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Games Met Politics In 2005

Posted by Zonk on from the shotgun-wedding dept.

Next Generation is running an article looking at the year in Gaming Politics, written by Mr. McCauley of the GamePolitics blog. From the article: "The silliest politicians of 2005 include North Carolina State Senator Austin Allran who proposed a bill to remove Solitaire from every state-owned PC; Illinois State Senator Deanna Demuzio, sponsor of the state's videogame legislation, who claimed games were neither art nor media; Pennsylvania State Rep. James Casorio who wrote there was no evidence that games are constructive forms of either recreation or learning; and Oklahoma State Rep. Fred Morgan, whose editorial recommending a videogame law for his state based on the Illinois model appeared three days after a federal judge ruled the Illinois law unconstitutional."

4 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. No Evidence? by Grifty · · Score: 4, Funny

    No evidence that games are constructive forms of either recreation or learning?

    P'shaw, I know firsthand that games taught me to type, an essential skill this day and age.

    Not to mention some of the social cause/effect lessons taught by MMORPGs...

    --
    "Can I have your stuff?"
  2. And TV is? by faloi · · Score: 2, Interesting

    no evidence that games are constructive forms of either recreation or learning

    I hope there's evidence that TV is constructive for recreation or learning. Obviously they have to lump all of TV programming together, as they have video games. I learned typing through some of the typing games from yesteryear. And playing online games hasn't hurt my typing. Except that I feel obligated to type "teh" a lot.

    I will say, to the authors credit, at least they picked a bi-partisan bunch of ill-informed politicians. Kind of refreshing to see in todays world.

    --
    "It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education." -Albert Einstein
  3. Uh-Oh... by FourStarGeneral · · Score: 2, Insightful
    and Oklahoma State Rep. Fred Morgan, whose editorial recommending a videogame law for his state based on the Illinois model appeared three days after a federal judge ruled the Illinois law unconstitutional.
    Political acts like this are what make me wonder why I bohered to register to vote, if all our political appointees are this ill-informed.
    --
    Resistance... is futile.
  4. Funny by iridium_ionizer · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Senator Joe Lieberman and Senator Hillary Clinton. Does anyone think it's funny that the two most prominent Democrats who oppose the killing of virtual people (videogames) are also the two most prominent Democrats who support the killing of real people (War in Iraq)? Is it hypocrisy or are they just trying to appeal to Soccer moms?