Editing Science fiction convention (section)

=== Peace-bonding and weapons policies <!--[[Peace-bonding]] redirects to this section; if the section title is changed, be sure to update that redirect. -->===
A '''peace-bond''' is a conspicuous lock, tie, or mark which makes or identifies something  unusable, such as a weapon, and shows  that the owner's intentions are purely peaceful.

At some conventions, attendees carry real weapons or costume props that appear to be weapons. To forestall concerns about mis-use of real weapons at such events, the security team "peace-bonds" anything that might look like a weapon.<ref>{{Citation | last = Rogow | first = Roberta | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hyoYAAAAIAAJ&q=%22peace-bonding%22 | title = Futurespeak: A Fan's Guide to the Language of Science Fiction | page = 244 | place = New York | publisher = Paragon House | year = 1991| isbn = 9781557783479 }}.</ref>

The event's "weapons policy" may offer objective criteria to determine what looks like a weapon. For example, a weapons policy may require a peace-bond for anything that a reasonable person might recognize as a weapon from a short distance in dim light. Real weapons, if allowed, are disabled, secured, and marked.  For example, bright orange zip ties may be used to hold a [[sword]] in a scabbard or to hold a [[pistol]] in a holster. Simulated or costume props may require conspicuous marks, such as bright ribbons or zip ties, to show that security has deemed them safe to be carried. Simulated weapons or props which can be used as a weapon may be disabled or secured in the way as real weapons.

Peace-bonding helps security control the use or abuse of real weapons at a convention or other event: anything that looks like a weapon but which is not peace-bonded is immediately deemed to be suspicious.  SF writer [[C. J. Cherryh]] writes on her website, "I was a witness of pre-peacebonding times, was narrowly missed, and assure you this is a good idea. Read the convention weapons policy."<ref>{{Citation | url = http://www.cherryh.com/www/fiawol.htm | title = FIAWOL and all that: peacebonding | author-link = C. J. Cherryh| last = Cherryh | first = CJ}}.</ref>