Unfortunately in today's day and age my answer would be yes. Maybe children 12 and under can still wear costumes...but weapons real or toy should never be allowed!

I was afraid this would happen... for decades people have been attending movies in costume and no one thought anything of it. now one idiot does something unspeakable, and everyone is calling for a ban of costumes in theaters. more and more is being taken away from the majority by reacting to the stupidity of one or two people. I feel for the victims and their families, but if this ban makes so much sense, why was it not already in place? Why must we always react rather than be proactive?

I think the best way to honor the dead is to honor our traditions.

They should ban $8.00 for a popcorn and $9 for a soda!

I don't have problems with people wearing costumes, but I do think face concealing masks and fake weapons are a bad idea. In the last several years many stores and banks have been robbed by people doing just this. As to Mr. Light's comment above, this is a different world than it used to be and there are things that need to be done to adjust. We live in a country that now has more guns than people. We should indeed be proactive, but when something does happen not responding to it makes very little sense. Would he suggest that in the 1980s Tylenol scare that McNeil shouldn't have taken their products off of the shelves and that the industry shouldn't have put seals on the tops of bottles to make them tamper-proof in the future?

I'm an "unsure" on this one. I don't think the face masks are the problem, and I think banning them immediately is a sloppy, too-quick fix which is no fix at all (no one keeps their guns in a face mask, and I can't honestly imagine that wearing a gas mask was crucial to this man's destructive project). Toy weapons are a tricky one, though. People have been shot by people who thought they were being threatened with a weapon which was in fact no weapon at all. But let's face it, an upraised thumb and forefinger is a gun in the dark among jumpy people. I think more thought has to go into this sudden decision to ban things. I hate to say it, but metal detectors may simply have to become the American way of life in buildings where we congregate in large groups...

the gas mask was unfortunately instrumental in this sick man's plans. he gassed the theater, while wearing said mask. his victims were incapacitated to the point that they posed no threat to stopping him. they were already under the effects of tear gas, so no one would have been able to subdue him.....sadly, this is probably how he claimed so many victims. had there been no gas, you would think someone could have tackled him much earlier in the mayhem.

it is quite convenient that a horrific massacre occurs days before the U.N. Small Arms Treaty is up for voting. Could it be that this massacre was staged? as we seen many times before in similar situations...think about it. research it for yourself and dont let the mainstream media direct your thoughts...

Movies should be fun! if someone wants to wear a costume they should, no weapons.

An obviously deranged person went on a rampage, it's been happening forever all over the world. I does not matter the weapon, location, religous beliefs or political views. This guy tripped off the line and was going to use whatever was at his disposal.

I have Netflix haven't bee to a theater in years.
Play it on by big flatscreen.....8 bucks unlimited shows.
I buy popcorn in 50 lbs bags at Sams in Worcester for 15.00 It last a loooong
time. Used to be 10 bucks....keeps going up. So who needs the theaters?
Jim@ccfiile.com

So what you're going to ban a child probably 12 and under from having fun? I can see maybe questioning a 18 year old and up from coming in costume and maybe ask the reason why an adult is acting are acting like children, but the kids?

Things like this ruin this for all the kids. What's next removing false teeth from the older ones because they may contain a bomb?
People who are acting in a suspicious manner, yes maybe confront, but to apply this to everyone is getting a bit ridiculous. How do the people with kids feel about this? Come on, the guy came into the movie theater WITH a gas mask on? I can see the expense of tickets going up because of all this security malarkey.

Joe Rizoli

They can ban whatever they wish it's their theater but if only one other person in that cinema had a real gun this creep many not have hurt so many.

I hope that Colorado has the Death Penalty, and sentences Holmes to it. This was a premeditated massacre.

I think it should be noted that ban or not, it would have had no impact on this crime. The perp snuck in through a side door unobserved. Not through the front. But what could have an effect? A ban on semi-automatic weapons with magazine clips of ammo that have no purpose other than killing people. But by all means lets not discuss that, let's ban costumes.

As I understood it in the news, he had walked in through the front doors without costume. He used his cell, like as if he got a call, and exited the emergency exit, only to return in full gear. His car was apparently parked in the rear by the exit door. Supposedly nothing to do with costumes. He must have gone to that theatre enough times to know what exit door opened to what area behind the theatre. He also likely had bought his ticket in advance to know what theatre screen room the movie was playing in, in order to know where that exit door was in relation to that screen. Perhaps if there were alarms that sounded loud enough or alerted a manager that the door had been opened, someone may have been able to see the door was propped while the sicko was putting on his protective gear. Also, maybe they should not put which theatre screen room the shows will be in on advance tickets. Those are things which can help with safety.

Why is it easy to talk about banning masks, but mention gun control and the NRA crowd gets all worked up in a lather...

Maybe those doors at the rear should have alarms that go off after the movie plays with a warning that any exiting those doors WILL cause an alarm.

Anyway, from what is being learned here the costumes had NOTHING to do with the tragedy, so why punish the kids who want to dress up?
Soon they will be saying only shirt and ties will get you into the theater. This will be the excuse to raise ticket prices.

Joe Rizoli

Unfortunately the next person to do this may not stash his guns outside. Maybe he walks in with an overcoat with his rifle strapped down the side of his body and pistols in his pockets. I think we would be being naive to think others have gotten ideas from this tragedy. Can you imagine the next step being metal detectors at the movie theater? As Mr Rizoli stated above...NETFLIX is a nice option!

The perpertrator had planned this event. Just like the Sept. 11 hijackers. We should not have alter our lives because of a crazy person. Banks get robbed all the time by people wearing masks. Many times the robber doesn't even have a weapon. Let's take control of our own lives. No one can prevent a determined person from acting violently. It's part of our lives.

Watch, the next step will be no more "Wally" the Green Monster.

I agree with Nerina. The Emergency exits should sound an alarm alreting Management/Security. What if there was a real fire during a movie that there were only 2 or 3 people attending? They leave through the emergency exit, and the rest of the entire theater remains oblivious?

Also how do you define a weapon? Toy guns, I can understand that some look very real, but are you going to stop a kid going into a Star Wars movie with a light up lightsaber? Where would the line be drawn?

The answer would seem to be security screening people as they enter, and then having all other exits monitored either by remote alarms and/or security. Security would have to make judgements as to what is/is not appropriate to bring in.

What people don't understand is that masks and costumes have made people uncomfortable even before the shooting happened. I'm seventeen years old, and I have been in plenty of situations where there is a full masked, full costumed man walking around the movie theater. Your heart can't help but skip a beat because you don't know what they're intentions are, and you don't know what is under the costumes.
I agree with Rizoli's comment above that children should not be impacted by this. They don't have full on costumes. Maybe just a cape or something along those lines.
The fact of the matter is, costumes and masks have made people uncomfortable for years. It's just unfortunate that it takes something as awful as a shooting for people to notice.

Granted, I'm not saying ban costumes in general. But masks, definitely. Maybe pat people down. I'm sure people wouldn't be against it if they knew it was for their own safety.

It's amazing what happens to the guts of a criminal when someone shoots back. They run because they are all spineless whims. Standing up to a bully is the easiest way to stop them. Besides are you going to wait for a cop to show up?

its just sad things like this happen, i can remember growing up going to the movies all decked out in costume for my favorite movies, its just such a different world now.

Are the movies going to deny a woman wearing a Burka...If the answer is no...Then I should be able to wear a Chewbacca suit...

Would have been nice if someone had a gun but this guy had a shotgun and a rifle, it would have been difficult to get a shot off. He really had the advantage, plus he had body armor, he apparently thought he was invinsible, he probably thought he was really Batman.

Joe Rizoli

I went to Regal in Westboro Friday night, and I noticed an extra officer roaming the lobby, and just when the lights went down, the usher checked to make sure the exit door hadn't been propped open.

I have to admit....my eyes drifted down to the exit more than once during the movie.

i encourage ALL to watch this WHOLE documentary before replying more. It is so obvious. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yT1GavDtiwM

Why not just ban Guns, period. Having gun is creating more problems than it is solving. If somebody is attacking you, and you have a gun in your basement/bedroom drawer/a car trunk/ or in some concealed place how is it going to save you. By the time you get to your gun, you would be attacked.

How about if they ban people from shooting guns and committing mass murder instead? Make an example of this murder by giving him a speedy trial and speedy public execution! How does it benifit anyone by having years of court proceedings?
I understand he has constitutional rights...Such as his sixth...Which includes a speedy trial...MORE SO WHAT ABOUT THE RIGHTS OF THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES!

I support the Right to Bear Arms. They make it really easy to catch salmon.

Are they going to ban Flashmobs next?

i encourage you to read you this article: http://www.activistpost.com/2012/07/the-assault-on-2nd-amendment-precursor.html