February 24, 2008
Last month GamePolitics reported on Don't Drop the Soap, a GTA-like board game set in a fictitious prison (some game pieces are seen at left).The interesting thing about Don't Drop the Soap is that it was created by John Sebelius, the 23-year-old son of Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D), and is being marketed in part from the Guv's official residence.
The really interesting thing is that in 2006 Gov. Sebelius backed an attempt to legislate video games in Kansas, proclaiming, "Video games and music lyrics promote violence…"
GP: So, Guv, violent video games are bad, but violent board games are okay? Especially when your son gets into the business?
The Kansas City Star now reports that a Republican legislator has demanded an investigation of John Sebelius' game:
Sen. Tim Huelskamp... [is] asking for at least three different state agencies to take action. He calls the game "racist, obscene and degrading" for its sophomoric mentions of prison rape, drug abuse, gang violence and all the other lovely aspects of our correctional system.
In a letter sent last week to Kansas' attorney general, Huelskamp wrote:
We have uncovered evidence [that the governor's mansion] is and/or was the warehouse [for Don't Drop the Soap].
Deliberate misuse of state property is potentially criminal and I call upon the Kansas Attorney General to investigate this matter quickly.
Huelskamp also asked the Kansas Ethics Commission to investigate whether any rules may have been violated. Finally, he's requested that the Dept. of Corrections issue a report on prison rape and distance themselves from the game.
GP: We love this story because it simply oozes governmental hypocrisy - on both sides of the aisle. How is the Department of Corrections supposed to "distance" itself from a small-time board game? Prison rape may be a suitable topic for study, but why in relation to a game?
A brief video report on the Don't Drop the Soap controversy can be found here...
Comments
It is funny that these politicians want to avoid bringing real problems to light. They are trying to get the department of corrections to distance themselves from the events presented in this game. To bad that is impossible.
I hope that all goes well for the boy's freedom of expression and the investigation.
@ Matt
The Governor's mansion is government property. You cannot run any personal business out of government property. As a contractor for the federal government, I can't even email my coworkers information on sales my wife is having on her Mary Kay business.
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
Random Tower: Game News and Commentary
To be fair though, Im not sure the governor should be using state property for manufacturing things that can gain any type of revenue, aside from books and other things of that nature.
However, a big part of me perceives that he is using the fact that the board game is being manufactured in the governor mansion so he can shut the project down. This makes his arguement against the game seem to be reasonable and his case against it to be enforceable.
In short, if the son were to be making the game anywhere else then he would have no ammo and his attempt to remove himself from obscurity would be short and ineffective.
I have to say bad timely to try to make yourself known in the world of American politics what with the election going on.
This just sound like complete bs to me.
Ah, politics, how I despise thee.
So, Ban it!!
But it brings to light real problems that can't be solved without real work,so it HAS to be bad.
right? Right!?!?
attention d.o.c. we ask that you distance yourself from something you have probably never heard of before
thank you for your time
If the public expects people to move into State houses for security as well as tradition and status reasons then it should clearly be exempt from such bull shit. I wonder how Arnold deals with his Hollywood friends and "talks" when they visit his home.
That said... I find the whole situation rather funny. Especially since they are going after the mother and not the on. Guilt by association I guess.
I'm not particularly interested in it, but I hope it's actually a good game. /shrug