South Park Republican defends video games in WSJ op-ed
"South Park Republicans" is a term coined to reflect the often libertarian viewpoint represented on the television show of the same name. The term's become so popular there's even a book named after it. Based on those beliefs, it should come as no surprise that the author of that book, Brian C. Anderson, wrote an impassioned defense of video games that ran in the Wall Street Journal's op-ed page today.
Anderson repeats many of the arguments we've come to rely on while exposing much of the hypocrisy and double standards employed by would-be critics of gaming. He ends with as level headed a suggestion as we've read in the mainstream media: "Video games are popular culture at its best. Critics would do better to drop the hysterical laments and pick up a joystick." Considering most critics haven't rolled a level 60 character in World of Warcraft, we're inclined to agree.
This isn't the first major conservative outlet to come to the defense of video games. In April, the influential National Review Online ran a (very) similar piece defending video games and our right to play them. With such notable conservative outlets carrying a common message, while popular liberal politicians like Hillary Clinton continue to vilify gaming, has the debate over gaming become a mirror of today's polarized political landscape?
[Thanks, DMark]
