Play Meter

editorial Death Race: a Defense by Louis Boasberg, guest editorialist There is hardly any man alive today who in his childhood did not play with lead soldiers, tin soldiers, plastic soldiers, toy forts, cowboys, Indians, guns, cops and robbers, pirates, etc. There was nothing wrong in our youth in playing at war games. There was nothing wrong reading war stories. That is, the moralists told us there was nothing wrong as long as the good people always won; namely, the cowboys beating the Indians, the American Army beating the Germans, Japs, British, Spanish, North Koreans, Italians, Turks or whomever the bad people happened to be at that particular time. None of us were considered sick by playing all these games. However, today there is a coin operated game called Death Race, and the TV networks, national magazines and some newspapers have all cited anyone who plays the game as "sick." Paul Jacobs, director of sales for Exidy, has done an admirable job on the national networks and in the press defending his product. He deserves a great deal of praise for being most articulate and having a great deal of poise before the entire country. It is our opinion that the criticism of Death Race is unjust. We have watched this game being played by youngsters and adults alike and each and every one of them are happy and laughing and amused when they play Death Race. There is no hatred, no violence, no malice or thoughts of destruction of mankind written on the faces of those who play the game. I don't think one single person who ever played Death Race has any thoughts of immediately going out and running over a pedestrian. No mure than any person who plays ci: coin operated war games, shoots electronic guns ~ has any thought of starting a war. The people who would run over pedestrians, and the people who would like to war against races, religions and all of mankind are sick before they ever play Death Race and, believe me, Death Race cannot make them any worse. It is strange indeed that a TV network that fosters violence, sex, torture and cruelty should in any manner, shape or form criticize Death Race, but then again I guess they also have to make a living. I wonder if anyone thinks that when you shoot down a plane on one of the coin operated games that · you may be sick because there is allegedly a pilot in the plane. And what about all the wrecks in the auto race games? Will a sick person imagine there is a driver in the race car and that in the wreck said driver has been killed or maimed for life? Reformers never know when to stop reforming. It is their feeling that anyone exposed to something they disapprove of has a potential of becoming an addict, and it is their responsibility and theirs alone to eradicate it completely, whether it be a flipper game, a Death Race, or a corner bookie. These good and noble people who make up the ranks of reformers approach their subject too ill-equipped to attain their objective. They have an idea as to what their destination is, but they do not have logic and reason to guide them to a fulfillment of their ideas. The publicity given to Death Race, naturally, has increased the objectors to the game. However, for every objector there has sprung up a thousand new players. Are all these players sick people or are they merely seeking fun, entertainment or escape from the woes of this life? ~ ; ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~----' 8