Over the border line

[ls317]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12554978/site/newsweek/

May 8, 2006 issue - Links to a bloody new Flash videogame called Border Patrol, whose object is to kill as many illegal immigrants as possible, are making the rounds through e-mail forwards. The game, which comes at a time when U.S. leaders are working to revive a sweeping immigration bill in the Senate, encourages players to kill targets such as a "Mexican nationalist," "drug smuggler" and "breeder" (a pregnant woman with two small children) "at any cost." When a target is killed, blood splatters on the screen. "It's violent and unnecessarily hurtful," says Jack Thompson, a lobbyist against violence in videogames. "We should use public-nuisance laws to shut down this game because it poses a clear and present danger to an entire class of people. Illegal immigration is a real problem, but this game only coarsens that debate."

[joemurphy]

1. Sickening. n/t

[ls317]

2. Has anyone asked them selves this question??

Why is the issue so important right now? and it was a so what issue before?? Why the change of stance on it

[joemurphy]

3. Same reason gay marriage was hot last election.

A distraction. Like abortion, an anti-flag burning amendment, stem-cell research, and prayer in the schools. Something to stir up the rednecks and fundies. Nothing more. It's called "energizing the base".

[Deja Q]

4. And Repubs don't have a monopoly on it either.

It's just entertainment for the masses...

But at least it's not living vicariously via the TV set.

[MazeRat7]

5. I haven't seen that. Is there a link to support the story ?

Seems to me if you are going to report about something like this... you ought to provide a reference so people can go see for themselves. But then, I tend to need more documentation than most.

MZr7

edit: I used the word "you" to refer to the author of the article... not the OP here at DU.

[Sinti]

6. I still think we lefties should make some games - Flash or whatever

to promote our causes. This is a horrifying and disturbing trend, but in terms of public relations and mind viruses games are fantastic. Combat their games with our own, I say.

Edited to add:

Not the kind where you kill a bunch of folks, other types of games.