Why are RPGs the tool of the devil?

My point exactly. With the right sources and "fuzzy" data backing you up, you can convince the public of just about anything (see my Peter Rabbit diatribe above ).

--Bri-Gon Geers
Hippity-Hopping His Way To Hades

 

This explains Republicans.

 

Now THAT was low

 

Hey, how many Republicans does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

None! They're premanently in the dark.

What's the difference between Rush Limbaugh and the Hindenburg?

One's a flaming Nazi gasbag and the other's a dirigible.

 

Just because one is a Republican doesn't mean one hates RPGs.

 

Agreed, I'm an RPG loving political conservative.

 

You should try being a gamer in the "bible-belt." *shudder*

 

For the most part, Republicans have left RPGs alone, save for the far right with a religeous bent to their agenda. It's so-called Liberals like Tipper Gore and her ilk that like to go after freedom of speech, threatening stores and record labels, that unless they put warnings on their products, they will be black listed. (This is where the black and white 'Parental Guidence, Explicit Lyrics lables from from). This enabled them to bypass Congress AND the Constitution.

In 1985 there was a huge Congressional hearing about 'evil' rock music, and many luminaries of the industry showed up and testified that music wasn't calling kids to kill themselves, kill others, become pregnant and use drugs. Frank Zappa, Dee Snyder, even Bob Denver and Donny Osmond and many others basically told Congress to leave the industry anlone, and they did until they tried again a few years later.

Joseph Lieberman, Gore's running mate, did the same thing a few ago, only this time they neglected to call in any of the musicians they were trying to censor, and Lieberman declared himself an expert witness and testified on his own behalf.

Lieberman is also credited with creating the Silver Sewar award that is given out to TV shows each year that have to redeeming social value. Did he give it to Cops? No, did he give it to Real TV where you can sit around and watch someone die? No, he gave it to Friends. Now, admitedly, I have no time for that show, but come on. Later he admitted to never having watched the show once.

People used to think that the warning labels would increase sales, but this is wrong since many retailers refuse to carry albums with the warning label on them.

I for one am very glad that Gore did not get elected, because that would mean that people like Leiberman and Gore's wife, Tipper, would suddenly have front page approval for what they're doing. This is also not to say that I support Bush/Cheney in any way.

Plus, they have these fake Liberals have rich, greedy Conservative backers like Wal-Mart and Blockbuster Video. Tipper Gore's group has been funded by Conservative groups like the Eagle Foum and Coors Beer. It's bad enough that Wal-Mart destroys economies when they move into small towns, but to restrict access to material because they are often the only vender of music, is just wrong. Does a store have the right to decide what you see and hear? I have even heard that because Blockbuster has such a huge hold on the video market that they are even called into the screening of films to decide what is kept and what is edited out.

As for Republican bashing, well, as you can see I'm an equal opportunity basher, since I have no time for either when they try to bypass the Constitution which is supposed to protect us against things like this.

If something is to be censored, do it your self- close the book, change the channel and turn the dial, but don't let someone else do it for you. Because once you let them censor that movie, that song, that book, that TV show, it gives them both the impetus and precedent to do it again.

Watch out for youself and take care of each other.

Best Wishes,
Kier Nimmion

 

You got that partially right, Kier. Government mandated censorship is a First Ammendment violation that should not be tolerated by anyone.
Hovever, the censorship of music/videos by comapnies such as Wal-Mart is simply a business decission made by those companies because they feel that by projecting the image that they "care about families" will increase sales.
Free Market at work.
The fault there lies with the producers that agree to edit their products, destroying the art, to gain access to these retail outlets. I do not like the way this situation has developed, but there are alternatives; if you are not willing to buy censored CDs, buy them online.

 

I just went to Jack Chick's site:

HahahahahaHahahahahahahahaha!

I feel I must agree with Kier - people like that make me laugh - but they also make me ashamed to even share a species with them. It's inconcievable to me that anyone could be so closed-minded.

Plus, they scare me a little, too, as in the case of one of my best friends (somewhere between a True? Christian and a 'good' Christian) told me about how his youth minister was telling him about how you have to be careful when you listen to music like Metallica (which coincidentally is some of my friend's favorite music). If you play it backwards, he said, you can sometimes hear Satanic messages. And the sad thing is that my friend believed him, and now I guess tries to watch for that stuff. Now, he's not the brightest person - but I'd think that he'd be able to decide for himself what he'd listen to, and even if there were 'Satanic messages', he won't have to follow them...

sigh.

I hate it when people try to make other people into sheep.

GAH! Let people decide for themselves!

EDIT: Also, my friend is quite interested in SW Roleplaying... so...

 

I do not like the way this situation has developed, but there are alternatives; if you are not willing to buy censored CDs, buy them online.

Actually, I am not concerned for myself- I already have this knowledge, so I know what to look for. I want other people to have it so they can protect themselves without some moralistic company trying to do it for them, often without the general public knowing.

We have to take care and look out for each other- is that so hard?

 

Hey this is all great stuff, I guess. I have read most of it, and agree for the most part.

But I think I used a misnomer, in a way. My real desire was to understand why people consider RPGs as an odd form of entertainment or education.

This is basically because I have and am trying to use them in my 5-8 classroom, and have been met with resistance and nearly considered a Socrates "corrupting the youth".

But I have enjoyed the dialogue.

Any suggestions as to how to break down the barriers to RPGs and show that they are and can be a powerful weapon in the education of our youth?

Darrel

 

How about applying role playing in a historical sense. Have the kids take on the roles of famous people from US history. Famous debates and/or meetings, landmark decisions, debates in congress or the senate- make sure the kids know and understand what transpired and have them act it out.

A friend of mine did this in high school here in Canada, it was pretty funny.
And everyone had a good time.

 

@ the "satanic messages" in Metallica, especially when Creeping Death was directly inspired by the Bible

And to Kier's idea of having kids RP some interesting scenes in history, they'd get a good chance at understanding better what the situation was by then and they'd get good oportunities for some fun.

 

Yeah, those damn Republicans, they're evil and want to take away everything fun.

What-the-#$&%-ever!

As a staunch conservative Republican who runs a huge SWRPG website, reads fantasy, plays D&D and other roleplaying games, I can tell you to politely shove off.

In fact, as Kier pointed out above, it's most certainly a government thing, not a pary or philosophy thing. Tipper Gore and Joe Lieberman are about as liberal Democrat as you get, and they are some of the most vocal crusaders for censorship in the world. In fact, conservative political philosophy is based around small government with less intereference into your private life, so government intervention into the roleplaying community is a very un-conservative idea.

 

In fact, as Kier pointed out above, it's most certainly a government thing, not a pary or philosophy thing. Tipper Gore and Joe Lieberman are about as liberal Democrat as you get, and they are some of the most vocal crusaders for censorship in the world.

But yes, I agree. are a staunch, hardcore ultra liberal, the Yuppyrats have really, really disappointed me over the last several years. And, they have done far more damage to civili liberties than any Republican ever has, including right now.

In fact, conservative political philosophy is based around small government with less intereference into your private life, so government intervention into the roleplaying community is a very un-conservative idea.

Kenneth Starr notwithstanding.

I think my ire was more directed at the religious right more than anything else.

 

Man, I really gotta be more careful with my spelling.

 

Say that sounds like a great Idea.

But how do I work it out. The logistics of it I mean. Stats are easy to figure, but how to work it out. I mean I can't let every situation turn into a war game (actually I nearly have to avoid that all together with all the school violence issues and such). And what if Cornwall outmaneauvers Washington?

Any help would be appreciated in that vein.

 

Use 'Teenagers From Outer Space' it's a completely cartoony rule system, and no one can actually die, they just get 'bonked'.

 

Well as I've always said culture is a funny thing and backlashes tend to foster backlashes. A great number of the most hardcore atheists and alternative religion followers I know tend to have been raised in families that advocated religion harshly and in ways that did not do much more than beat into people's minds X number of things. While people who consider their faith a strong component of who I am just as often hail from families where they were allowed to find it on their own with only mild (in comparison) push in said direction.

For a gamer "horror story" I actually found my religion in part because of Dungeons and Dragons because it served as a conveinant backdrop (along with Star Wars which I play almost as often) for questioning issues of morality, comparative religion, and other matters....

However I was banned from taking any supplements or materials to school by the Princible who claimed they were not promoting the school's agenda (St. Josephs was the school's name as you might imagine-I'm a Presbyterian by the way) which became rather a point of embarrasment over the stink I raised....along with the fact the man had faked his credentials, was boozing with his lover on school days, and there was rumors of harrasment.

I thus take my supplements now wherever I go.



In any case the best solution to these type of people is to not get angry and ask them questions about their reasoning before such. If they refuse to answer then they will likely leave you alone in a curious truth.

It also helps to know they are trying to help the world, just using a method that i do not think works and in fact aggravates the problem...but not intentionally

 

Because we use the games as tools to probe the minds of our player characters...

Imagine if Palpatine was a GM;

Palpatine;

"I`m looking forward to completing your character. In time you will call me; Game master..."

*Drum Fill*

 

Damiller: if you are trying to teach history look at 7th Sea, it is historical based. All of the countries in it actually match real countries at that time in history. Plus if you don't want combat then have the kids make characters that have really bad combat skills, i.e. no improving those skills, and then give them situations that really don't call for combat such as a political agreement between two nations.