A Bit of Gun Show Ettiquet

Over heard a discussion yesterday that disturbed me a mite bit, especially since it involves the gun and knife show I'm on my way to this morning. It seems these two college kids were still pissed off at not being allowed to take a picture of a tee shirt that was being sold at the show this past spring. They were especially pissedvat being told that if they liked it enough to take picture of it, then they liked it enough to buy it cause that was the only way they were going to get that design.

Look people, let me explain a little bit about the facts of life for many gun and knife show venders. For all too many of us, what we make selling our wares at this show today is how we support our families. I'm pretty sure I know which vender made to comment that pissed those two kids off, and all the t-shirts he sells are his own copyrighted designs. Just as all the splatter targets I sell are mine. If I let you take pictures of my targets, knowing full well that you're probably going to print up copies on your home computer instead of paying me for them then I might not have enough to pay my daughters tuition! If he let's you take pictures of his t-shirts knowing full well that it's all too likely you'll just use it to make your own rather than pay him for it, it could make the difference between his family eating sirloin or eating hamburger helper. And please don't give me that line about how there should be a sign. If it's a South Carolina Arms Collectors Association like the one I'm going to be at today then there's a sign right at the front door, and most of us DO have signs as well. So ask before you start snapping away. It will save everyone a load of grief.