Electronics Consumers Association Gamer's Rights Petition

Why set such an arbitrary starting point? By the time that happens it'll be too late to take action. If you believe in the cause at all you need to step up immediately. Fact of the matter is, this is a shackle that limits a game creator's ability to utilize the medium. It prevents them from being able to include adult themes (the likes of which are common in Film and Television) and pretty much locks video games into that "Games are for Children" stereotype. We all like video games, and i'd hope we all respect their potential as an artistic medium (in the same way that Film is viewed today compared to how it was viewed 60+ years ago.) While I may not personally like Grand Theft Auto, it has a right to exist and that's what it sounds like this is about.

This is exactly the sentiment I hold. I personally only have about 5-10% of my game library rated M, but I still believe in the rights for those games to exist. If they lose this battle of simply confirming video game's first amendment rights, then who knows where they could take it from there. Too many politicians "think of the children" and find their whipping boy in the gaming industry and it even helps their image in certain circles. I mean, the industry does what it can to inform and self-regulate the content (while I was a tester we even had a specific bug type to report for areas we were skeptical of meeting the goal rating), but it isn't being taken in by a few people who ultimately over-react. Now it's been a year or two since I've researched the subject, so I'd likely have my argument torn apart if I tried to ad anything but generalizations here, but basically I'm on the parents need to do their jobs as parents. Plenty of tools available even if they can't be there keeping an eye on them all the time.

I signed ^^

This petition reminded me of another issue where "The Man" and their Lawyers try to blame children behaving badly, on the Video Games they play.

That looks to be a modification of the shirt they gave away when you joined. Mouse added and all of them are pictures rather than silhouettes. Also of course that last line.

And thanks for signing those who have.