Post by J_Bourne{QAW} on Nov 2, 2005 0:55:10 GMT -5
As many of you know I am quite insane. My latest bout of crazy has been to create a FaceBook group at FSU called Students For Free Speech in Electronic Entertainment. It's exactly what it sounds like. I started it about a week ago and have 77 members right now with more joining every day. Here's the thing though: I want a chapter at every school. Right now there are chapters at UM, UPenn, Full Sail and Maryland. In the next few days I hope to have new ones at UF, NYU, UCF, BU, FIU. Anyway I am posting this because I want your help. I want this to be a coordinated national advocacy group. Students from all over the country flooding the offices of state and national legistators with the same letters, the same arguments. A united front. I think it can work. If you want to start a chapter at your school please respond here and I will brief you.
Here is the group description/manifesto:
Every form of entertainment and media has at one time or another been labeled as dangerous and corrupting. The last century saw censorship and attempted censorship of Literature, Television, Film, and Music. Today the focus falls on Interactive Electronic Entertainment (more commonly known as Video/Computer Games). Games are currently being branded as a threat to the health of our nation and numerous state legislatures are currently considering laws that would ban the sale of many violent titles to minors. While preventing children from obtaining and playing violent or adult-themed games is certainly nothing to be scoffed at the implementation of legislation towards that end should be a matter of concern. Such laws create a dangerous precedent that could lead to further censorship by the government in any number of controversial areas. Some laws have even been proposed that ban violent games outright. The First Amendment exists to ensure that every person, everywhere, in this great country can express himself or herself without fear of prosecution and that the voice of every person may not be stifled by the government. It is the right of Game Developers to make any game they please without molestation from the Government. The battle line against free speech has been drawn once again and it is the duty of each and every one of you to see to its safety. I urge you all to write to your representatives in Congress (both National and State) to let them know that you care about your rights and will fight with every legal means to protect the integrity of our Country’s most basic right.
Here is the group description/manifesto:
Every form of entertainment and media has at one time or another been labeled as dangerous and corrupting. The last century saw censorship and attempted censorship of Literature, Television, Film, and Music. Today the focus falls on Interactive Electronic Entertainment (more commonly known as Video/Computer Games). Games are currently being branded as a threat to the health of our nation and numerous state legislatures are currently considering laws that would ban the sale of many violent titles to minors. While preventing children from obtaining and playing violent or adult-themed games is certainly nothing to be scoffed at the implementation of legislation towards that end should be a matter of concern. Such laws create a dangerous precedent that could lead to further censorship by the government in any number of controversial areas. Some laws have even been proposed that ban violent games outright. The First Amendment exists to ensure that every person, everywhere, in this great country can express himself or herself without fear of prosecution and that the voice of every person may not be stifled by the government. It is the right of Game Developers to make any game they please without molestation from the Government. The battle line against free speech has been drawn once again and it is the duty of each and every one of you to see to its safety. I urge you all to write to your representatives in Congress (both National and State) to let them know that you care about your rights and will fight with every legal means to protect the integrity of our Country’s most basic right.