April 25, 2008 -
So I'm out and about this morning when I stumble upon a Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) bus idling in a nearby strip mall.The bus was sporting the (non-violent, non-obscene) GTA IV ad seen at left.
With bus ads now gone in Chicago and, apparently, Miami (more upcoming about that), I was pleased that the censorcrats haven't yet pressured my local bus company to remove the ads. So, I couldn't resist snapping this pic with my mobile phone.
GamePolitics readers, how about photographing GTA ads on your local buses or bus shelters and sending them in. Be sure to let us know where you took the pic. Put yourself in the pic, if you like. Be creative. We'll post as many as we can!
And... be sure to let your local transit authority and elected officials know that you value the First Amendment...
Comments
Re: Send Us Your GTA IV Bus Pix (Before they're all gone)
The amusing thing (to me; here in NYC) is that these ads are everywhere - in the city the game actually takes place: buses, plastered mega-posters, billboards, stickers on the sidewalk - and nobody gives a s**t.
As the game suggests - america has turned into a bunch of whiny soccer moms :)
I jest, of course.
Happy Friday everybody!
So ... SAVE THE CHILDREN, get the ads off th esides of buses before another child dies!
But then, the WTA is screaming about being in a budget crsis and how they need to make crazy routes and raise prices and so on. Maybe a little ad income would be helpful. :)
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
out of the 20stories on the front page 11 are solely about Grand Theft Auto
Am I the only one who no longer cares?
Slow news week perhaps?
Well off to find a website not talking about Gta
(head asplosed from impossibility)
"Bawww, I don't wanna hear more stories about Jack Thompson!"
I'm sure Dennis would be more than happy to stop posting news about these things, just as soon as these things stop BEING news. Until then, as long as mental rejects like the Transit authorities in Chicago and Miami or the Calgary police force make a mountain out of the GTA molehill, we're going to be seeing plenty of these articles for weeks to come, I'm certain.
I totally agree with what you say.
Also, I don't see any ads where I'm at. :(
GTA is one of the centerpoints of the entire debate over the role of games in politics. GTA4 is poised to be a HUGE seller, and has just about everyone on both sides of the censorship debate (mostly on the pro-censor side, sadly) pushing their agendas.
Hence the total relevence of GTA4 stories. Expect it to stay that way for weeks.
Who said anything about jack thompson? the train wreck that is his life brings me ever so much joy....
Although I will give Jack this=He sure did pick an easy group to go after. I mean with brilliant thinkers like this behind us how can we lose?
"MrKenyon Says:
April 25th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
“Bawww, I don’t wanna hear more stories about GTA!”
“Bawww, I don’t wanna hear more stories about Jack Thompson!"
Hell after listening to that jackass I really want to go protest the evils of video games which clearly cause this poor boy to regress into a mindless buffoon
and kudos to ZeroDash for being intelligent in his post instead of simply yelling baw
:P
BANE XXIII
Minneapolis, MN
But many times we got game bashing in media like TV News or papers, but there is not any mayor changes when a violent videogame is coming out.
True they aren't violent and they should NOT be pulled because of pressure. But I can understand the sentiment that must be running high in the city given THAT kind of violence in such a short time.
Again, I'm not condoning the pulling of the ads, but at least this seems like a more understandable situation than most.
Seriously. Banning freaking drawings of game characters from buses? What kind of state is America in? Why not ban freaking pictures of Pepsi and Coke too, since they rot kids teeth? Oh right. Pepsi and Coke probably own half of America now. Why not ban alcohol and guns from the country? Oh right, they own the other half. NOT THAT THESE PARTICULAR ITEMS DO ANY HARM TO HUMANS.
Warn kids that tootsie rolls aren't particularly good for you. Warn people that taking vast amounts of medication for menial troubles isn't good for you. Warn people that Jack Thompson may make you aggressive towards members of the media and lawyers in general. Seriously.
Though Carlos Mencia is hugely hated due to stealing other people's jokes, he had a good point overall point: When did we stop accepting that stupid people are stupid? Why do we have to make up for their stupidity? Why aren't they drop-kicked into a corner, with a dunce cap on? Screw political correctness, get the retards away from my games.
Why is the lowest common denominator always being pushed lower and lower? I can't believe that a single game has caused so much outrage. Hey look, the Middle East is about to explode!... SO WHAT, GTA 4 MAY MAKE A PSYCHOTIC PERSON MORE PSYCHOTIC OR SOMETHING. AND HE MAY GO OUT AND HURT PEOPLE. OR SOMETHING. AND HE MAY OR MAY NOT OWN THE GAME. Hell, a psycho could kill a 13 year old that owns GTA 4 and GTA 4 would be blamed.
Rawr /rant ends.
(and ASAP, as Fanime is coming up!)
PRECISELY!!! Now, tell that to Jack Thompson.
T.O.S.: I WARN YOU NOW, HE WON'T LISTEN!!!
Shadow: *looks at T.O.S.* No shit, Sherlock!
Sorry about the poor quality; I was using my phone to take a picture. Though I did have a camera that would've shot a better picture on me.