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ESA Pushing for Gamers to Vote
Grooves writes "The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced the first voter registration drive aimed at gamers, called 'Play for Real: Gamer Voter Drive'. The drive is being managed by the ESA's Video Game Voters Network, an attempt at growing a grassroots community around the issue of games legislation. From the article, 'Lowenstein would like to boost these figures by convincing younger voters that their voice will have an influence over issues they care about, particularly efforts to create new laws restricting video games.'"
The right would ban GTA because it's violent, the left because it's racist.
An interesting thing to keep in mind about American politics is that the politicians are often closet supporters of that which they are the most vocal against.
Take the Republicans and some Democrats, for instance. They'll speak out very loudly against terrorism (ie. the use of fear and violence for political purposes), but then turn around and have absolutely no problem launching multiple wars against multiple nations (ie. the use of fear and violence for political purposes).
The same goes for protecting American freedom. Those politicians that speak loudest about such subjects are often the same ones voting for PATRIOT Act-style legislation that very effectively limits freedom and liberty.
When it comes to pornography, for instance, it's well known that those who are most outspoken about it are often addicts. Studies from the adult entertainment industry have shown that the region with the greatest consumption of pornography per individual includes Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma, parts of Texas, and Tennessee. The traditional Bible Belt areas, if you will. Meanwhile, the same studies have shown that pornography usage per person in New England is among the lowest in America. So while we're seeing and hearing southern politicians and religious leaders condeming pornographic films and video game content, the people from their areas are by far the most significant consumers of such material. One explanation is that they're opponents of it because it helps them cope with the fact that they're addicts.
Those who speak out loudly against video game violence are often the biggest supporters, but offer such support in relative secrecy. These sorts of politicians will deliver a presentation about how terrible GTA: Vice City is, only to turn around and play it for several hours on their own PC, using a copy bought by an aide (since they didn't want to be seen purchasing such games themselves).