Here we go again: "25 to Life" is being protested

[gwilks98]

Here's the email I got from a cop friend:

> March 3, 2006
>
>
> Best Buy Selling New Video Game Teaching Our
> Kids to Kill Police Officers
> Dear Gary,
>
> An ultra-violent video game known as 25 to Life has been released by the video giant Eidos. In this game, marketed to our children, players can assume the role of a gang member who is encouraged to execute drive-by shootings of police officers and to use civilians as human shields.
> Eidos considers this new game entertainment. To celebrate the killing of police officers as entertainment is a sick concept. No matter, Eidos is
> making money. >
>
> Take Action
>
> One of the major outlets selling 25 to Life is Best Buy. Send an email to Best Buy asking them to discontinue carrying 25 to Life.
> When you send your email to Best Buy, you will automatically be added to our petition list thanking police officers for being willing to lay their lives on the line every day to protect us. We will present the petitions to the National Association for Police Officers headquartered in Washington.
>
>
> Send Your Email Now!
> Finally, I'm asking you to take one further step. It is a little extra work, but it is small in return for what our police officers do for us. If you buy or rent videos, please call your video store and ask them if they have the game 25 to Life in stock. If they say yes, politely tell them you will not be renting videos from them in the future. If they say no, thank them for not stocking 25 to Life.

> Then forward this email to your family and
> friends.
>
> Thanks for caring enough to get involved.
>
> If you think our efforts are worthy, click here to make a small donation to help us continue our efforts? Thanks.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
> OneMillionDads.com
>
> P.S. Please forward this to your family and
> friends!

Man this one really got to me once I started doing some research about it. Mostly because the email is entirely one sided. Here was my response:

I don't know guys. I support <My friend>'s safety as a cop,
but the "video game violence" opponents don't have much of a factual stance on the matter.

There hasn't really been any clear evidence, for OR against, suggesting the impact video game violence has on kids.

Techdirt covers the topic extensively (both sides of the issue) if you'd like further reading:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/200...719214_F.shtml
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/200...354202_F.shtml
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/200...710232_F.shtml
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/200...422221_F.shtml
http://techdirt.com/articles/20050721/1915214_F.shtml


Here's an article proposing that kid violence has decreased since the invention of the video game:
http://www.gamerevolution.com/oldsit...e/violence.htm

I'll agree that cops don't get the respect they deserve, but this is actually a Cops 'N Robbers game.

It's funny how the email didn't mention any of that.

This game lets you pick if you want to be the good guy
or bad guy. Go visit the website:
http://www.25tolife.com


Everything about it says it's not meant for kids, from the naughty language sound track to the M rating which companies are not supposed to sell without checking the ID of the buyer.

Hell, I just beat a game last night that had topless girls in it (god of war.) That crap aint meant for kids either. Neither is half of the movies produced by
hollywood. (Don't nobody correct my grammar or there will be hell to pay.)
Compare this game to Counterstrike, where you play a multiplayer game between two sides: Terrorists and Counterterrorists. I don't remember people going around claiming it was teaching kids how to become terrorists.

Everyone's entitled to an opinion and I'll respect yours. But think about this: the more attention you give the game, the more publicity it's going to get
and the more revenue Eidos is going to receive.

Edit: Aw man, I just checked out the OneMillion Dad's website. They look like they protest just about anything:

http://onemilliondads.com/IssueDetail.asp?id=249

Sidenote, please understand I think Jessica Simpson needs to go away. But their stance on the "suggestive" commercial is just plain assinine.

They also seem to be 100% against any sort of visual homosexuality in the media.
http://onemilliondads.com/IssueDetail.asp?id=232
http://onemilliondads.com/IssueDetail.asp?id=251
http://onemilliondads.com/IssueDetail.asp?id=225

Everyone's entitled to an opinion, but wow...

[Nija]

I can't wait for this game.

[zero2dash]

Cops are portrayed worse than anything by...guess who? Other cops. You know, the ones that beat people up that they're chasing for no reason and get caught and then come up with every excuse under the sun. But...let's follow the same dumb idea that has been passed down for years now and blame everybody else, eh? (not you guys obviously )

> March 3, 2006
>
>
> Best Buy Selling New Video Game Teaching Our
> Kids to Kill Police Officers

Best Buy has nothing to do with it other than offering to sell the game to the buying public. This is about as flawed an argument as saying that KaZaA teaches kids to illegally download music etc.

> Dear Gary,
>
> An ultra-violent video game known as 25 to Life has been released by the video giant Eidos. In this game, marketed to our children,

Rated M for mature = marketed to children? Ummm no...
If parents are dumb enough to purchase this game for their kids then it's their responsibility, not anyone else's. M for mature means 17+ and stores now check IDs when you try to purchase games if you are underage; this game isn't targeted at kids.

There hasn't really been any clear evidence, for OR against, suggesting the impact video game violence has on kids.

The only correlation that can be made is that poor parenting has an impact on kids, and allowing kids to play games that they're not supposed to equals (drumroll please)...poor parenting.

I applaud your reply to their "crusade" but I'm sure it'll fall on deaf ears - people like this don't ever admit that they're wrong when they're 'stuck' in a mindset like this.

Edit: Aw man, I just checked out the OneMillion Dad's website. They look like they protest just about anything

Big surprise.

I wonder how long all these "game protestors" are going to go before they realize that games aren't to blame. How long has this been going on now...? I've lost count. (Back since the SegaCD game Night Trap and Mortal Kombat days.)