Jeanne Stevens was recently nominated by the state of Connecticut to run for the State House of Representatives. Who the heck is Jeanne Stevens and why do you care? She's an attorney, former prosectuor, church parish member, mother, business-owner, and a volunteer librarian (all I do is write about games, this woman scares me). You care because she and her whole family are proud World of Warcraft players, and while she won't let Grand Theft Auto in her home, she says you can do as you please. Aw.
Folks over at MMO humour site Wandering Goblin got ahold of Jeanne anyway, and it's really a great interview. Check out an excerpt:
As games become an increasingly important (and mainstream) form of media, they've also become more controversial. How do you see your role as a legislator in regard to gaming? Is your approach more one that considers it an absolute 'Free Speech' medium, or one that sees some sort of government intervention and regulation as necessary? Perhaps somewhere in between?
Here is my take on this. Parents need to start parenting! You are the adult. You are responsible for what happens within your home. If you don’t like the content of a t.v. show, game, book, etc., don’t allow it in your home – that is your choice – you get to be the legislator, you make the laws of your home. Don’t abdicate that responsibility to the government. Exercise your own common sense – way back when, I enjoyed listening to Howard Stern on my commute to work – if he was getting too raunchy for my tastes, I changed the dial – and, I never listened to him if my kids were in the car.
Finally, someone said it! I love the whole thing, but the last part about Stern is excellent too. He has always said this. "Don't like me? Don't listen." Common sense! But yeah, anyone who depends on the government to any extent to raise their kids must be just lazy or incompetent parents. What the heck does the government have to do with your kids and how you raise them? Why not think for yourself and decide if your child playing a certain game or watching a certain movie would be beneficial or detrimental to their well-being? Aside from the being involved in 20 different things, Stevens also scares me because I agree with her completely, and she's a Republican (hissss!). Oh well, another reason not to believe in the party system.
Stevens also has a great sense of humour about gaming as well as politics:
Any truth to the rumor that I Am Murloc is going to be your official campaign song?
I can neither confirm nor deny that rumor – oh wait, that makes me sound like a politician. I much prefer the Leeroy Jenkins clips.
Ah, now that's just good to see. To see Jeanne geeking out and talking about WoW, or to find out more about her campaign, visit the source.
Crysis Warhead coming
Left 4 Dead Delayed
