Right now the ESA is just generally a bad idea. All it does is hurt games. If an ESA/ESRB rating causes a game to be edited, I usually won't buy it, or hop on the internet and go looking for an uncensored version (like I did with "The Witcher"). Not to mention that it's a bad thing in general.
Right now game censorship is generally a Democratic issue, which is why Obama has made some off handed issues. It all falls under their sphere of wanting information control and is usually mixed in with the message of "protecting the children".
Right Ring/Republican cantidates make a lot of noise on issues of morality, but in general don't DO anything besides make noise, as their party is based around the idea of a weak federal goverment and strong local goverments. I mean Republicans are the type who might like the idea of a town being able to decide what to allow in their borders (like spending money on Christmas decorations if the majority of the people want it) but aren't really in the market to see sweeping legislation, which is often played against them.
Clinton was involved with the Hot Coffee thing, and I believe aside from his comments during the election Obama has been a big supporter of moral censorship of video games and the media in general.
Despite this, it seems a lot of Gamers are democrats, and are shocked when right wingers are used as spokespeople on these issues. Especially seeing as many of the messages of support I've seen over the year are basically along the lines of right wingers hating the stuff in the gaming industry, and firmly believing we're all damning ourselves, but are also willing to defend our right to such media and to make such desicians for ourselves.
Bottom like is the ESA has become a censorship machine. There is no real middle ground. Either speech and expression (through video games) are free or they are not. With internet sales being what they are, the power of "advocacy groups" is less than it once was. Besides I'd much rather see loose idealogical collectives represent the gaming community. Basically if some "protect the children" group wants to get rowdy, I think gamers should just get rowdy back with them.
Trying to play the game "nice" just gave advocacy groups a lever. None of these organizations were stopping censorship, rather they caused more of it, and opened the door encouragingly for people to push. Censorship not being a halfway thing.
Basically, I'm rapidly getting to the point where I believe this isn't the kind of thing where there can be a dialogue. Let them write letters and protest outside stores and perhaps move more business to the Internet. Eventually if they get irritated enough the amount of damage a bunch of enraged nerds can inflict should also act as a deterrant.
Sorry if I sound angry and bitter, I'm just tired of companies like Bethesda freaking out for stupid reasons like fan made mods and such.
