NYT/AP: Patriot Act Game Pokes Fun at Government

[DeepModem Mom]

Patriot Act Game Pokes Fun at Government
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 18, 2006

HAMILTON, N.J. (AP) -- In this send-up of ''Monopoly,'' players don't pass ''Go'' and they don't go directly to jail -- they go to Guantanamo Bay.

Instead of losing cash for landing on certain squares, they lose civil liberties. And the ''Mr. Monopoly'' character at the center of the board is replaced by a scowling former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

''Patriot Act: The Home Version'' pokes fun at ''the historic abuse of governmental powers'' by the recently renewed anti-terrorism law, according to its creator's Web site.

But while it may be fun, creator Michael Kabbash, a graphic artist and Arab civil rights advocate, is serious about how he feels the law has curtailed Americans' freedom.

The object of the game is not to amass the most money or real estate, but to be the last player to retain civil liberties....

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Patriot-Act-Game.html

[sam the dawg]

1. monoply - housing - and the next bubble

Wondered if the ubiquitious "monopoly" game in the boomers' formative years contributed to the care-free almost game like quality to the housing bubble - people I know were buying houses right and left with the casualness that one would play a board game.
Maybe "civil rights" will become a speculative market complete with hedging, derivatives, brokers, etc. Some will end up masters, others slaves. Oh Oh thats pretty much what we have now except perceptions don't frame it that way.

[DrBloodmoney]

2. Funny and True

Soar like an eagle John Ashcroft... traitor

[jus_the_facts]

3. Novel twist to the tired ol' Monopoly....

....that has instilled greed in us all for decades...but instead The object of the game is not to amass the most money or real estate, but to be the last player to retain civil liberties.... :applause:

[alfredo]

4. The site is excellent. Link below

http://www.graphix4change.com/index.html

[ConcernedCanuk]

5. Ya gotta read the whole article - great content for a SitCom!!

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From the Posted Article:

"In a nod to President Bush's prewar comments, the ''Go'' space in is renamed ''Bring It On!'' Players roll the dice to determine how many civil liberties they start out with, accumulating them from a variety of categories: U.S. citizens get 5; non-citizens 1. Whites and Asians get 5; Arabs 1. Ultra right-wingers get 6; Democrats 3 or 4.

Instead of landing on, say Oriental Avenue, players land on a color-coded spaces corresponding to the national terror alert. A player who lands on a red space loses one civil liberty, as does anyone else within five spaces. A player who lands on an orange space gets to designate another player to lose one civil liberty.

''Chance'' cards are now ''Homeland Security Cards,'' with orders such as, ''FBI wants you for questioning; Lose one turn;'' and ''You provide the local authorities with speculative information on your next door neighbor; Collect one civil liberty from each player.''

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Hey,

Whatever works?, right?

hmmmmmmm :freak: