For some reason I woke up feeling just a tiny bit safer than yesterday. Now I know why:
MADISON, Wis. — A man serving life in prison for first-degree intentional homicide lost his legal battle today to play Dungeons & Dragons behind bars.
Kevin T. Singer filed a federal lawsuit against officials at Wisconsin’s Waupun prison, arguing that a policy banning all Dungeons & Dragons material violated his free speech and due process rights.
Prison officials instigated the Dungeons & Dragons ban among concerns that playing the game promoted gang-related activity and was a threat to security. Singer challenged the ban but the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday upheld it as a reasonable policy.
Indeed. I’d like to see prison guards try to break up this gang fight:
Failure to abide by the no-D&D policy can be punished by 3d4+3 nights in the box.
January 26, 2010 at 6:57 pm
I can’t believe D&D still stirs up such stupid controversy.
Back in the 80′s, one of my friends grew up in a very strict Catholic family (my family was more of the “an hour each Sunday and forget it” variety of Catholic). He also loved his role playing games. After one mass when the priest gave a fire & brimstone homily on the evils of D&D, his parents confessed what their son had been up to. And they spent weeks trying to drive the evil out of the kid.
All because of some shitty Tom Hanks TV movie.
January 26, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Ta-Neihyas-whatever Coates is a big promoter of black dandd which I’m guessing is like african american magic.
anyway. just saying.
January 26, 2010 at 7:39 pm
I’m not sure but I think this is irony:
Dungeons & Dragons “promotes fantasy role playing, competitive hostility, violence, addictive escape behaviors, and possible gambling,” according to the ruling. The prison later developed a more comprehensive policy against all types of fantasy games, the court said.
The appeals court said the prison’s policy was reasonable and did not violate Singer’s rights.
“After all, punishment is a fundamental aspect of imprisonment, and prisons may choose to punish inmates by preventing them from participating in some of their favorite recreations,” the court said.
Singer was sentenced to life in prison in 2002 after being found guilty of first-degree intentional homicide in the killing of his sister’s boyfriend. The man was bludgeoned to death with a sledgehammer.
January 27, 2010 at 11:07 am
Yeah they said that about the Birdman of Alcatraz too.
January 27, 2010 at 5:52 pm
A +3 Sledgehammer of Smiting, no less.
January 28, 2010 at 7:53 am
So he’s a cleric, is what you’re saying?
January 26, 2010 at 7:54 pm
Sapphire bullets of pure joy.
January 26, 2010 at 8:45 pm
Those LARPers need a soundtrack. Can’t find the original recording, but this is the artist. (a minute of talk before song)
January 26, 2010 at 8:56 pm
pwned
January 26, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Where’re the fat chicks in chainmail bikinis?!?!? We wuz robbed!!!
January 26, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Scrabble this.
Word.
January 26, 2010 at 10:29 pm
Single word score!
January 27, 2010 at 11:05 am
Drow i.e. the chaotic evil dark elves in the D&D series involving Lolth and Drzzzt whatever.
Anyhoo I think the Feds might have 18 wisdom but they also got 6 intelligence and 3 charisma. So maybe they all oughta go to a monastery and stay there out of sight.
January 27, 2010 at 1:10 am
YES! Fucking, finally! Whoooo! We did it! Gary Gyax is a Corporation and a person and a corporation and a person!
January 27, 2010 at 1:12 am
That fucking idiot got caught tapping Mary Landrieu’s Landreux? oh fuck it, the fucktard got caught rat fucking a US Senators phone line?! PONYGASM!
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January 27, 2010 at 7:33 am
Testing. Testing.
January 27, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Would it help if there were “penis monologues?”
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/01/the_penis_monologues_read_college_article_by_accus.php?ref=fpa
January 27, 2010 at 2:03 pm
http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/documents/2010/01/stan-dai-presents-the-penis-monologues.php?page=1
January 27, 2010 at 7:30 am
So, I presume that porn is still okay. Thank goodness no one ever made up a bunch of horseshit about its horrifying effects.