Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Support Your Friendly Neighborhood Summerfest

The U.S. Army has a stand on the Summerfest grounds aimed at recruiting volunteers. That's fine and dandy, and I have no issue with that.

However, this year, they have added a media component in which participants and play a game of "virtual war." Apparently it was designed with the intent of showing the life of a soldier in today's army.

Members of a group called Peace Action Wisconsin and another group called Veteran for Peace called and filed their complaints with the Summerfest people, which then asked the Army to take that part down. The Army cooperated without hesitation.

As predicted by James Rowen, this got the feathers of Chickenhawk Sykes and his band of squawkers all ruffled. They are now trying to exert their power of selective outrage against Summerfest to coerce them into allowing the video game.

Keep in mind that the Army is still there and they're still recruiting. It's just the virtual war game that has been stopped. But that fact doesn't seem to stop the right wingers from being mad as wet hens.

Now, you may be asking yourself, "What can we do to stop them from bullying around the Summerfest officials?" The answer is simple. Call Summerfest yourself, at 414-273-2690, and thank them for taking the actions that they have, and to express your wish that they don't back off from their decision.

7 comments:

  1. Personally, I think it's okay for them to have a simulation like that.

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  2. The mice have taken over Summerfest.

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  3. Maybe they could have a simulation of a recruiter pressuring a high school kid with lines like "Sure, if you don't like boot camp, just say the word, and you can go home, no questions asked, and they rip up your contract right in front of you."

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  4. I have 2 things.

    1. This group should have also complain about Grand Theft Auto 4, which does have killing of people in it too, being played.

    2. I'm not sure how good of a tool this could be for this, but having the virtual soldier game could help someone who wants to join the army determine if they have what it takes to kill someone if placed in combat. Better to learn it at game time before signing up.

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  5. anonymous, I've got one thing.

    1. If the simulation is truly a recruiting tool - as some have tried to argue - then why are kids as young as 13 being allowed to play? 13 year-olds certainly can't join the Army, so why let them play?

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  6. Anony, for #1, it is our tax dollars going towards it. The game, however inappropriate it may be, is paid for by the company that makes it.

    For #2, if they wanted reality, why not pictures of wounded and dead soldiers and civilians. That's part of the reality as well.

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  7. I am curious...do video games have ratings like movies? I do agree that a 13 year old shouldn't be playing video games that simulate shooting and killing or any other kind of violence, but it should be up to the parents to make sure their kids aren't playing.

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