The ESA wants YOU (to send in your broken controllers)

With oral arguments set to begin on November 2 in the Schwarzenegger v. EMA/ESA Supreme Court case, the ESA, via its Video Game Voters Network (VGVN), is looking to send a message to the proposed law's chief proponent, California senator Leland Yee. As part of a campaign against the anti-game legislation, which the ESA terms "unconstitutional, unwarranted and unnecessary," the VGVN is asking gamers to send their old or broken controllers to Yee.

Additionally, the VGVN asks that gamers inscribe the message "I believe in the First Amendment" onto said controllers (we've illustrated the concept using an old ColecoVision steering wheel; pictured above), hoping Yee will understand that games should be protected as free speech -- and, perhaps more importantly, that game players are voters too. The VGVN adds that game accessories and cables are acceptable as well, making this the perfect time to finally put that GBA-GameCube link cable to good use.

Head over to the VGVN website for more details on how to send off your controllers and join the cause.

Show full PR text

State Senator Leland Yee really has it out for video gamers.

First, he wrote and passed a law in California to restrict the sale of video games. That law was declared unconstitutional because -- as gamers all know -- video games are protected as free speech.

Now, Senator Yee is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold his misguided law and restrict the rights of gamers, designers and innovators. With oral arguments on the case occurring on November 2, it's time we send the Senator a clear message:

We believe strongly that the First Amendment applies to video games.

And we've got a way to do it. Will you send one of your old or broken video game controllers to Senator Yee inscribed with a message in support of the First Amendment?

http://www.videogamevoters.org/FirstAmendment

Here's the easy, step-by-step process to send Senator Yee your message:

Step 1: Gather your old or broken video game controllers and write on them, "I believe in the First Amendment."

Step 2: Put them in a box, take a picture and submit it to VGVN using the form on the website above.

Step 3: Seal up the box, take it to the post office and mail it to Senator Yee. Here's his address:

The Honorable Leland Yee
455 Golden Gate Avenue, Suite 14200
San Francisco, CA 94102

Step 4: Give yourself a high-five, and then tell your friends to join in this mass protest.

If we can get a bunch of video gamers like you to send in controllers, Senator Yee will finally get the message that gamers are voters too, and we won't stand for politicians trying to censor our video games.

Send in your controller now. For a place to upload your photo to and see the photos of your fellow gamers, click here:

http://www.videogamevoters.org/FirstAmendment

Thank you for getting involved.

-- Video Game Voters Network