It got in!
 

As some of you know, about three weeks ago I sent an email to my state (NJ) newspaper, the Star Ledger, that replied to a column written about how video games are causing teens to become violent. Well, it made it! I checked the paper every day, but on Friday I forgot. So, in the last few minutes of school, I rushed to the library to check. I was caught off guard when I saw it at first. But it was my letter. They edited the Hell out of it, though :(

To read the article I replied to and the original text of my letter (before the mutilation) go here: http://forums.nuklearpower.com/showthread.php?t=1755

I scanned the article, but the file was 50 megs! So then I tried to take a digital picture of it and made it a jpeg, but that was still 553kb. Anyone know how to shrink it down so I can post it? Right now the pic takes up about 200% of the space in Paint, I have to scroll down to see the whole thing.

Well, I assume that even the article itself is too big if you cut it out and tried to scan it? Honestly, other then looking at the article and typing word for word what it said, there doesn't seem to be many options if the article is always too big. However, congratulations on getting the article in a paper, I know I was one of the ones that was skeptical about it getting in.

Thanks :D

This makes me 4-5 so far with letters to the editor. The other three were printed in my county-wide paper, The Daily Record. I guess if anyone wants to see the actual image I can send it to them via email. I blocked out my name, though. I like to remain anonymous :cool:

No please, type out the edited version, I wanna read it. I just read the original and liked it. Congratulations on getting it published.

Okay, here it is. I'm pissed that they removed my Penny Arcade quote. The title they gave this on the page was "Don't blame games".

I've read enough about violent video games to realize that none of these journalists has played the games they criticized. In his column "The games people play reflect a sick culture," Lawrence Hall notes that in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, it's possible to kill prostitutes and steal cars. However, it's also possible to chase down criminals and help police. Grand Theft Auto was created so players could act out their "vices" without affecting anyone. Some studies say playing violent video games can be therapeutic.

Hall tells of teenagers who shot at moving vehicles and said they were influenced by the game. I've played about every bloody, obscene, disturbing game in existence and have yet to touch a weapon. If these people acted on thoughts they had about a video game, there was already something wrong with them.

To those who accuse video games of "conditioning today's youth to violence," I say, "Good." That's mostly what the world is nowadays, so we might as well get teens used to it. We see pictures of war every day on television. That's worse to show kids than blood in video games.

I don't know, but I think it loses a little substance. I could make a list of things they did wrong in editing it, but I don't feel like wasting my time. To me it feels like it lost effectiveness.

BTW, thanks dragonglove :D

I'm flipping back and forth between the original and the edited version, and while the core opinion is still there, in all honesty it seems they drained some of the emotion and life out of it. It is still a good article, just not as good as the original.

EDIT: Of course, remakes are rarely as good as the original...

I spoke in front of my city council once... but that is a ig thing to get into the news paper... good job on it...

Around noon I sent an email to Tycho of Penny Arcade with the letter as an attachment. I just wanted his view on it and I wanted to tell him about the dropped quote. Don't know if he'll read it, but it felt good to get it out there.

At least they got the jest of it in there, and its good to inject a little bit of common sense into people. I'm glad it at least made it into the newspaper, or whatever, but it sure did take a while, didn't it? Must have spent all that time editing. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though, I think it still sends the main message quite clearly.

Its good to see another jerseyite around, and one with intelligent opinions. Too bad about the edit though, still its kool beans =)