16 May 2006

only in america, pt. 67

On 20 April 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold killed twelve fellow students and a teacher in the deadliest school shooting in American history. Now you can "play as Harris and Klebold on that fateful day in the Denver suburb of Littleton" in this disturbing and, as much as I hate to admit it, compelling video game.
It's called Super Columbine Massacre RPG and "how many people they kill is ultimately up to you."
In this Rocky Mountain News story, the developer, who is only identified by his screen name "Columbin," claims that he wanted to create a game that would "promote a real dialogue on the subject of school shootings."
I love this kind of story because it provides a gut-check for all freedom-loving Americans. Like Neal Boortz says: "Free speech is meant to protect unpopular speech. Popular speech, by definition, needs no protection."

mc
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1 comment:

the.sky.is.a.television.signal said...

In the Discussion Forum, "Columbin," the game's developer, says that "social acceptability is a rather blurry line... and one that deserves to be pushed and examined and challenged. Once it was socially unacceptable for blacks to own property. Once it was socially unacceptable for women to vote. Times change. Maybe someday it won't BE socially unacceptable for a video game based on a specific, controversial subject to exist."
I think it's absurd to compare civil rights to violent video games. This game is considered unacceptable because most of us view the acts of Klebold and Harris as unacceptable, horrible.
Unfortunately, many of us have become desensitized to the graphic and vile images of sex and violence that are printed and broadcast everyday, so I think it's reasonable to suggest that one day, probably not in our lifetime, these kinds of games will be considered not unacceptable, but passe.
After all, games like Grand Theft Auto make killing people "fun" and "cool." In the game Playboy: The Mansion, you "build the Playboy Mansion and magazine into a cultural icon and a powerful brand." Wow, ojectifying women has never been so much fun!
I could go on and on but my point is, maybe we shouldn't tolerate the movies, music and video games that plague our society now. I don't mean to absolve "Columbin" from any wrongdoing, but at least his game is free (and, of course, protected by the First Amendment). The publishers of the above mentioned games have made millions from their trivialization of violence and objectification of women.
I know I might sound self-righteous (and I apologize for that) but I'm alarmed by what passes as "entertainment" today. And the fact that young people have access to this material is frightening.

mc (as I collect my soapbox and exit stage right)

18 May, 2006 15:56

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