[UA] America by Prime Time (was Greetings)

[Stevens Dustin]

> I thought that some 'subversive' titles like "The
> Anarchist's Cookbook" were
> illegal to sell in the US?

I don't think so, since I own a copy. And I think I
got mine through the mail (can't remember). I was in
the Army also, and was sitting on my bookshelf (next
to my Cthulhu stuff).

Honestly, the idea that any political book wouldn't be
available, or illegal is just outrageous to my
thinking. I'd say that obscenity is more likely to be
illegal, and even then, it would depend where you were
at. What's obscene in South Carolina maybe deemed
Okey-dokey in San Francisco.

As far as this whole topic goes, I don't see why its
important to protray American culture (or Australian
culture) accurately in your game. I agree that
roleplaying publications should have a degree of
accuracy, since they have a wide-spread audience. But
if all you are worried about is your audience of five
at your home, I'd say go with the worst of American TV
shows (say, a combination of Walker Texas Ranger, the
old Emergency! show, every other hard-boiled cop show)
and claim it as game reality. How are your players
even going to know the difference (especially if
everyone is a criminal hardcase, as it seems UA is
centered)? I mean, I have little personal knowledge of
the criminal world, whose gonna say I'm gonna get that
accurately? 

In your game Texans always wear cowboy hats, everyone
in California lives next to a movie star and either
gay or New Agey, every New Yorker is self-centered
racist sonofabitch connected to the mob, and the South
is rife with inbreds straight from Deliverance. Hell,
then make every Latin American a coke dealer with
cheesy bad taste, every Brit have a stiff upper lip,
every Spaniard (sp?) a bull-fighter, and everyone from
the Netherland wear wooden shoes.

Even better, your game can have two realities, that
are crashing together: the real 'normal' world where
everyone is just minding their own business, worried
about family, home, etc.  And the other TV world,
where everyone is a stereotype. You can think of it as
the movie Pleasantville to the nth degree.

Anyway, excuse me, I've got to go back to my
tree-hugging and pissing off my lumberjack neighbors,

Steve Dustin, who lives in the Pacific Northwest
zoom2baba at yahoo.com


=====
_________________________________________________
Portland One-Shots:
   Punitive Measures--A Call of Cthulhu scenario
   from the Unspeakable Oath. More information at
   http://chupacabra.home.sprynet.com/oneshots

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