Video Game Voters Network Draws More Responses from Politicians
The Video Game Voters Network continues to resister a political impact.
The organization, created by the ESA to rally gamer support for the video game industry, has now generated over 20,000 e-mails to U.S. senators regarding Sen. Hillary Clinton's proposed Family Entertainment Protection Act (FEPA).
An e-mail from the Video Game Voters Network (VGVN) this week urged gamers to recruit additional members, citing support from famed Sims 2 designer Will Wright who said, "What can you do to fight this threat? Become a part of the first line of defense in protecting the games that we love to play by joining the Video Game Voters Network."
The VGVN also announced that it now has web banners available, in response to overwhelming demand. Here at GamePolitics, we jumped the gun, creating our own VGVN banner weeks ago.
Meanwhile GamePolitics readers continue to report responses from political figures. Blitz Fitness, for example, heard back from Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL, pictured at left), who wrote:
"Thank you for contacting me about S. 2126, the Family Entertainment Protection Act... Many people are troubled by the level of sex, violence, and offensive language in some media, including video games. I understand parents' desires to protect children from such content... But any such steps must be carefully designed to avoid undermining the First Amendment.
Similarly, we must not engage in government censorship of the arts, other than to enforce constitutionally permissible obscenity laws. We must preserve our nation's commitment to the First Amendment right of free
expression even as we work to protect our children from the harsher aspects of the world.
S. 2126 is currently before the Senate Commerce Committee. I will keep your thoughts in mind in case this legislation reaches the Senate floor..."
Durbin, by the way, was just named one of America's Top-10 Senators by Time Magazine
.
GP reader Jeff Schultz heard back from Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX):
"Thank you for contacting me regarding video game ratings. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue... As a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, you may be certain I am working hard to protect children from inappropriate material in video games wherever it occurs.