I know the name of my blog is “Backyard Shooter” and I normally write about things related to gun rights and shooting in general. Lately though, just as our Second Amendment rights have come under fire, the rights of those of us who play video games have also taken a hit. It seems there are those in the pro-gun crowd that would start taking away rights that gamers have while calling those after their rights “gun grabbers” and “socialists”.
Senator Lamar Alexander, you can’t attack another group of people just because your own group is looking bad. Video games are protected under the First Amendment as freedom of speech. Just as pro-gun activists slam the anti-gun crowd for trying to destroy the Constitution, I have to call them out for doing the exact same thing. What’s good for one is good for the other.
If you care about your rights as a gamer, or your rights as a citizen of The United States of America, please click here to help the Video Game Voters Network spread the word to lawmakers that we, as gamers and U.S. citizens, refuse to let our rights be infringed.
This is the message they want to be seen by our lawmakers:
I am writing today to respectfully encourage you not to allow video games to become a scapegoat in the ongoing national debate over violence in the United States. As a voter, constituent, and avid video game player, I am concerned with the efforts of some to paint my choice of entertainment as the cause of recent tragic events.
I would like to share some key facts about video games and those who play them. The average video game player is 30 years old and the average game purchaser is 35 years old. In addition, women 18 and older represent a significantly greater portion of the game-playing population (30 percent) than boys age 17 or younger (18 percent), and 29 percent of game players are over the age of 50.
I believe that parents, not politicians, are in the best position to determine entertainment choices for their families and, according to the Federal Trade Commission, parents are involved in the purchase and rental of their children’s games over 89 percent of the time. Also, according to the Entertainment Software Association, 91 percent of parents monitor the content of the games their children play. It is very important to help parents and caregivers ensure that the computer and video games children play are appropriate and parent approved. However, the video game rating system is already doing a great job by providing parents with detailed video game content descriptors and parental controls available on all video game consoles.
In addition, through partnerships with retailers across the nation, the video game industry has the highest level of retail enforcement of any entertainment form. Instead of blaming video games – which numerous studies have shown do not incite violence, but instead help to advance technology and society – we should be discussing new solutions that strike at the heart of the real problems we face. I completely stand with the American people who are rightfully demanding action in response to recent tragedies. What these events require is serious debate and serious solutions, and blaming video games and gamers is neither.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
We are more than just consumers. We are members of a worldwide group. Just as gun owners feel a camaraderie with other gun owners, we feel the same sense of belonging with members of the gaming community. Stand up for your rights because this is starting to look ugly for the entire country and I’m afraid every part of the Constitution is going to come under attack. It is unacceptable to persecute a group of people in order to prevent your own from suffering.
We are a nation of once-free people. Now we’re a country of people who can’t responsibly make decisions for themselves. Our founding fathers are writhing in their graves right now as they watch what a mess we’ve made of this great country. It’s time we stop looking for blame and start trying really hard to find a solution.
I am an avid gamer and firearms enthusiast. I will defend the rights of all people in this great country to the best of my ability. Will you do the same?
Just to keep things light, here’s a humorous image
Backyard Shooter 