Michael Atkinson Writes to Kotaku

How juvenile.

I’ve given up on this, there’s no educating some people, it just cant be done.

Thankyou Mr. Atkinson for being a shining example of how the human species can be so stubborn and fearful against change, destroying any chance to make things better in the future.

No doubt the people hassling you have realised this to some extent, and realise that you not being in the equation is the only way to move ahead.

I know i have, and it frustrates me to no end that you hold the power over my freedoms as an adult, and theres nothing i can do about it except take pity on you.

Mr. Atkinson,

I can’t help but notice that in your challenge to the readers of Kotaku.com to stand for the Parliamentary seat of Croydon, you’ve refused to acknowledge the arguments set forth by Mr. Terry O’Shanassy, an 57-year-old gamer. A person, by your beliefs, that shouldn’t exist. Perhaps that is the very reason you’ve ignored his comments; perhaps you believe him to be a figment of your imagination? Whatever the case, you have chosen instead to tread the less-honorable road, demonizing the hot-headed, predominately under-20 internet community with a vague challenge.

You’ve also chosen to ignore the opinions of those in the academic field, such as Christian McCrea, a lecturer at Swinburne University, an institution that prides itself on one of the best pathways into a career in video games.

You’ve even carried this open rejection of any external opinion right onto Standing Committees of Attorneys-General, where you repeatedly ignore studies, reports and documents provided by your Victorian and other state counterparts, simply refusing to discuss the matter. If that weren’t enough of an insult to the South Australians you supposedly represent, you have taken to rejecting plans to publish the consultation results.

Your ultimatum reminds me of a similarly desperate attempt to face down the gaming community; in 2005, Florida attorney Jack Thompson sent an open letter to the Entertainment Software Association, entitled ‘A Modest Video Game Proposal’. In it he proposed that if someone could create, manufacture, distribute and sell a video game that allowed players to hunt and kill video game developers, he would personally donate $10 000 to a charity of a prominent video games figure’s choosing. When his challenge was met by “Defamation of Character: A Jack Thompson Murder Simulator”, Thompson promptly withdrew his challenge, claiming it was made in satire. Four years on finds Jack Thompson disbarred in the state of Florida, his reputation in tatters.

Like you, he was respected in the field of law. Like you, he is a staunch Catholic. Like you, he underestimated the backing of a pro-video-games movement, antagonizing it at every turn. While I’m not claiming a member of the gaming community will take your seat of Croydon, don’t make the assumption that the realm of politics is unreachable for gamers. As I understand it, a number of members of the current House of Representatives hold pro-gaming stances, even members of the Labor party.

I respect your work as a member of Parliament, and approve of your continued efforts to keep in touch with members of your community. Indeed, not so many MPs will readily subject themselves to members of their own seat as you do. I can only offer a fair warning that such a antagonizing challenge will only work against your image in the long run. The average gamer has matured and no longer needs babying by Parliament.

-Rory Betteridge, 22, a second-year student at Swinburne University of Technology, undertaking a Bachelor of Arts in Games and Interactivity.

He’s actually right about one thing, the issue is a fairly minor one in the grand scheme of things, and some of you are coming on way to strongly and attacking his character.

That said, using his ‘credentials’ as a rebuke is pretty low. It’s not really a challenge so much as a taunt. The taunt is basically saying ‘nothing will change until the people who contribute greatest to the community give video games respect as a medium.’

Death threats are childish, but so is his bloody-minded obstinance and unwillingness to listen and take part in a reasonable discussion. He is not merely accountable to the electorate of Croydon, he must realise that his position renders him accountable to the entire nation. His repetitive use of strawman arguments (eg. the Rapelay argument) also only serves to try and win cheap points rather than making a meaningful contribution to the discussion.

I’d like to see him man up and take some responsibility. Being a politician does not mean that one can just ignore people and then disparage and insult them when they complain.

Atkinson won’t ever respond to reasoned arguments. He pulls the old creationist trick of ignoring all evidence contrary to his position and making up or misrepresenting evidence to support his position.

Even his challenge misrepresents the facts. Attempting to beat him directly in the election would be a fool’s cause. The objective is actually to have him removed as AG (which, IMO, he is not actually very good at). I don’t know if Dr Cannon has dropped his civil action against Mr Atkinson yet (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/06/2509721.htm); if that continues, it may well be a boon to gamers. And if Labor fails to win the next election, the problem of Atkinson disappears…

As frustrated as I get with Atkinson, childish antics (assuming they actually occurred) will benefit no-one but Atkinson. Since reason failed, I went for farce: http://intouchwiththeobvious.wordpress.com/2008/11/16/an-open-letter-to-michael-atkinson-mp/

I am still waiting for a reply.

Terry O’Shanassy for attorney general! whose with me

Dear Mr. Atkinson

I challenge you to counter all points in favor of an R18+ classification in a professional, mature manner. Every time you respond to your critics you do so in a very condescending and sarcastic way whilst totally negating all points in favor of introducing the rating. Granted, people who call for you to be killed are obviously not helping the cause but they are more than likely a few silly teenagers who aren’t even of voting age. However, I know for a fact that there are a plethora of mature adult gamers out there who have written well thought out letters to you, detailing a number of points in favor of an R18+ classification only to be insulted and have their points ignored. So instead of cherry picking a few comments written by immature children and intentionally misrepresenting the issue to parliament, why don’t you instead look at it objectively and at least allow the discussion paper to be released so that democracy can take its course? Apart from being a fascist dictator, what other possible reason could you have for ‘banning’ merely discussion on the issue?

Dear Mr Atkinson,

I want to say thanks. I’m 15 and if there was an 18 rating I wouldn’t get to play games like GTA4 that is rated 18 in the US and UK. Thanks to you I can have run over all the prostitutes i want 3 years earlier than my overseas classmates. I guess I should thank the developers too who by changing a few scenes (computer generated nudity and that) managed to get the game into your MA15 classification. prostitute bashing and violent gaming here i come!

When I’m old enough I’ll buy you a beer, unless there’s any chance you could do something about that classification?

Cheers Mate,
David

We should lodge an application form via the Freedom of Imformation Act to get our hands on the discussion paper.
Mr. Atkinson, you disgust me. By the way, I understand you wished to correspond when I originally wrote to you? Or was that just a ploy to get my details from me so you can put me on the “R18+ Nerd” list?
By the way, calling people “nerds” in any context, for an elected official, is a little bit rude don’t you think? You owe us more than that, you child. I hope people wake up and don’t allow you within 100 meters of Parliment next election. You don’t deserve the position of power that you continually abuse for your own selfish wants.

@luc,

The challenge from Atkinson is certainly out of the norm for the Australian democratic process as well. Having said that, Atkinson is steadfastly refusing to debate anyone at any time on the matter. He is stonewalling the release of the discussion paper, and has never answered any of the questions put to him in interviews — he simply responds with his prepared statement.

Likewise, his whole challenge is a farce; he is unlikely to be beaten in his electorate even by a representative from another major party — Croydon is regarded a very ‘safe’ seat, and Atkinson also has a lot of backing from his church, AFAIK.

A more likely scenario is that Labor could lose the next election (March next year), in which case Atkinson would be in opposition and therefore no longer a problem. Assuming the current Shadow Attorney-General retains the ministry, the problem would effectively disappear (as long as no AG from another state takes up the position of ‘Honorary Jack Thompson’).

I might not run against you in your safest of safe seat, but I will be sending financial support to one of your opponents in the next election , probably about the amount I would have spent on l4d2

Please join my Facebook group, targetted against Atkinson’s policies in the hope to get some attention or just to be a statistic against the man