[HoE] Washington Post Article

[Darrin Bright <darrin@neobright.net>]

Well, we went from geeks on the Jesse show back to psychotic
mass-murderers.  I realize I may be nitpicking over an offhand comment,
but I'd appreciate it if just once these reporters could do the right
thing and not promote prejudicial stereotypes and ignorance.

Marc Fisher wrote a Washington Post article titled "Gunmen Recalled as
Outcasts ", although I've seen it in the Cleveland Plain Dealer as "On
Hitler's Birthday, a rampage in black."  In the article, he suggests
that the shooters might have been inspired by Dungeons and Dragons,
which told them to wear black trenchcoats, paint their fingernails
black, and listen to Marilyn Manson.  Here's the actual passage:

> Inspired by fantasy games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Gothic has
> become a fascination of many American high schoolers, some of whom
> simply dress and paint their fingernails black while others immerse
> themselves in a pseudo-medieval world of dark images.

Luckily, this ignoramous has an email address: fisherm@washpost.com

So do me a favor... if you can write an intelligent, non-flaming letter
to this guy and let him know that we object to the insinuation that RPGs
somehow cause people to mow down students with a hail of bullets, I'd
appreciate it.  Please keep in mind that although it might be a hopeless
cause, we should do our best to convince the media that Planet
Basketball is a peaceful planet and we have no weapons.  Frothing at the
mouth and threatening to use your Level 10 Fireball spell might not be
the way to go.