A New England town group called off its plans to destroy physical copies of computer games. SouthingtonSOS had planned for a public event:
The Town of Southington will have a dumpster there for the collection of Violent Video Games, CDs and DVDs. As people arrive in their cars to turn in their games of violence, they will be offered a gift certificate donated by a member of the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce as a token of appreciation for their action of responsible citizenship. Violent games turned in will be destroyed and placed in the town dumpster for appropriate permanent disposal.
They offer one big caveat:
SouthingtonSOS. The group’s action is not intended to be construed as statement declaring that violent video games were the cause of the shocking violence in Newtown on December 14th.
Why not do the game-trashing? It might be poor planning: "the original plans to distribute certificates would "create an unnecessary amount of logistical details for us"". But SOS is happy nonetheless:
"Our mission was to create strong awareness in Southington for parents and families and citizens and children," said Fortunato, "and we accomplished that. Our other objective was to promote discussion of violent video games and media with children and with the families at the home. And we've accomplished that in spades."
(Fortunato! I wonder if the fellow was extra-scared by Poe's "Cask of Amontillado.")
No mention of censorship in the group and town's discussion. Nor any notes about witches, lotteries, or Hester Prynne.
He had a weak point --this Fortunato --although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in video games. Few Evangelicals have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity, to practice imposture upon the British and Japanese millionaires. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen, was a quack, but in the matter of violent video games he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially; --I was skillful in the SNES cartridges myself, and bought largely whenever I could.
...
I said to him --"My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day. But I have received a cartridge of what passes for Atari's ET: The Extraterrestrial, and I have my doubts."
Posted by: HP | January 12, 2013 at 18:43
Ha! Brilliant.
Posted by: Bryan Alexander | January 16, 2013 at 18:43
A mere Search & Replace pastiche and limited time, but thank you. I've been thinking for a long time about a full-length Amontillado pastiche that takes place between eBay traders M0NTR3504 and 4Chan02 at the San Diego Comic-Con, but I couldn't decide what would lure 4Chan02 into a storage closet in the sub-basement of the San Diego convention center. Mint-in-box Atari ET: The Extraterrestrial would probably do it.
Posted by: HP | January 18, 2013 at 23:08
Adding, I really want to write the dialog:
"Oh, for fuck's sake!"
"Yes, 4Chan02, for Fuck's sake."
Posted by: HP | January 18, 2013 at 23:13