Video Game Violence

ENOUGH ALREADY

I am sick to fucking death of politicians rallying around such a non-issue as the damage done to children by video games. Please note, that if you listen to the Congressional testimony and substitute the words "Ozzy Osbourne" for "Grand Theft Auto", the arguement starts sounding hauntingly familiar....but I digress.

First off, let me make the assertion that VIDEO GAMES ARE NOT FOR CHILDREN. They are not marketed to children, they are not priced accessably to children, and they are not demographically aimed at children. I was a child when the Atari 2600 was released, and during the rise of the coin-op arcades on every corner. I have watched, and played, as the video game industry grew up with me. It seems, however, that peoples conception of who plays games has not changed from 1979. I am of the video game generation. I am 36 years old and video games have been a part of my life for over 25 years. I read a study one time that put the age of the average gamer at 35. Not 10, not 15, but 35. Someone in DC has to notice this.

Now, with the previous assertion firmly in mind, let me make my second point: CHILDREN GET THEIR HANDS ON VIOLENT GAMES BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS BUY THEM. Has anyone else seen the box cover graphic for the GTA game? You know, the one showing guns being aimed and crackwhore hookers striking seductive poses. Do parents not see this when buying it? It strikes me dumb that grown adults could ignore these pictures and think this game was about rainbows and lollypops. That brings me to my third point:

THE ONLY THING WRONG WITH THE USRB RATING CODE IS THAT THE ONLY ONES WHO PAY ANY ATTENTION TO IT ARE THE GAME PUBLISHERS. I have to confess that I don't really look at the rating, but I am legally considered an adult, and I am buying the games for myself. I am not buying God of War for any 12 year olds to play. When I buy games for my neices, all younger that 15, I do look at the rating. Perhaps it is arrogance on the part of the parental buyers that is the reason for the ignored ratings; arrogance in the way that they obviously know better than the experts who gave the game a mature rating. Remember, these are the same people that are shocked when they heard about the Hot Coffee mod. All I can ask is, at the time of purchase, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?

My final point in this rant, and perhaps the most pertinant one, is GROW UP AND BE A FUCKING PARENT. If your brat is playing a game that you don't think they should be playing, take the damn thing away. You are the grown-up in the house. You make the rules. Like it or not, household politics are not a democracy, and they shouldn't be, not even ruled by committee. A household has to be a totalitarian regime, benevolent, but totalitarian. You, as the parent, are the supreme ruler, and as supreme ruler, when the peasants decide to have a revolt, they should be sent to bed without supper.

But I am sure I am wasting my breath. I am sure that the politician who is able to capitalize on peoples fears the most will win.

In these mid-term elections, find out where the candidate stands on video game violence. I recommend that if they think legislation is the only course to correct it, VOTE AGAINST THEM. Do not let the fearmongers win this time.

The Decay of Women's Rights

The separation of Church and State???

President Bush has announced his plan to select Dr. W. David Hager to head up the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. The committee has not met for more than two years, during which time its charter lapsed. As a result, the Bush Administration is tasked with filling all 11 positions with new members. This position does not require Congressional approval.

The FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee makes crucial decisions on matters relating to drugs used in the practice of obstetrics, gynocology, and related specialties, including hormone therapy, contraception, treatment for infertility, and medical alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy termination.

Dr. Hager is the author of "As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now." The book blends biblical accounts of Christ healing women with case studies from Hager's practice. His views of reproductive health care are far outside the mainstream for reproductive technology. Dr. Hager is a practicing OB/GYN who describes himself as "pro-life" and refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women.

In a book Dr. Hager wrote with his wife, entitled "Stress and the Woman's Body", he suggests that women who suffer from premenstral syndrome should seek help from reading the Bible and praying. As an editor and contributing author of "The Reproductive Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality Reproductive Technologies and the Family", Dr. Hager appears to have endorsed the medically inaccurate assertion that the common birth control pill is an abortifacient.

I am concerned that Dr. Hager's strong religious beliefs may color his assessment of technologies that are necessary to protect women's lives or to preserve and promote women's health. Hager's track record of using religious beliefs to guide his medical decision making makes him a dangerous and inappropriate candidate to serve as chair of this committee. Critical drug public policy and research must not be held hostage by anti-abortion politics. Members of this important panel should be appointed on basis of science and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American Women deserve no less.

I did not write this, it was emailed to my wife and I. The email also asked that it be forwarded to every person we knew concerned for women's rights, with every 25th person asked to forward it to president@whitehouse.gov .

I am not a citizen of the United States, I am Canadian. I cannot vote, so I would not expect my voice to be listened to by dub-ya. But my wife is an American woman, as is my mother-in-law, as are many many of my friends. So while my signature on this petition would not legally mean much, I believe I can do more by posting this here.

Please cut and paste the text into an email. Send it to everyone you know that is concerned with women's health and women's rights. Send it to your congressman, your governor, your mayors and city councilors, but most importantly, complain to your President.

Please.