This is a letter I just wrote to Hillary Clinton* regarding federal game legislation she is cosponsoring. Hat tip to Chris Kohler over at Wired who posted about the legislation on his Game|Life blog.

Senator,

I am not one of your constituents. I live in Texas. However, I am a liberal and I assume you will be looking for my vote in 2008. Please don’t deny it, we can keep it just between us, you don’t have to acknowledge anything.

I’ve been very concerned watching you take stands that smack of a politician rather than a person doing what they believe. Perhaps I’m wrong, but that’s how I see it and I’m the voter.

I’m appalled by the proposed federal game legislation. Enough so that I felt the need to contact you. This will be the first time I’ve emailed any senator. I have a question:

Since when do Democrats support limits on free speech?

Why are games singled out, while movies, television, and music are left alone? This is what really smacks of political opportunism. It’s a “hot button” issue so you feel the need to jump on it. Again, maybe I’m wrong. I’m just calling it like I see it.

Let’s address the issue both ways.

As a political issue it’s a bad one. Ignore what your advisors are telling you. Have you seen the last, oh, five elections? The middle-of-the-road, Republican lite strategy will lose my vote and a few million others very quickly.

I am the average “gamer”: I am a 32 year old white male. I have an above average income and a house in the suburbs. My wife and are I trying to have our first child. My favorite games are Civilization IV (a strategy game that includes history–you would approve) and Grand Theft Auto (yes, the one that started all of the controversy). Contrary to idiotic assumptions, I have no desire to commit crimes, even after playing the game.

Funny thing about the average gamer being a man in his early thirties: the average gamer is also now a voter. You might want to start considering that.

Now let’s address the issue apart from the political aspect. Rating systems are already in place. They serve the same function that they do in movie theaters and on cable television. The new generation of game consoles have content management features that parents can use the same way they use V-chips in television sets.

It is not your job, or the job of any part of government, to be my nanny. By attempting to protect kids, that is what you are doing: treating every man, woman, and child in this country as a child, regardless of age. Leave parenting to the parents. It is their responsibility to raise their children and to take an active part in the lives of their children.

The proposed legislation is also a direct attack on freedom of speech. One can only assume the required FTC investigation will find exactly what it wants to find: a “pervasive problem” with the ratings that will grant it carte blanche to set content standards. That is a scary phrase, “content standards.” I could do the obligatory Nazi comparison and point out that they had “content standards” when it came to books. That would be too easy though, wouldn’t it? Every oppressive regime has always had content standards so why single out the Nazis. Maybe with your support, this bill could be the beginning of a new China, err, America. Chimerica!

Yes, I’m aware this is not your typical tepid message or fiery ranting. Hopefully, by injecting a little bit of (sarcastic) humor and intelligence into it, it will actually be read by somebody in a position to talk to you (I don’t presume that you read your own email address) about it.

You’ll need to do some convincing to win my vote in 2008. You can start by backing off of this legislation. Senator Lieberman has long been an opponent of free speech and his name on the ticket in 2000 led me to vote for Ralph Nader. I would say that I’m not proud of my vote, but I chose the best option that was available. That may be the saddest part because I think Al Gore is a great man and would have been a great candidate had he not saddled himself with such a bad running mate.

Hmm, there I go talking about the political aspects of the legislation again. Well, you are a politician, so I guess that’s okay.

Sincerely,

Chat Clussman
Concerned Citizen and Registered Voter

I heartily recommend that anybody concerned about free speech or that wants to choose for themselves what they watch, read, play, or listen to, to write Senator Clinton and make your opinion known as well.

Also, I want to point out that the above is the exact text that I sent to Hillary. However, I may have fibbed just a little: I actually am a bit embarrassed about voting for Nader in 2000. Before anybody lynches me, I’m obligated to point out that Bush beat Gore by 21 points in my state and Nader only received 2 points (137,716 votes according to CNN).

* I guessed at the email address based on the fact that every senator with a published address used the same format. Clinton’s senate page has a contact form that requires you to sign your life in blood to the Democratic party in order to send a message to her and I didn’t particularly feel like doing that.

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