Halo 2 Fundraiser Cancelled

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2005-01-21 09:01pm

PUYALLUP - Students in Puyallup hoped to use a video game tournament to raise money for tsunami victims. Parents signed off on the idea, but the school district suddenly said, "game over!"

The controversy surrounds the students' choice for the video game: Halo 2.

It's a game with space soldiers, guns, aliens, swords...

And plenty of death.

The game is so popular, Rogers High School seniors Mike Alston and Joshua Shake figured a Halo 2 tournament would be the perfect way to raise money for tsunami victims.

"$380 we were thinking was going to go straight into the Red Cross Tsunami fund," Alston said.

As a precaution, the boys even got parents to sign waivers acknowledging the graphic nature of the game.

But the Puyallup School District cancelled the fundraiser, saying the game goes against its anti-violence policy.

"They never really talked to us and told us where they've seen that violent video games encourage violent behavior so I don't really believe it," Alston said.

But the school district says they don't think it's too sensitive.

"When you look at what happened with Columbine, when you look at acts of violence against young people, I think anything we do that even looks like we're endorsing violence is not appropriate," said Karen Hanson with the Puyallup School District.

The district is backing one tsunami effort at all schools. Students are packing 10,000 health kits destined for tsunami-torn countries.

But the boys remind us that the district canceled Halloween celebrations because they were insensitive to the Wiccan religion.

"It's just a question now of when do they stop?" Alston said.

The district says that question will be answered one case at a time. They also said it will support the students' fundraiser if they simply switch to a less violent video game.

This is such bullshit. These kids are trying to do something good to help others and they're worried about violence in video games. It's a good cause, it's a good idea and they should have let them do it. These kids took all the neccessary steps, having parents sign waivers stating that they understood the nature of the game, among other things. And the school shuts it down. I just saw this on the news and when that woman brought up Columbine I just... turned it off. I cannot stand when people bring up Columbine out of context like that. Violence and teenagers, violent video games make violent people. Bullshit. Those children at Columbine did what they did because they were tortured by their peers, not because they were playing violent video games. People in charge of this sort of thing have taken Columbine and made into something it's not and it pisses. me. off. </rant>

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-01-21 09:03pm

Videogames = violence = death of civilisation.

If you don't think of the children, who will?

There was no such thing as violent juveniles prior to the Spectrum and Nintendo.

Vohu Manah · Post by **Vohu Manah** » 2005-01-21 09:05pm

Not surprised (this is a school district we're talking about), disappointed regardless (I want to expect better but I'm constantly disappointed).

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2005-01-21 09:30pm

*snort* I wonder how much they can raise with a 'less violent' game? Shit, short of a golf game, what the hell is less violent.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2005-01-21 09:44pm

This ranks up there with video games teaching kids how to be snipers. Complete and total bullshit.

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-01-21 10:43pm

And one more person across the world starves.

Post by **Kuja** » 2005-01-21 10:45pm

But the boys remind us that the district canceled Halloween celebrations because they were insensitive to the Wiccan religion.

Is this Louisiana acting up again? Criminey.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-01-21 10:46pm

On one hand, stupid cocksucking monkeyfuckers. On the other hand...find a new venue? Schools hardly have a monopoly on gaming.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2005-01-21 10:47pm

Kuja wrote:
But the boys remind us that the district canceled Halloween celebrations because they were insensitive to the Wiccan religion.
Is this Louisiana acting up again? Criminey.

I don't even understand this one. How the hell does celebrating Halloween consitutes being insensitive to Wiccans?

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-01-21 10:50pm

The same way playing Halo results in invading foreign countries and killing hundreds.

...
...

Wait, Halo didn't exist when Bush was a kid!

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2005-01-21 10:59pm

Kuja wrote:Is this Louisiana acting up again? Criminey.

I don't think this happened in Louisiana. Puyallup doesn't ring a bell, neither does Rogers High School. I'd guess it's a local story from the SEATAC area.

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2005-01-21 11:32pm

Wicked Pilot wrote:
Kuja wrote:Is this Louisiana acting up again? Criminey.
I don't think this happened in Louisiana. Puyallup doesn't ring a bell, neither does Rogers High School. I'd guess it's a local story from the SEATAC area.

Puyallup is in Washington State.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2005-01-22 12:57am

You all know why this will never become important news, of course. Nobody outside the Northwest has a fucking clue how to say Puyallup (or dozens of other WA names). I was at a basketball game a few weeks ago against UW or somebody, and hearing Arizonans try to say Snohomish was a fucking laugh riot.

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2005-01-22 01:02am

Howedar wrote:You all know why this will never become important news, of course. Nobody outside the Northwest has a fucking clue how to say Puyallup (or dozens of other WA names). I was at a basketball game a few weeks ago against UW or somebody, and hearing Arizonans try to say Snohomish was a fucking laugh riot.

My favourite is when they try and say Sequim (Squim) after reading the name. In any case, just because it isn't major headliner news doesn't mean that isn't a Grade A Bullshit thing to have happened.

And for the record: Puyallup: Pew-al-up.

The Kernel · Post by **The Kernel** » 2005-01-22 01:06am

This is utter and complete horseshit. They can't host a video game that deals with killing evil aliens bent on the Earth's destruction in a tournament to raise money for people who are actually dying? I'll bet they have no problem with violent sports being played in order to raise money for the school.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2005-01-22 01:24am

bohemianfey wrote:My favourite is when they try and say Sequim (Squim) after reading the name. In any case, just because it isn't major headliner news doesn't mean that isn't a Grade A Bullshit thing to have happened.

Of course.

And for the record: Puyallup: Pew-al-up.

I've also heard Pue-yal-up fairly frequently.

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2005-01-22 02:44am

And for the record: Puyallup: Pew-al-up.

I've also heard Pue-yal-up fairly frequently.[/quote]
That isn't right, though.

White Haven · Post by **White Haven** » 2005-01-22 12:56pm

Yeah, and we've ALL heard nukalur quite a lot recently too.

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-22 02:03pm

Yeah, saw this on local news this morning .... keep in mind this is the same school district that shut down Halloween costumes at school for being a Wiccan religious practice.

They're a brainy bunch down in Puyallup.

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2005-01-22 05:50pm

White Haven wrote:The same way playing Halo results in invading foreign countries and killing hundreds.

...
...

Wait, Halo didn't exist when Bush was a kid!

risk, we must ban risk...

oh and I think I will shoot a man in reno, just because of listening to too much Cash.

Post by **Coyote** » 2005-01-22 06:05pm

No one got the memo? Video games make you into a violent person and a nut. People that play these games don't care about anything but killing, certainly not... starving people in disaster areas...

Gee, I hope video gaming doesn't get driven underground.... video speakeasies run by mobsters... horrible.

And, Bohemianfey... don't get them started on "Snoqualmie Pass". I drive through that from Boise to Seattle a lot and it still keeps me guessing. Just say, "That place where Twin Peaks was filmed".

Quadlok · Post by **Quadlok** » 2005-01-22 06:20pm

I have a theory. It is that, if the most prominent feature of your town's skyline is a drop tower on a fairgrounds, then you will be irrational. So far, I haven't been proven wrong.

Oh, and, don't be late, DO THE PUYALLUP!

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2005-01-22 06:54pm

Coyote wrote:No one got the memo? Video games make you into a violent person and a nut. People that play these games don't care about anything but killing, certainly not... starving people in disaster areas...

Gee, I hope video gaming doesn't get driven underground.... video speakeasies run by mobsters... horrible.

And, Bohemianfey... don't get them started on "Snoqualmie Pass". I drive through that from Boise to Seattle a lot and it still keeps me guessing. Just say, "That place where Twin Peaks was filmed".

Snow-qual-mee

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-22 07:19pm

Coyote wrote:No one got the memo? Video games make you into a violent person and a nut. People that play these games don't care about anything but killing, certainly not... starving people in disaster areas...

Gee, I hope video gaming doesn't get driven underground.... video speakeasies run by mobsters... horrible.

And, Bohemianfey... don't get them started on "Snoqualmie Pass". I drive through that from Boise to Seattle a lot and it still keeps me guessing. Just say, "That place where Twin Peaks was filmed".

'North Bend' is fairly easy .....

Mitth`raw`nuruodo · Post by **Mitth`raw`nuruodo** » 2005-01-22 07:27pm

This is sad. On two counts; both the fact that it happened, and in that the Columbine shooting was used in that context, as "OMG OMG VIOLENCE IN T3H SKOOLS!"

I think that, in our society, everyone is so afraid of being sued for doing something someone else doesn't like, people really go overboard on things like this.