You won't like me when I'm angry

I rarely see red, but when someone makes a comment that is so clearly ignorant and damaging to so many people, I lose my noodle. Here, let me let you read it and then we'll talk. A friend of mine, who knows my affinity for the game, sent me this message. I assumed it was a joke or hoax, as I couldn't find the origin, until it was clear it wasn't when the local television station in Columbia, Missouri, KMIZ (their local station, not mine), chose to write a couple of articles on it. As an aside, KMIZ has prudently chosen to remove the initial article, but has left the reiterated "warning" up.

Police have condemned adults who play the latest in Nintendo’s popular Animal Crossing series, “Animal Crossing: City Folk”, as being predatory paedophiles, saying “There is no reason an adult should have this game”, and claiming that the only motive an adult could have for playing it is to seduce children.

The warning comes from the Mid-Missouri Internet Crimes Task Force, where investigator Andy Anderson warns that any adult playing the game “is likely doing so for the wrong reasons”, and points out that online predators could be lurking in the game thanks to its multiplayer capabilities.

Anderson further warns that police just don’t have the resources to stamp out the Animal Crossing lolicon menace, meaning parents may even have to resort to supervising their own children: “The equipment is real expensive and we cannot afford to buy all of the systems and do not have the resources either to examine all of the possibilities.”

The source darkly talks of the game’s relationship building system, where players can exchange letters, gifts and favours in pursuit of friendship, implying out that these elements are tantamount to putting children on a nationwide lolicon meat-market.

The Internet task force then went on to RE-ITERATE THEIR WARNING stating children were being contacted inappropriately, however, after sounding their big, freaking warning bell, stated that not all adults that play the game are pedophiles. Well, thank you for clearing it up in what amounts to the fine print.

Let me explain why this upset me so.

First, it's personal. I play the game. I do and I love it. Oh, yes I do. It's a fun, non-challenging, mind-numbing game that allows me to connect with my 8-year old. I watch him play the game, he watches me play the game, we compete for whatever goodies are in the recycling bin, we negotiate for furniture and items, he learns the value of a dollar and he's already learning that he has to pay a mortgage and contribute to his community as he gets older. It teaches friendship and volunteerism, savvy saving and negotiation, taking care of a home and keeping a job, but also relaxing and fishing and playing hide and go seek.

So far, there are no little red flags going off about the fishing going on or the apple picking taking place in the game, but if I find anything "sickening" about the game, I will be the first to take Nintendo to task.

Second, the initial article stated that their was no reason for an adult to play the game. Well, was there a reason for an adult to play Mario Bros? Probably not, other than it was hellatiously fun. How many of the people on that force played Mario Bros? Or Zelda? Or Super Smash Bros? Let's get me started on the fact that when I was first introduced to the game, through Nintendo's excellence in marketing, it was through this commercial:



Anyone notice anything interesting about the people in that commercial? Do they look like little kids to you? I thought to myself, "Self, what a great way to connect with your friends and family." My little sister is 12 years old and lives with my mother. My friends live all over the country and some outside of the country. With Wii-Speak, we could play a game together and hang out at the same time. What a fascinating concept? Nintendo had me hooked only to have these idiots call me a pedophile? What the soup?

Let me tell you how something like this affects people. Being called a pedophile, and having that suspicion cast on me would cause me to lose my job, the career I've spent over 8 years in school for as well as throw me out of my doctoral program. It would help me lose my child, with whom I have a fantastic relationship. I would be a pariah in my society.

Let's think before we speak task-force. It's something I taught my son when he was 4.

As a parent, monitor everything your child does on the internet and on anything that connects to it including gaming systems and cell phones. This is common parenting sense.

But if anyone truly thinks everyone who plays this game has these issues they really need to examine why they might believe that someone who likes an innocent video game for stress relief has those kinds of pathological feelings about children. "All" is a serious and damaging generalization and should be avoided if possible. And please don't believe everything you see or read on the news or even on the blogosphere. It's sensationalism and everyone writes for an audience. Myself included.