Destructoid’s readers should be well aware of Australia’s bullsh*t regarding its treatment of videogames and its government’s frightened, ass-backwards approach to age restrictions. One finds it a breath of fresh air, then, to write about one Australian politician who not only respects videogames, but is an avid gamer himself.
ACT Democrats candidate Greg Tannahill is more than happy to profess his love of gaming and respect for the industry, and has called out his peers for their commitment to censorship in lieu of understanding and respect. He even maintains his own game blog, The Dust Forms Words (“advocating an R18+ certificate since 2006”).
“Politicians don’t understand videogaming and aren’t interested in learning”, argues Greg. “There’s good reason for people to be angry about the way games are treated by our parliaments, our media, and our classification board. I think gamers want to see leaders who have real respect for what they are passionate about, both as a pastime engaged in by millions of Australians from all walks of life, and as a multi-billion dollar industry which our governments should be attracting and nurturing”.
Greg also has the following inspiring message:
Censorship is odious because it removes community choice. Censorship says that the thought is the action; that the common person can’t distinguish between depiction and actuality… Censorship says, “Let me decide who talks.”
And games are talking. They’re talking very loudly, to a great many people, in strong and clear voices. They’re speaking in places that have never read a newspaper and in houses which have never listened to politicians. It’s okay to be worried by what games are saying. It’s okay to disagree. But it’s not okay to stifle those voices. It’s not okay to kill the game.
Golf claps all round, I think. Golf claps all round.
