Waiting for the predictable backlash
by Matt | January 28th, 2008 |Over reaction. Just wait for it.
The story is just so good.
The son of Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is peddling a board game titled “Don’t Drop the Soap,” a prison-themed game he created as part of a class project at the Rhode Island School of Design.
John Sebelius, 23, has the backing of his mother and father, U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary Sebelius. Sebelius spokeswoman Nicole Corcoran said both parents “are very proud of their son John’s creativity and talent.”
[…]
The site describes “Don’t Drop the Soap” as a game “Where no one playing enters through the front door!”
“Fight your way through 6 different exciting locations in hopes of being granted parole,” the site says. “Escape prison riots in The Yard, slip glass into a mob boss’ lasagna in the Cafeteria, steal painkillers from the nurse’s desk in the Infirmary, avoid being cornered by the Aryans in the Shower Room, fight off Latin Kings in Gang War, and try not to smoke your entire stash in The Hole.”
The game includes five tokens representing a bag of cocaine, a handgun and three characters: wheelchair-using ‘Wheelz,” muscle-flexing “Anferny” and business suit-clad “Sal ‘the Butcher.’”
The whole story here. The game sold here.
As I said… perfect story for the perfect backlash. There’s just so much to complain about. Undue prejudice against prison inmates. Prison stereotypes. “Gay rape themed” (as one gay activist has already noted). Or, just a college student’s silly, over the top humor and creativity. We’ll see.
Technorati Tags: Don’t drop the soap, prison game, Kathleen Sebelius, Gary Sebelius, John Sebelius, Kansas, board game
3 Responses to “Waiting for the predictable backlash”
Laugh at the backlash if you like, but I’d also suggest reading the autobiography “Fish” by T.J. Parsell, and thinking a bit about the fact that our prison system is the site of some of the worst anti-gay discrimination and persecution in this country. I’ve met the author, and heard him talk about still flinching at movie ads which included references to dropped soap in prisons - and somehow, I just don’t find the topic funny. Maybe it’s just me, and the fact that I know too much about the criminal justice system to feel comfortable with the idea of essentially sentencing prisoners to rape. Or maybe it’s that old “visit the prisoners” thing I heard somewhere. *shrug* But yeah, laugh if you like.
By Casey on Jan 28, 2008
I’m not saying prejudice in the prison system isn’t an important issue, but regarding this board game specifically: Let’s not make the game the focal point of any debate or dialogue. If we do that, I’ll guarantee there will be a lot more people laughing than just me.
By Matt on Jan 29, 2008