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Seven Arrested After Protesting Army Video Game Recruiting Center

Posted by Soulskill on from the you-mean-there's-more-to-the-army-than-halo? dept.

GamePolitics writes "Seven anti-war protesters were arrested in Philadelphia on Saturday during a protest rally and march which targeted the Army Experience Center, a high-tech recruitment center which uses PC and Xbox games and simulations to attract potential recruits. GamePolitics was on hand to cover the protest, and took video of the arrests. A local news station also reported on the rally, and the Peace Action Network released a statement saying, "In its desperate approach to meet recruiting numbers, the military is teaching the wrong values to teenagers. Sugarcoating combat experience with virtual war is a dishonor to those with real war experience."

19 of 433 comments (clear)

  1. fp! by CheshireFerk-o · · Score: 5, Interesting

    i for one have played America's Army for years, and i would love to play in the vehicles and huge screens with other ppl! sure its a recruitment tool but take it for what it is, a great team-based shooter.

  2. So... by will_die · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Are the games any fun?
    If so, can you play if you are older than recruiting age?

  3. Re:Recruitment tool probably steps over the line by American+Terrorist · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Glorifying deadly combat is more than a little twisted. Senseless violence is against the basic principal of civilization. If the army's goal is to build a civil society in Iraq it should be teaching its soldiers more about civility and less about headshots.

    I have a cousin who went to a military academy high school in Virginia where the students were encouraged to chant "kill 'em all" repeatedly. Now he wants to join the marines or rangers and go to Iraq and shoot as many people as possible. He is 18, and thoroughly brainwashed by militarism.

  4. from an old soldier by tazanator · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I have played AA for 6 years it's a great game, on the flip side I served as Infantry for 12 years. The AA game simulates the battle side of the army but nothing about the other phases (book training, guard duty, and cleaning the base) AA tends to glorify the battle side. I entered in 1989 and served till 2001 (medical discharge) I volunteer to go anywhere I could, but was never deployed outside the US. while the war training was fun it wasn't a common ordeal during my service time. on a final note http://www.pvtmurphy.com/Prints/Any%20Luck.htm

    --
    I'm told you are what you eat, does that mean I can be you by tomorrow with some A1?
  5. Re:At least they are protesting by Zumbs · · Score: 3, Interesting

    A quick google search found http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_15,_2003_anti-war_protest and http://www.zombietime.com/iraq_war_fifth_anniversary_protest/. If you put your mind to it, I'm sure you can find *a lot* more.

    --
    The truth may be out there, but lies are inside your head
  6. In Norway by KarlIsNotMyName · · Score: 5, Interesting

    In Norway we have semi-obligatory military service for males (basically a 1 year training program to be prepared in the event of an invasion. After that it's possible to join the army full time. Semi-obligatory because it's not that hard to get out of. So the following could be considered a recruitment event). All males of around 18 years old (and I think they've made attending this obligatory for females too now, just not obligatory for them to serve) are called in for a "Sesjon" (Session?) to determine physical and mental abilities, as well as a minor health checkup.

    One of the first things they did was show us a movie, to spark our interest, I suppose. But all it was were kids driving around in tanks, climbing stuff and being out in nature. Not a single image of what war actually is. Not even a drop of blood.

    Truth in advertising should be much more prevalent and mandatory when we're dealing with the worst of all things, war.

    --
    We are all God's parents.
    1. Re:In Norway by Vintermann · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Well, to defend our glorious military (which I opted out of the non-easy way, by becoming a CO), there probably isn't much blood involved in conscripted Norwegian military service. No conscript is shipped abroad, even on the most sleepy peacekeeping mission, without applying for it himself.

      Support for conscription would plummet if it did.

      --
      xkcd is not in the sudoers file. This incident will be reported.
    2. Re:In Norway by Krneki · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It was the same in our country (Slovenia), until too many people realized how stupid war is. Eventually too many treated the army as a joke forcing the state to employ soldiers as professional. Now we have very few soldiers, but they are all motivated professionals. Luring teenagers into the army is a dirty trick that eventually will backfire. P.S: We do not have a military court, all soldiers mistakes are judged by the civil court.

      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    3. Re:In Norway by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Here in Spain they even have games for your mobile!

      http://www.soldados.com/actualidad/juego/index.htm

      True that they are very peacekeeping and humanitarian help-oriented games.

    4. Re:In Norway by swillden · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Luring teenagers into the army is a dirty trick that eventually will backfire.

      It will lower standards a little, but not nearly as much as instituting a draft. The problem the US military faces right now is that the ongoing deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan require a lot of bodies. Not because many of them die, but because it's unpleasant duty and people tend not to want to do it for very long. Since it's an all-volunteer military force, recruiters to do whatever they can to motivate people to volunteer.

      The real solution here isn't to shut down the recruiters, it's to reduce the demands on the military, i.e. get out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

      Actually, I think we should return to the Constitutional form of national defense. Get rid of the "standing army" almost entirely. Limit the armed forces to the high-tech forces that can't be staffed on a volunteer basis plus a training cadre capable of quickly training and equipping large numbers of volunteers for the bulk of the ground forces. Shift most of those forces to the state national guards (organized militia). All we really need at the federal level during peacetime is the Navy and maybe a core staff to coordinate the training and equipping of national guard forces to maintain consistency and standards. Finally, repeal the NFA and encourage citizens to own and practice with military-style weapons in standard caliber to maintain/rebuild the "rifle behind every blade of grass" defense (unorganized militia). But I realize that following the Constitution is a radical idea.

      --
      Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
  7. Re:Shutup you commie by tacarat · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I found it ironic that as a service member, I had less freedoms available to me. The freedom of speech, needing to ask for permission to get married, etc. Throw in the the base clubs weren't allowed to have "offensive" music (and of course the sensitive types wouldn't have the decency to stay home). /sigh. Buy all the liquor, tobacco and bibles you want, but no porn!

    --
    "Common sense will be the death of us all"
  8. Re:Recruitment tool probably steps over the line by khallow · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Glorifying deadly combat is more than a little twisted. Senseless violence is against the basic principal of civilization. If the army's goal is to build a civil society in Iraq it should be teaching its soldiers more about civility and less about headshots.

    I assure you the violence makes a lot of sense. You just aren't trying to understand. Making a civil society in Iraq is not the US Army's goal. The US Army's goal is to discourage violent alternatives to peaceful cohabitation and negotiation. That often requires the civility of a headshot.

    I have a cousin who went to a military academy high school in Virginia where the students were encouraged to chant "kill 'em all" repeatedly. Now he wants to join the marines or rangers and go to Iraq and shoot as many people as possible. He is 18, and thoroughly brainwashed by militarism.

    By all means let him join assuming they'll have him. The disease is the cure when it comes to militarism. My bet is that the Marines or Army don't like militarism any more than you do. It gets people killed unnecessarily.

  9. What a non-story by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    This story is boring for one why protest the recruitment of soldiers when you should protest at the office of your representative and senator. The people that send soldiers to war. I suppose if you were trying to hire 18-24 year old people you go after their sense of world responsibly.... Come on! The old method was selling it as a 9-5 job that you got college money when you were done. This method was a lot more false advertising than showing kids video games of people fighting and dying.

  10. CO meaning... by 16Chapel · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...which I opted out of the non-easy way, by becoming a CO

    Conscientious objector

    or Commanding Officer
    ? :-)

  11. Re:This is America by jav1231 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Something tells me these protesters will be reported more favorably than the Tea Party protesters, who were of course bigots and fanatics.

  12. If tax dollars buy it, it is public. by FatSean · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The mall can boot the gov't out, but as far as I'm concerned, that space is free for protest as long as the gov't is paying for it.

    --
    Blar.
  13. Re:Recruitment tool probably steps over the line by abundance · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Nobody in their right mind *wants* to kill people, not even people in the military.

    Exactly. In fact we're not talking about the mind of the people in the military, we are talking about very young guys' minds which shouldn't get brainwashed by educators nor seducted by rectruiters.

  14. Re:Can it be that he was all so simple... by WNight · · Score: 3, Interesting

    (the same military, might I add, that goes and fights and dies for their freedom to express their opinion and peacefully protest in the first place).

    You're either a fucking imbecile or a liar. There's a big difference between the soldiers who actually put their asses on the line and the commanders who decide the hand-wave the realities of war with a video game for recruitment purposes. To think that the protesters can't tell the difference is ridiculous.

    A bunch of fucking loonies decided they hate the military today

    But this makes it obvious, you're a liar. You have no clue what the protesters were really protesting for but you hate them.

    I wonder what the opinion of a veteran would be to someone like you, lamely ra-ra'ing everything into a "think of the troops". That sort of knee-jerk objectification of a soldier as this hero-object you send overseas and who dies gloriously for freedom, even if they're sent into an unjust war under false pretenses, seems pretty offensive to me. It's the same kind of handwavism towards the reality of war that the protesters were protesting.

    The mall has the right to evict anyone ... What is so hard to understand about this? ... police arrested them under the law for trespassing.

    Isn't that convenient. The only relevant place to protest and it's private property. But how about outside? Oh, the whole area near the entryway is private, the sidewalk can't be blocked by groups, and the nearby park is private too. Guess there just can't be a protest because everywhere is private...

    Yes, the government can. The people have the right to "peaceful assembly" and "petition the government for redress of grievances." These rights are not Absolute

    The courts, supreme or otherwise, are far from unbiased on this, being the ultimate 'tool' of 'justice' in the land they have far to much faith in quietly following the rules and protesting inside the lines. Sorry, but their opinion is just as irrelevant as that of the most radicalized protester.

    The truth is that protest MUST be done where it is relevant and will be seen. A public park six miles away might be more convenient for mall management but they rented space to a government propaganda centre and can't simply dismiss this issue as one of troublesome trespassers or they themselves become a legitimate target for protest. Removing protesters for violence, preventing other legitimate access through the area, and so forth would be reasonable, yes. But to remove them for expressing a reasonable opinion against the government, in a very relevant manner and location, simply because it's private property - that is unreasonable.

    It's fairly well established that the government has the right of eminent domain, and the current US gov claims it has the right to draft its citizens. To think that this doesn't afford the people (the government) the reasonable expectation of a right to assemble and protest the activities going on in that location is silly. The USA seceded, in part after people boarded private ships to throw privately owned tea into the harbour as part of a tax protest against the government. Considering the issue at hand is pro-war brainwashing materials being passed off as games by the government I think a mere protest in a mall is a pretty reasonable thing.

    Perhaps the mall should rent to less controversial customers if it doesn't want the fallout.

  15. Re:Shutup you commie by AhtirTano · · Score: 2, Interesting

    That depends on what era the poster served in. My grandfather, a WWII navy pilot, had to marry in secret because he wasn't allowed to.