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August 12, 2004
RPG Confiscation
Daniel Noland suggested that we post about the reported attempt to confiscate RPG material on the New Jersey to New York City ferry, so OK! Here's what's known so far:
An LJ user named mephron reported that on August 10th, a security guard singled him out for special attention because he had a copy of the Player's Guide to Faerun in his bag. On August 11th, another guard attempted to confiscate his copy of Exalted: The Abyssals.
I have various "friend of a friend" connections to this guy, who vouch for his integrity, but that's still friend of a friend. I don't have any reason to doubt the story; I do think confirmation is important.
Greg Costikyan got in touch with New York Waterway. They are very interested in verifying the story and making sure that the security guard(s?) in question understand that such actions are a violation of company policy and of the law. If you have any information, including a way to get in touch with mephron, they would love to hear from you at customerservice@nywaterway.com.
I don't think this is symptomatic of anything. It's very clearly not company policy to confiscate books. I've heard some people speculate that the guard wouldn't have done this unless he thought his supervisor approved, but I find that logic suspect: plenty of people either a) don't think about what their boss will say, or b) don't care, because saving America from Satan is more important than the chain of command. I can't get too worked up about one guard out of tens of thousands who has a hard-on for roleplaying games.
However, I'm all for getting the word out so that New York Waterway can fix the problem, particularly since they're eager to do so.
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Comments
Michael and I don't normally take the ferry into the city, but the ferry does leave from right by his office. He was only half-jokingly saying that he needed to take the ferry and put an RPG book in his briefcase the next time he had a meeting in Manhattan.
I'm very glad to see the ferry operator is taking this story seriously and that it's not company policy to confiscate game books. I thought I left that kind of small-minded stupidity about games when I came to the big city. Apparently idiots are everywhere.
Posted by: Ginger Stampley at Aug 12, 2004 12:35:45 PM
As others have noted in other forums (fora?), it seems just as likely the guard was trying to steal the book for his own use. I wouldn't be surprised if lots of "inappropriate" swag gets "confiscated" every day.
Posted by: Allen Varney at Aug 12, 2004 4:41:29 PM
In that first item, Mephron says “They're doing mandatory searches of all bags on the PATH trains and the ferries”. He’s wrong (or exaggerating) about that first part. I take the PATH to work every day, as do my two roommates, and none of us have been searched, or seen anyone searched.
Posted by: Avram at Aug 12, 2004 10:05:10 PM
I should add that I haven't seen any searches on the PATH to Manhattan either, but I don't go in daily and never during rush hour. I can't imagine how they would search everyone at Grove Street during rush hour, either; the station isn't set up for it.
Posted by: Ginger Stampley at Aug 14, 2004 3:28:46 PM
I think attempted theft is most likely. If they had a REAL concern that written material were part of a terrorist plot they ought to detain the person and call the FBI. From the initial stories it doesn't sound like this was attempted.
I have gamed with a lot of people who I thought were all right and later discovered they were not at all to be trusted. There aren't many "gaming friends" I would currently vouch for on an issue like this, so I have a hard time believing this story at all.
While I don't believe saving America from Satan is an activity a public security guard (or TSA or FBI etc.) should be engaged in (at least not while on duty), saving America from Islamic terrorists is. I would rather the folks charged with this duty are over-zealous rather than lax.
I hope that if any gamer is stopped and questioned about their gaming materials their first response is to calmly explain what RPGs are and why they don't pose a threat. If pressed, try inviting the security person to a game!
Posted by: Scott at Aug 15, 2004 12:23:47 PM
