Convention without a 'Badge'

IMHO

I attended a convention recently but didn't wear a badge I was treated with the utmost suspicion. Particularly when I arrived during the sessions one day. The attendant didn't want me wandering off to find a seat on my own. He virtually insisted that I would have to follow him.

Any other experiences like this or (being paranoid) is it just me?

Put it this way; if I was an interested person who just walked in to see what was going on. I wouldn't have stayed long as not only was I not made to feel welcome I was treated with total suspicion.

GOrwell

Quite true and probably a 'normal' experience.. if you dress the part and have a briefcase, you probably wouldn't arouse THAT much suspicion. If you came off the street, you are most likely guaranteed an escort to a seat, with the local section attendant being notified about your presence.. At recent conventions, you'll need a badge to be 'authenticated' as a 'real' JW, whatever that is.

diamondiiz

I hardly ever wore a badge when I went to the DCs and no one ever said boo.

breakfast of champions

Sorry, its paranoia.

james_woods

Sorry, its paranoia.

On whose part? I would suppose that the neo-nazi white supremacists would insist on badges and follow you areound if you walked into one of their pep rallys.

Chariklo

I didn't have a badge when I went last year. Although I was a "study" and sat with my study conductor, I also moved around a fair bit on my own and was treated just like an ordinary JW.

fade_away

How were you dressed? If you were dressed in casual street clothes, it might have caused unease and suspicion because you stand out from the crowd. If you dress like everyone else, you just blend in. Nobody really notices whether or not you wear a badge.

aristeas

Wow! I didn't know they'd gone to badges! How does one get a badge?

IMHO, if you are male, do you have facial hair (that always sets off alarms)? Did you wear a tie?

Have any opposers gone into business selling fake badges? Imagine setting up a booth outside the convention site with free fake badges that looked real! What would they do? Start issuing real ones with holograms? Go to fingerprint or DNA checks?

The whole concept of security seemed like a joke to me at these DCs. What woud they really do if s.o. got rowdy or pulled out a weapon? They don't have real cops there — or do they now?

Morbidzbaby

I know someone who was studying but had been associated with the JW's for over 30 years. He went to a convention and was a bit late and hadn't had his morning coffee. Well, he went outside to the coffee shop and got coffee for himself and his family (3 coffees in all), and when he came back in and was about to go into the arena, an attendant stopped him and told him he couldn't bring that inside! Yet, a JW man with a family in tow and a LOT more coffees and frozen coffee drinks in hand was allowed to waltz right in!! The attendant looked at the student and said "This isn't a sporting event". The guy acted like he was coming in with a damn beer helmet and foam finger that said "JAH #1!"

Last year when I went, I didn't wear a badge and had a facial piercing...one guy (who was totally flirting) said "So, how do you like the convention so far? How long have you been studying?" ROFL I'd been baptized for 15 years.

IMHO

I was wearing my Sunday best and fitted in (or so I thought).

The badges would be very easy to replicate and who knows if you give a false name and congregation (from outside the area).

Convention without a 'Badge'

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