When I started writing, I wanted to write a witty and cunning response to this editorial that said Halo 2 and dating are incompatible.  As a gamer AND as a woman I was offended by the ill-considered judgements made by a narrow-minded college student who wanted to blame a game for her boyfriend’s inattention to her.  I did write an entire letter about how she was right and how it’s Halo 2’s fault boys are dumb.

I didn’t post it.  I changed my mind.  This space can be used for a better purpose, and a more concrete argument in opposition to the stigma that gamers are terrible people.  Please, allow me to plead my case.

In her editorial, Roxy (the author) stated she was likely to commit a felony if she ever met one of the developers of Halo 2.  Guys, I guess you’re to blame for the youth of America.  Gamers are immature and careless and badly spoken, according to the editorial, and the developers of Halo 2 are the epitome of all that.  Never mind the fact that, after Hurricane Katrina the Bungie guys leveraged their own community, selling t-shirts to benefit the Red Cross’s flood relief efforts.  On top of that, they donated all their store profits for the month, AND co-hosted a charity auction of rare and unusual Bungie/Halo stuff with all proceeds going to the relief efforts.

They’re clearly terrible people.

And gamers are just as bad, just as inconsiderate and foul-mouthed.  Like those guys over at Penny Arcade who take time out of their web comic every year to run the Child’s Play charity.  With the help of other gamers around the world, they raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to supply children’s hospitals with games and toys to make life more enjoyable for the kids who spend most of their time there.

Very immature, don’t you think?

I’m proud of the people in my community who do everything in their power to help those in need, even when politicians like Jack Thompson sling insults and people like Roxy tell them they’ll never get a girlfriend.  Who’s immature now?

- jinx

where is my mind