Utah Legislator Refers to Bully as ‘The Columbine Game’
Also apparently it's an online game... who votes for these people?
There is a very good reason why SPOnG questions many of the public statements made by well-known anti-videogame activist, (Florid† attorney) Jack Thompson.
We don’t do it (purely) for the love of it, but because wildly erroneous statements such as referring to Rockstar’s Bully as a ‘Columbine simulator’ can spread as malicious cultural-memes doing untold and unfair damage to the reputation of both gamers and the games industry.
The latest example of this is a Utah Legislator referring to Bully as “the Columbine Game” in a hearing last week before a Utah House committee considering video game legislation drafted by Thompson. GamePolitics has the full exchange:
Later in the hearing, the same ESA rep tried to clear up the confusion, stating, “[as] mentioned a minute ago, though not on the record, the Columbine game is a game that someone has recently created and put on the web. No legislation - this bill certainly would not address it - no legislation would address it….There’s no control over it because it’s a game somebody creates. Very poor game, poor graphics that anyone can load from the web, and it’s not a rated game. Rated games - ESRB games - are games that are mass-produced for sale in the stores and they are rated, much like movies are…”
Words are weapons. Use them well.
(Source: Gamepolitics.com
† Of course, this should be Florida, but you see what we mean
We don’t do it (purely) for the love of it, but because wildly erroneous statements such as referring to Rockstar’s Bully as a ‘Columbine simulator’ can spread as malicious cultural-memes doing untold and unfair damage to the reputation of both gamers and the games industry.
The latest example of this is a Utah Legislator referring to Bully as “the Columbine Game” in a hearing last week before a Utah House committee considering video game legislation drafted by Thompson. GamePolitics has the full exchange:
First, let’s set the scene. Jim Olsen, president of the Utah Retail Merchants Association, wraps up several minutes of testimony on the Utah bill. Then, the following exchange takes place:
Legislator: I have one question.
Olsen: Okay.
Legislator: The game, Bully. What would that be rated? Are you familiar with that game?
Olsen: I am not familiar with that game.
(off-mic voice believed to be that of bill sponsor Rep. Wyatt): “T”
Legislator: That’s the Columbine game?
Olsen: It’s rated “T” for teen.
Legislator: Okay.
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Rep. Wyatt): The Columbine game’s rated Teen…
Legislator: The Columbine game’s rated T?
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Wyatt): It’s not? What’s it rated?
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Steve Sabey, attorney for the ESA): It’s a web game. It’s not rated…
Legislator: Okay, that’s great…
Legislator: I have one question.
Olsen: Okay.
Legislator: The game, Bully. What would that be rated? Are you familiar with that game?
Olsen: I am not familiar with that game.
(off-mic voice believed to be that of bill sponsor Rep. Wyatt): “T”
Legislator: That’s the Columbine game?
Olsen: It’s rated “T” for teen.
Legislator: Okay.
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Rep. Wyatt): The Columbine game’s rated Teen…
Legislator: The Columbine game’s rated T?
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Wyatt): It’s not? What’s it rated?
(off-mic voice believed to be that of Steve Sabey, attorney for the ESA): It’s a web game. It’s not rated…
Legislator: Okay, that’s great…
Later in the hearing, the same ESA rep tried to clear up the confusion, stating, “[as] mentioned a minute ago, though not on the record, the Columbine game is a game that someone has recently created and put on the web. No legislation - this bill certainly would not address it - no legislation would address it….There’s no control over it because it’s a game somebody creates. Very poor game, poor graphics that anyone can load from the web, and it’s not a rated game. Rated games - ESRB games - are games that are mass-produced for sale in the stores and they are rated, much like movies are…”
Words are weapons. Use them well.
(Source: Gamepolitics.com
† Of course, this should be Florida, but you see what we mean
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Comments
YenRug 29 Jan 2007 14:50
1/6
It sounds like they've gotten confused over "Super Columbine Massacre RPG" (http://www.columbinegame.com/) and "Bully", they've assumed that because "Bully" is about bullying, that it's actually a descriptor and not the title, by the sounds of it.
TimSpong 29 Jan 2007 15:03
2/6
YenRug wrote:
It sounds like they've gotten confused over "Super Columbine Massacre RPG" (http://www.columbinegame.com/) and "Bully", they've assumed that because "Bully" is about bullying, that it's actually a descriptor and not the title, by the sounds of it.
Yup - sounds like it. We've had an email from Jack this morning going into the subject. If anybody is even vaguely interested, I can post it here.
more comments below our sponsor's message
rogueleader 29 Jan 2007 15:09
3/6
Yep post it up. i want to know what that American prick is thinking now.
sneakyduck 29 Jan 2007 16:30
4/6
Yeah go on - post it. I'm up for a laugh.
TimSpong 29 Jan 2007 17:04
5/6
rogueleader wrote:
Yep post it up. i want to know what that American prick is thinking now.
OK - not sure what his nationality has to do with it... but here's his email, and my response:
[quote = Mr J ack Thompson]
Are you people totally nuts, or just moderately nuts? Bully is rated "T." It is NOT a web game. Dr. David Walsh has stated that it is misrated, that it should clearly be a Mature-rated game, given the violence levels.
Dennis McCauley gets it wrong again. It is clearly a "Columbine simulator," as I have described it, because it instructs victims of bullying to respond with violence, just as Klebod and Harris did. You all are absolutely pathetic
Tim Smith wrote:
For goodness' sake, Jack, stop the invective if you want to be taken even slightly seriously. The story quotes words spoken in the Utah State Legislature. We are more than aware of Bully, its context and its worth as a piece of entertainment.
The validity of David Walsh's opinion of Bully runs counter to that of Judge Ronald Friedman. Walsh's opinions are personal - or worse, simply to serve his own organisation. Quoting him as any kind of authority on game rating is simply vacuous.
If instructing victims of bullying to respond with violence is a criterion for a 'Columbine Simulator', then that great work of muscular Victorian Christianity, Tom Brown's School Days, falls into the same set. I'm sure that as an American citizen you're also aware of Lydon Johnson's views on how to treat bullies - you're not telling me that LBJ was advocating Columbine? I'm sure you're also familiar with the story of David and Goliath?
Continually using the Columbine tragedy as a blunt instrument in your tirades pays no respect to the victims, their families, or friends; nor to the numerous serious researchers trying to get to the roots of why gun-related outbreaks of terror and violence keep occurring in US schools.
Finally, while I would be happy to enter a serious debate with you - and much as receiving one of your emails cheers up the entire office - the insults combined with the use of supposition as fact lead me to believe that you are not be taken seriously.
Regards
Tim Smith
Editorial Director
SPOnG.com
LUPOS 29 Jan 2007 19:30
6/6
Tim Smith wrote:
you are not be taken seriously.
*initiates slow clap*
Very nice. Always good to see JT given what for.
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