So, I come out of Trader Joe's today and see a couple of people (a tall corpulent woman and a short skinny guy) at a table filled with rhetorical literature and a picture of Cheney with the slogan 'Does Cheney Play Too Many Violent Video Games?"
I jokingly say...
Me: "I hate Cheney, but I love violent video games...."
They: (they show me a picture of Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter and say) "Cho played violent video games"
Me: "Did you know that he also drank water, in fact every killer in history has at one time or another consumed water. Do you think there is a link?"
They: (they laugh and brush off my comment and then go into some spiel about how video games are responsible for Cheney's various acts of violence)
Me: "Cheney doesn't play video games. If he had that kind of an outlet, he probably wouldn't have the need to kill as many poor people as he does."
They: "No, no, no, our research says...."
Me: "I play video games and have never killed anyone."
They: "Our research says...."
Me: "Out of a hundred gamers, what percentage do you think kill people?"
They: "Statistics are bullshit."
Me: "Statistics ARE research."
They: "Statistics are bullshit. Cho played video games and...."
Me: "I think it's the other way around. A violent person might be drawn to video games, but a gamer isn't any likelier to be drawn to violence....."
They: "You are drawn to video games. Does that mean you are violent?"
Me: "No, you weren't listening, I said it was the other way around, and for the record, I've never killed anyone. If YOU were to play video games, do you think it would cause you to kill people?"
They: "No, because I know better."
Me: "Oh, I get it.....you are smarter than everyone else. If only everyone else were as smart as you, then we wouldn't have so many problems."
They: (getting angrier)"Well what do you call this?.... Manhunt 2 (they show me a gory photo from the game)"
Me: "Art"
They: (thrown for a loop) "Art!?!? Do you think child pornography is art too?"
Me: "Are you seriously comparing video games to child porn? Children are victimized by child porn."
They: "Well look at who is being victimized here" (they point to the dead animated video game character in the Manhunt 2 photo)
Me: "You know that's not a real person, right?"
They: (stuttering, stammering, clearly enraged) "Well, WE are RIGHT and WE are going to WIN, and YOU are going to LOSE. We will ban all violent video games."
Me: (stunned)......... "You are a couple of fucking Nazis."
They: (as I start to walk away they say) "Nazi's? We aren't the ones who are killing people...."
Me:.................
I then went back into the store and complained about the solicitors. With embarrassed frustration in her eyes, the manager apologized and said that they've been getting complaints all day. The police had been previously summoned, but told the manager that these solicitors were within their legal limits. I smiled said 'oh, well, what can you do... I love your store.'
I jokingly say...
Me: "I hate Cheney, but I love violent video games...."
They: (they show me a picture of Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter and say) "Cho played violent video games"
Me: "Did you know that he also drank water, in fact every killer in history has at one time or another consumed water. Do you think there is a link?"
They: (they laugh and brush off my comment and then go into some spiel about how video games are responsible for Cheney's various acts of violence)
Me: "Cheney doesn't play video games. If he had that kind of an outlet, he probably wouldn't have the need to kill as many poor people as he does."
They: "No, no, no, our research says...."
Me: "I play video games and have never killed anyone."
They: "Our research says...."
Me: "Out of a hundred gamers, what percentage do you think kill people?"
They: "Statistics are bullshit."
Me: "Statistics ARE research."
They: "Statistics are bullshit. Cho played video games and...."
Me: "I think it's the other way around. A violent person might be drawn to video games, but a gamer isn't any likelier to be drawn to violence....."
They: "You are drawn to video games. Does that mean you are violent?"
Me: "No, you weren't listening, I said it was the other way around, and for the record, I've never killed anyone. If YOU were to play video games, do you think it would cause you to kill people?"
They: "No, because I know better."
Me: "Oh, I get it.....you are smarter than everyone else. If only everyone else were as smart as you, then we wouldn't have so many problems."
They: (getting angrier)"Well what do you call this?.... Manhunt 2 (they show me a gory photo from the game)"
Me: "Art"
They: (thrown for a loop) "Art!?!? Do you think child pornography is art too?"
Me: "Are you seriously comparing video games to child porn? Children are victimized by child porn."
They: "Well look at who is being victimized here" (they point to the dead animated video game character in the Manhunt 2 photo)
Me: "You know that's not a real person, right?"
They: (stuttering, stammering, clearly enraged) "Well, WE are RIGHT and WE are going to WIN, and YOU are going to LOSE. We will ban all violent video games."
Me: (stunned)......... "You are a couple of fucking Nazis."
They: (as I start to walk away they say) "Nazi's? We aren't the ones who are killing people...."
Me:.................
I then went back into the store and complained about the solicitors. With embarrassed frustration in her eyes, the manager apologized and said that they've been getting complaints all day. The police had been previously summoned, but told the manager that these solicitors were within their legal limits. I smiled said 'oh, well, what can you do... I love your store.'
Fuck 'em.
I think if they come back I will at least pick up some literature, I'd like to see them 'prove' that Cheney plays videogames, and which games he plays. Personally, I think he'd be big into Guitar Hero, I can just see him powering through some face-melting solos... "... and You're Lost On Your Own... LIKE A RAAAIN-BOW IN THE DARK!"
/creepy
Does anyone know what the deal is with LaRouche? Is he a kook, a spook, a performance artist or what? I'm always shocked by the stupidity of his followers.
TF2 4 Life!
I bet if he played videogames he'd know the difference between a person and a deer.
Or maybe at least checked to see if friendly fire was enabled...
B. Jack Thompson plays Halo 3 online under the gamertag "p0l1tIc1An", he and I go way back, I seen him on tv the other day. Good guy.
D. Dick Cheney's gun jammed, and his hunting partner didn't seen him and jumped in front of the birdshot, it wasn't Dick's fault. He's a good guy.
This basic premise is behind my opposition to nearly everything that I oppose, both big and small: drug laws, religious dogma, intermingling of church and state, censorship, etc.
If I want to sit on my couch and hack aliens to pieces with a chainsaw until I pass out from hunger in a puddle of my own drool, that's my business. If I want to cornhole one of my buddies, that's between he and I. If I want to speak about, read about, write about or listen to how the Jews* are destroying the country, that's my right and privilege. Stay out of it.
*Note that this statement in no way indicates my true feelings or beliefs and is just for illustrative purposes. Some of my best friends are Jews... not to mention my boss.
This basic premise is behind my opposition to nearly everything that I oppose, both big and small: drug laws, religious dogma, intermingling of church and state, censorship, etc." -- xxovercastxx
Agreed. That's the central thesis of On Liberty by John Stuart Mill. As he put it:
" The object of this Essay is to assert one very simple principle, as entitled to govern absolutely the dealings of society with the individual in the way of compulsion and control, whether the means used be physical force in the form of legal penalties, or the moral coercion of public opinion. That principle is, that the sole end for which mankind are warranted, individually or collectively, in interfering with the liberty of action of any of their number, is self-protection. That the only purpose for which power can be rightfully exercised over any member of a civilized community, against his will, is to prevent harm to others. His own good, either physical or moral, is not a sufficient warrant. He cannot rightfully be compelled to do or forbear because it will be better for him to do so, because it will make him happier, because, in the opinions of others, to do so would be wise, or even right. These are good reasons for remonstrating with him, or reasoning with him, or persuading him, or entreating him, but not for compelling him, or visiting him with any evil in case he do otherwise. To justify that, the conduct from which it is desired to deter him, must be calculated to produce evil to some one else. The only part of the conduct of any one, for which he is amenable to society, is that which concerns others. In the part which merely concerns himself, his independence is, of right, absolute. Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign."