in public spaces   Or they might feel cornered and forced to fight and face the more agressive instincts they they may have been studiously avoiding their whole lives.   This makes them dangerous and unpredictable.  This could ruin the fun for future conventions.

   Careful selection of who to play with and where to play Klingon is vital, or else we could loose any chance to play in the future.   How many conventions have stupid zero-tolerenace policies for anything remotely weaponish?  How many of these can be traced to one careless jerk, harrassing some hapless prey-minded mundane in a public area to the point they did not feel safe in any of the public areas at the convention?

[Abbot Nej vIt]

[ edit- This post was edited to split portions of it to the Intellectual intimidation thread.  Feel free to re-edit as appropriate.  --Klythe]

The Concept of People (Klingon Fans), Not Acting "Klingon Enough" Has Certainly Come up already in this Discussion, But the Fact is that We are NOT real Klingons, We are Klingon Fans "Playing at Being Klingons"... If We Do Not Know this then we Have No Business Doing our thing in Public Places and Need to Keep All Activity in Closed "Designated" areas as You Say...

Now Rather "Un-klingon" Behavior Like Joking around with the Mundanes, Ruins our Rep somehow is certainly Part of this Discussion if we Want to Be Taken For Fans Who Can not Differentiate Our Own Created Fiction Based Quasi-Reality from the One In Which the Mundanes Are Operating In... But I Do Not See it that way...

As Far as Weapon Policies Go, I Hate to Say it but they are there for MANY real world Reasons, Not the Least of Which is that Once a Weapon is Drawn there "IS" a Level Of Commitment, and Harrassment that is Much Harder to "Back Down" from, and Guaranteed to Make someone Feel Threatened and Unsafe... Not too Mention that Agressive Mundanes are MUCH more likely to Take that Weapon if they Can, if Nothing else to Prove their own "Warrior-ness"... I Never Joke with a Live Blade when Dealing with Mundanes, (Or in "Public" Areas Period), and Would Hope that Others would have the Same Level of Sense... Certainly anyone Under My Command, or Within my "Sphere of Influence" has Been Given Instruction about Such Behavior Long Before the Event takes Place, Not to mention Briefings on Saftey right Before Going "On Duty"...

Now there Are times where Being Completely Serious is Vital to the "Mission". An Example would be Not Stopping to Joke, or Take Pictures with Mundanes or Anyone Else While Escorting a Celebrity for Instance, But at the Same time there is a HUGE differnece between Being "Rude" (In the Real World), and Being Serious and Determined about the Objective...

Knowing the Difference between an Action that is Going to Make Someone Feel Threatened, or Unsafe, and When to "Play" can be a Matter of Experience I Think, as is How to Disarm a Situation Before it can get out of Control... And may well Harken Back to a Discussion on another Board (And May have Taken Place here as Well), That Someone Brought up about the Need for More and Better "Mentoring" of New Klingon Fans...

Regardless, I Have Seen Far More "Issues" Arise, Ironically, from Interclub Politicing in Character, than I Have Seen Problems with Joking with Mundanes... (In terms of Klingons being able to Perform their Security Functions Effectively)...

[qoSagh]

Yes, there are more problems when being Klingon with our fellow Klin than with the mundanes, I agree. I have also seen some very surreal speeches given where Klin move in and out of character and reality too many times to count. I have never really had a mundane complain about the Klin presence, oddly enough the only time I know that I stepped over the line (I did not know the entire situation until after I finished stepping over the line) I was in a Federation uniform. I do know of one person on our security team who was told never to come as a Klingon again, she was after that brought up to the #2 position, as a mundane, then dismissed for other issues not related to fanclubs. She was told not to work as a Klingon anymore because she NEVER left character, not even when dealing with us, or when on breaks. If she had the headpiece on it was like the was Klingon. Part of me was impressed and a bit envious of her role play skills, part of me was frightened to be anywhere near her.

As for weapons policies, I can absolutely recognize that they are there for real reasons, and maybe even because of real incidents, however I think for the most part they are poorly written over reaching and unenforcible. They also do not take into account that many of the dealers at the conventions sell weapons that are in violation of the conventions own policy. Almost every ceremony I have ever done at a convention has put me in violation of the weapons policy, even at times when it was my job to enforce those policies. A little common sense would go a long way on both sides of the issue.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Boy Howdy on the Dealers Selling Stuff that Does Not Meet "Policy"!

And As I Have Said before, (Possibly in this Thread), I Have Also Wittnessed similar "Inconcistancies" in other related Places like at Medieval Faires, where the Weapon Policy is Trict to Get in, but all but Waived Once Inside, so that Venders can Sell Weapons without so much as a Piece tie, let alone a Scabbard, Sheath or other form of Blade Covering...

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Klythe,

As Usual We May be Speaking of Similar Concepts, just Using Different Words... When I Think "Intimidation" I Think in terms of Folks Feeling Like they Have No Choice but to Either Comply or "Somthing" will Happen that they do Not Like... In a Convention Setting, it is Rare that things Get to that "Or Somthing" Level... As Opposed to "Authoritative" (Which Can be Intimidating), but Can Also be Kept Light Hearted, and still Carry the Weight of that Authority Without outright threats, (Which is What I Read into your Statement)...

By Keeping things Jovial "I" find that there is Generally Less Ego Conflict, as People Get the Point without Feeling "Cornered"... Something Which Translates a lot Better in Person than in Text Form...<Grin>...

Regardless, You are 100% right that if Things Ever Begin to Escalate Beyond Letting People Know Where they Can or Can not Go (Such as into a Closed Panal Discussion Etc), Or Informing them of Con or Hotel Policy (Such as No Smoking in certain Areas or Whatever), Then Legitimate Law Enforcement Needs to Be Involved as Quickly as Possible...

[maq'mang]

I also agree that a warrior will know when their blade is required.

During the frequent photo requests @ cons my bared dak'takh is requested more often than not. I find it pleasing to have attractive mundane females request I pull my blade on them.

[Kehlan]

As a Klingon female I find the guys love it when I pull my knife and growl at them.  (Come to that my Feddie husband likes it when I growl but for different reasons)  Although, as I mentioned in another thread I was actually attacked once when in klingon costume.

Oh yes, I have some pretty good convetion stories to tell...maybe eventually over a mug or two of bloodwine.

I hope I am nothing like the Klingon female mentioned above but I find I do have to become Klingon when I put on the uniform - I'm not a good enough actor to do it otherwise.  I have to become Kehlan completely and she won't go back to sleep until I take the uniform off.  Having said that, she is half human (to her shame) and has a fairly good understanding of human behaviour.

I have found that if anything, my problems come from other Klingons at conventions.  I have met too many Klingons who don't want to know you if you are not part of their elite little club.  Which is a shame, but its their loss.  At least thats how Kehlan sees it, (the real, human me finds it hurtful).

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I hope I am nothing like the Klingon female mentioned above but I find I do have to become Klingon when I put on the uniform - I'm not a good enough actor to do it otherwise.  I have to become Kehlan completely and she won't go back to sleep until I take the uniform off.

I still have to find qa'pIn when in uniform. I'm too laid back a Human to actually Klingon up properly, and would possibly better play a wisened old warrior with a story or twenty to tell rather than the young upstart lagh I am dressing up for now...


lagh = ensign

[Abbot Nej vIt]

I have found that if anything, my problems come from other Klingons at conventions.  I have met too many Klingons who don't want to know you if you are not part of their elite little club.  Which is a shame, but its their loss.  At least thats how Kehlan sees it, (the real, human me finds it hurtful).

It is unfortunate, (And has been discussed, either here or in another thread), that so many of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th waves of Klingon recruits, have been weened on bitter stories handed down from the *Old Guard* and 1st wavers... These stories mostly date back to the now *Infamous* Fan-wars of the very early 90's... Because of this, a huge dis-service has been done to Klin-dom, as it divides an already thining populace...

The reality, is that there are good reasons for different clubs to exist, but more attention needs to be paid to not *Poisoning* the minds of new Warriors with Club-centric eliteist bias... This I have found is the leading cause of the attitudes you describe...

(For those who are curious about my *Wave* categories, check out my comments here: http://www.klingon-empire.org/forum/showthread.php?p=8565#post8565 )

maj! (Good)...

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I have found that if anything, my problems come from other Klingons at conventions.  I have met too many Klingons who don't want to know you if you are not part of their elite little club.  Which is a shame, but its their loss.  At least thats how Kehlan sees it, (the real, human me finds it hurtful).

The reality, is that there are good reasons for different clubs to exist, but more attention needs to be paid to not *Poisoning* the minds of new Warriors with Club-centric eliteist bias... This I have found is the leading cause of the attitudes you describe...

maj! (Good)...

Indeed, the main thing I see needs to be done is inform the people you have influence over and generally portray honor, not brawn.