Michael Atkinson vs Hell’s Gamers
p2pnet view Games | P2P | Politics:- It’s all happening in Australia where various elements of the government are doing their best to convince Australians that they, and not the general populace, are in charge,
Or, rather, it’s not happening. Because every time prime minister Kevin Rudd, or one of his minions, comes up with another cockamamie proposal, it’s immediately shot down.
The latest in this stream of government unconsciousness comes from South Australian attorney general Michael Atkinson who’s likening video game campaigners to bikers.
“The gamers4croydon group is running a candidate for next month’s SA election, demanding there be a R-18 classification for video games”, says ABC News, going on >>>
Mr Atkinson remains opposed and has told the ABC’s Good Game program of threats made to him.
“About two o’clock in the morning I had a threatening note from a gamer shoved under my door,” he said.
“I feel that my family and I are more at risk from gamers than we are from the outlaw motorcycle gangs who also hate me and are running a candidate against me.
“The outlaw motorcycle gangs haven’t been hanging around my doorstep at 2:00 am, a gamer has.”
Mr Atkinson holds a veto power on reviewing national classification laws and remains opposed to relaxing a ban on R-rated computer games.
But the bikers — sorry, gamers — aren’t having any.
Enter Gamers4Croydon.
“Politician”, says the new site, continuing >>>
It’s a dirty word, but it doesn’t have to be.
We’ve come to expect the worst from our elected representatives, so they get away with the worst. It’s time to expect more. It’s time to stop accepting the lies, broken promises and self-interest of the people who should be working for us. It’s time to accept nothing less than the best.
Gamers4Croydon strives to be something new, something different. We want to offer real representation, defend civil liberties, secure sustainable economic development, and protect our children and their futures.
Unlike film, video games do not have an R18+ classification. Games would be in this classification for violence, language, nudity, drug use and adult themes. With no R18+ though, games meant for adults are rated MA15+, making them available to minors and confusing parents who try to do the right thing. We think adult games should be restricted to adults. Parents would have a better idea of what a game is like, adults would be allowed freedom of choice, and children would be prevented from purchasing adult games.
The man who is preventing adult games being rated for adults is South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, the Member for Croydon. He is basing a decision that affects the whole country on his personal opinion, and research that has been shown to be invalid. He taunted gamers to do something about it.
So we are.
Australia is the only Western country without an adult rating for games, news.com.au points out, noting “the attorney-general’s famously colourful rhetoric hasn’t always hit the mark”.
In 2004 he told South Australian parliament bikers had used a park barbecue to “cook a cat for human consumption”.
“He was later forced to apologise”, says the story, adding, “The animal was not a cat, the incident happened at another location and bikies weren’t involved.”
The next SA election should be interesting.
Click here for the Gamers4Croydon candidates’ page.
Stay tuned.
(Cheers, Wozzzaaa)
..… and identi.ca
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
ABC News – Attorney-General steps up fight with gamers, February 15, 2010
news.com.au – Gamers scarier than bikies: Michael Atkinson, February 16, 2010
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