Breaking Windows

Time to start writing to our congress critters. You can find out how each of them voted at http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.asp?year=2005&rollnumber=419 and you can goto http://www.house.gov to find out who your representative is and even send them a letter there. Here's the letter I sent to my rep:

Mr. Walden,

It is with a great sadness in my heart that I write to you today. In the last 2 years I have personally undergone a change in beliefs. I have gone from seeing my government in a cynical manner, where I believed that the only objective those in our government had was to increase their own power at any cost. Fortunately, and largely as a result of the writings of Mr. Bill Whittle, I have come to see my government in a new light.

Today, however, I had to take a step back and wonder if I wasn't right in my previous cynicism. You see, today I learned that the House of Representatives has passed a motion to investigate a video game over a small bit of content that requires work above and beyond playing the game to unlock.

This is a video game where you can murder innocent people going about their business. You can pick up a prostitute, have sexual relations with her, and then kill her and take your money back. You can get in a car and start running over pedestrians. In short, the game has a large amount of violent content. As such, it has received a rating that indicates that it is not acceptable for those under the age of 17. And yet, with the discovery that it includes a bit of sexual content, locked away where it will never be found by playing the game, my government has decided that it needs to be investigated.

The content in question is no worse than what you will see in many R rated movies, which have been deemed acceptable for those 17 and over. Furthermore, it is not available unless you take action that has been prohibited by the publisher. The game has already been re-rated by the body responsible for rating video games. What possible benefit is there to society in having the government continue this investigation?

We have enough problems to face in this country. We're currently working to bring about democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan. We have a national debt that we will be paying off for my entire lifetime, assuming the US doesn't go bankrupt first. We have a group that has vowed to continue attacking our country because of how prosperous and good our lives are.

At this point, I regret voting for you last November. It will take work on your part to earn my vote back. Will you listen to reason and help a young American who has been clawing out of the cynicism pit continue that climb, or will you continue on this useless path and send more young Americans back into the depths of cynicism?

Sincerely,

Zach

That is a great idea Zach, I just wrote Gillmor. I wonder what good it will do though?

Great letter Zach, but note that it's much better to MAIL these, NOT e-mail. I'm not sure if that's what you did, but I have a form letter I use and edit it to the specific situation in spots. I can't tell you how many of these I've sent. It's obviously doing a lot of good. =:(