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Politician Takes Enlightened Stance on Gaming
GamePolitics is reporting that one Australian would-be politician is taking an enlightened stance on gaming in general, and especially with respect to censorship. "Censorship is odious because it removes community choice. Censorship says that the thought is the action; that the common person can't distinguish between depiction and actuality... Censorship says, 'Let me decide who talks.' And games are talking. They're talking very loudly, to a great many people, in strong and clear voices. They're speaking in places that have never read a newspaper and in houses which have never listened to politicians. It's okay to be worried by what games are saying. It's okay to disagree. But it's not okay to stifle those voices. It's not okay to kill the game."
...whatever you do, DO NOT USE HIS NAME. Quote him if you must, but again DO NOT USE HIS NAME!
It's Greg Tannahill, btw.
The candidate's name is Greg Tannahill he maintains a gaming blog and a political blog.
Gaming blog: The Dust Forms Words
Campaign blog: Greg Tannahill for Canberra.
... that he's standing for the Democrats; they're one of the saner parties out there with real, considered positions, but their voter base is 1 - 2%, going on the results of the previous election (2007).
Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.
The candidate's name is Greg Tannahill he maintains a gaming blog and a political blog.
Gaming blog: The Dust Forms Words
Campaign blog: Greg Tannahill for Canberra.
Nope this view is the similar to those held by the majority of the people in power, except for one particular politician in South Australia...
Unfortunately it requires the approval of the Attorney General of each State to change the classification system for games to the same as that of movies (eg R18+).
Unless this guy is running in South Australia voting for him isn't going to help in this particular issue.
The big problem being addressed here is specific to Australia - in that they do not have an 18+ or R rating. If a game is not suitable for a 16 year old - it's canned on that basis by the censors. Poor.