Gamers React To Gaza Conflict

[Andy Chalk]

Gamers React To Gaza Conflict

The Israeli incursion into Gaza has spurred virtual protests in Second Life [http://secondlife.com/] as well as the creation of at least one Flash game that decries what the creator feels is the unwarranted and excessive force used in the attack.

Protests at the virtual nation of SL Israel, which features models of sites like the Temple Mount as well as various tourist hot-spots in Tel Aviv, began last week, not long after Israel launched an air campaign against Hamas forces in Gaza in retaliation for ongoing rocket attacks against the country. According to Beth Odet, one of the co-creators of SL Israel, the protesters who came to the site weren't there to discuss the matter rationally. "Lots of yelling," she told New World Notes [http://nwn.blogs.com/nwn/2009/01/israel-attack-o.html]. "They were going on and on with slurring obscenities about murderous Israeli forces, etc."

She began kicking out the worst of the protesters, although she said she was careful to ensure she didn't remove people who hadn't actually done anything wrong, but the influx continued until she was ultimately forced to close SL Israel to outsiders entirely. "Just shut it down for a little while," she said. "Just to make it stop. 'Cause people weren't wanting to be logical, or talk."

Meanwhile, a Flash game posted at Raid Gaza! [http://www.newgrounds.com] presents the author's clearly one-sided opinion of the conflict as little more than Israeli expansionism based on the flimsiest of pretexts. The game puts players in command of the Israeli Defense Force, called to respond to a Hamas rocket attack against the city of Sderot. Nominally an RTS, the twist in Raid Gaza! comes from the fact that the game isn't just politically one-sided, but literally so: While players have access to infantry, tanks, attack helicopters, jet fighters and limitless financial aid from the United States, the opposing Palestinian forces can do little more than toss out a poorly-aimed Qassam rocket every five or six seconds.

The point of the game, obviously, is not to win - that conclusion is foregone - but to ensure the ratio of Palestinian to Israeli deaths is as high as possible. At the end of the game, an image of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pops up to grade the player, and then offers a tidbit of information regarding the real-world ratio of deaths in the conflict.

Responses to the game on Newgrounds have come fast and furious, and much as in Second Life, reasonable discussion is largely outweighed by heavily-biased responses in support of both sides. The potential for virtual communities to engage individuals and help foster dialog in conflicts is immeasurable, but it looks like there's still a long way to go before we get there.

via: Politics [http://www.gamepolitics.com/2009/01/07/anti-israeli-protests-second-life]


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[robotpuppy]

You have to be able to appreciate the fact that half of the high scores are from Israel, while the other half are "JEW H8TER", "FUCK ISRAEL!", and the likes.

 

[Baby Tea]

I'm all for free speech. I really am.
But I think politics should really stay out of games.

Why?
Because games are an escape! I don't play Endwar, Call of Duty, or Rainbow Six for political innuendo. I play them because they are fun games to play. Granted, this is a flash game from Newgrounds. But I could see something like this bleeding into the mainstream, and then we've got lopsided political commentary when I just want to play a game.

No thanks. Save it for Anderson Cooper.

 

[PedroSteckecilo]

Dammnit, Stupid Newgrounds game is way too much fun. It comes across a little like the PETA cooking mama one.

 

[jthm]

*strolls jauntily on over to Newgrounds, whistling a happy tune*

 

[Nikita89]

Online protests, like the ones in SL, tend to reach only people who are also very active on the Internet. Which of our world leaders today, do you think has anything to do with any online community whatsoever? Exactly. None. If none of our politicians knows you're protesting, then what's the point of protesting? You're not helping anyone.

It's also cowardly to protest online, where you are anonymous. Gamers should stand up for themselves and take to the streets

 

[mokes310]

I'm all for free speech. I really am.
But I think politics should really stay out of games.

Why?
Because games are an escape! I don't play Endwar, Call of Duty, or Rainbow Six for political innuendo. I play them because they are fun games to play. Granted, this is a flash game from Newgrounds. But I could see something like this bleeding into the mainstream, and then we've got lopsided political commentary when I just want to play a game.

No thanks. Save it for Anderson Cooper.

Thank you! I feel the same way. No matter what our political affiliations are, gaming is our escape. Gaming should not divide us, but unite us with our common interests.

Now, Politicians trying to regulate and censor games, that's a completly different issue!

 

[Danny Ocean]

And then there are people like me who simply don't care because it doesn't involve me.

You just keep thinking that. Remember, The US is closely tied with Israel, which is nuclear capable, the Hammas has no problem with terrorist attacks, and most of the energy you use comes from middle east states that have no sympathy toward Israel.

A nasty enough terrorist attack prompting a nuclear response would mean you would feel the effects at home very quickly.

Hi. Yeah...Um I'm Canadian. Obviously clicking on my name to verify this is really hard. And all I'm seeing here is a large group of people making a (pseudo) public spectacle of
themselves over a 'flavor of the week' protest.

You dig deep enough, and you'll see that it affects everyone. Including you.

It seems people don't 'protest' anything any more;

You know there have been real protests the world over, right? Or do they not affect you?

they scream at it until it gets embarrassed and leaves.

Protests have to stay within the law if they don't want people with guns and rubber bullets coming after them. What else do you propose they do? Spam angry letters?

Oh no.

 

[stevetastic]

And then there are people like me who simply don't care because it doesn't involve me.

You just keep thinking that. Remember, The US is closely tied with Israel, which is nuclear capable, the Hammas has no problem with terrorist attacks, and most of the energy you use comes from middle east states that have no sympathy toward Israel.

A nasty enough terrorist attack prompting a nuclear response would mean you would feel the effects at home very quickly.

Hi. Yeah...Um I'm Canadian. Obviously clicking on my name to verify this is really hard. And all I'm seeing here is a large group of people making a (pseudo) public spectacle of
themselves over a 'flavor of the week' protest.

You dig deep enough, and you'll see that it affects everyone. Including you.

It seems people don't 'protest' anything any more;

You know there have been real protests the world over, right? Or do they not effect you?

they scream at it until it gets embarrassed and leaves.

Protests have to stay within the law if they don't want people with guns and rubber bullets coming after them. What else do you propose they do? Spam angry letters?

Oh no.

Danny Ocean that was brilliant. i applaud you good sir.

 

[Aardvark]

Didn't Hamas spend a large deal of time firing rockets at Israeli border towns?

I'm almost shocked that Israel waited this long to react with extreme violence.

 

[Danny Ocean]

As the article states: '..the protesters who came to the site weren't there to discuss the matter rationally...'

Rationally? What's that?

Oh, we agree! Let's let you walk over the rest of our severely downtrodden and barely sovereign state!

Or even

"Hey, you can keep firing rockets, don't worry, there are plenty more people where he came from! We can just get some more in from other countries"

Neither side is ever rational to the other. It's a cheap and overused shot to say that your opposition isn't being 'rational' or 'logical' when they don't submit to your point of view.

Or are you mistaking 'rational' for 'calmly'? Because that sure as hell isn't going to happen!

If you're not doing that you haven't got a 'protest', you have a mob.

A mob united in a common view shouting that view very loudly is a protest. What else would they do? Sit around a huge table "Discussing" it?

Wait, that's still a mob, it just isn't moving.

Also, trust me when I say I know what Second Life is like. There isn't much you can do on the internet besides shout louder than the other guy. As Second Life is an MMORPG, it is to be expected that they will take said lawful route rather than making a scripted "Weapon" to crash the server.

Finally, sorry to rant at you when I really should find this woman in Second Life and ***** to her.

 

[portuga-man]

Both sides are fighting to protect their country and for their beliefs. Unfortunately, there are many issues that lead to what is being done.

First, both countries are religious. You have the muslims who live their life according to a twisted interpretation of the kuran (don't care if i'm saying it the wrong way, grammar nazis). Then you have the jews, who believe the territory they occupy belongs to them either by divine right, [and/]or because of what they suffered during the holocaust. Both sides think the other side is the bad guy.

Second, you have the territorial issue. Both sides claim the land belongs to them. But you can't say exactly what belongs to who, specially in a place where boundaries used to change constantly.

Then, they act as they act because the other side "shot first". Along the years muslims have gone more and more extreme, so having a developed anti-israel country at your doorstep isn't a good thing. On the other hand, muslims live in misery, which gives extremists enough power to lead people. They have nothing to live, and the reason is a couple of miles away. They'll give their life so others may have a chance to live. Both sides are feeding each other's problems.

Their leaders, not the people, should be bashed. Asking any of the fighters "how can you do such thing!" will only make things worse for them. When you make this games, it's highly unlikely you'll be seen by any of the top boys, only israeli soldiers on leave. Standing up for the underdog will always make us feel all nice and warm, but when done in the wrong way, you're only damaging those who are doing it right.

A mob united in a common view shouting that view very loudly is a protest.

I'm assuming you don't know what a mob is.
*Checks dictionary in hopes of avoiding the "LOL NEWB" factor*
A mob is an unruly crowd. An unruly crowd can't protest about anything. They aren't organized. A protest requires that at least everyone knows what they're protesting about, and for that they require the minimum of organization. Destroying private property (as mobs usually do) can't be considered a protest. You may argue that "protesters" in greece destroyed private property. But it's an unchangeable belief of mine that such thing isn't a protest, so that arguing ends there, be you right or not. Also i'm not one of writing in this forums often, so i might not see your answer (if you even give a shit about this post), so if i offended you, sorry, it wasn't my intention. If you have evidence of what i'm saying is wrong, sorry for my ignorance.
*just realized he bashed grammar nazis and became one in the same post*
*hides in shame*

 

[stompy]

Well, this is the Internet, the last bastion of free speech/expression (except if you are in China).

 

[Danny Ocean]

A mob united in a common view shouting that view very loudly is a protest.

I'm assuming you don't know what a mob is.
*Checks dictionary in hopes of avoiding the "LOL NEWB" factor*
A mob is an unruly crowd. An unruly crowd can't protest about anything.

Then I shall pull internets on you, too!

A Google reveals this:

Defenitions of 'Protest':
[li]express opposition through action or words; "dissent to the laws of the country"[/li]
[li]the act of protesting; a public (often[sup](not always)[/sup] organized) manifestation of dissent[/li]

Let's leave it at that, since you don't want to argue.

On Israel/Palestine
Well, after being practically glued to UKTV history for the last week I've learnt a lot about this conflict.

• To the masses, it is a religious war. Even to the lackies at the bottom of each country's social structure, it is a religious war.
  However, as always, religion isn't the primary reason. It's simply land. The Palestinians were there first, and Israel was cut from their own soil.
  That's quite a poor way to start, and there was understandably skirmishes and bombs from both sides. The Jews claiming religion, and the Palestinian saying "We were here first."
  Israel Didn't help the matter by taking over the majority of the Palestinian's land in an excessive use of force. Excused with, "They started it."
  They have also been blockading the Palestinians for a long time. Excused by the bombs.
  The Palestinians aren't helping by holding up in cities full of civilians. Then again, why the hell would they engage Israel outside of even an empty city? Israeli military hardware is leagues ahead of the rest of the Middle East, thanks to America.

Or at least, that's my understanding.

I'd be pretty pissed too if Russia invaded Britain and said, "The Orthodox Christians get Cornwall, Somerset, and London." after wiping out our Military and then supplying the Christians with relative super-weapons and huge amounts of funding.