DOS Games Discussion

The Issue

Citizens, politicians, and businessmen have been campaigning for the government to keep a tighter rein on the media after several well-respected newspapers printed false articles with contents ranging from claims that the capital city had been stolen by a UFO to erroneous share prices which led to job-losses and a stock market decline.
The Debate

1. "Over a thousand jobs lost!" clamours Konrad Barry, angry protester and ex-employee of Dreddmax Incorporated. "And why? Because the press isn't concerned about the truth anymore; all it wants is higher sales! We must forbid these rags from lying to the people and dish out heavy fines to those who try! This so-called 'free press' has a dark side, you know. We learnt that ever since we discovered it wasn't cottage cheese they were mining up north!"
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2. "This is censorship!" says May Silk, editor-in-chief of The Hebdomadal Gabfest while carefully noting everything you say in a notepad. "We speak for the people! Admittedly some newspapers didn't check all of their facts before they published, but that doesn't merit such draconian measures at all! If we're only allowed to print the absolute truth then how soon before we're getting constantly sued by politicians for libel? What about our rumour columns? It'll totally destroy the business! The government must have no part in repression of the media!"
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3. "You know that no matter what we decide we're going to make people mad," points out Thomas Broadside, your Minister of Public Relations. "But the best way to control public opinion is to tell the public what their opinions are. I suggest nationalising all the newspapers and putting them under government control. Then we can tell them whatever we like! After all, we're much more trustworthy than some profit-driven media moguls, right? At least we won't have to issue ANOTHER public statement to tell everyone you're not a hyper-intelligent aubergine."
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The Issue

Lafferoria's TV soaps--famous around the region--have come under fire for their lack of ethnic diversity.
The Debate

1. "Every night my family and I sit down to watch 'The Brash and the Backstabbing'," says Roger Frederickson. "But where are the Liliputians like myself? Where are the Bigtopians? The Marche Noirians? People from those cultures can be just as brash and backstabbing, but we never see them on the screen. The government must act to remove this silent apartheid from our TV screens."
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2. "Those Liliputians don't know how good they have it," says Falala Falopian, spokesperson for the Tasmanians Against Ethnic Stereotyping. "Tasmanians are on television all the time, but always in crude, stereotypical roles. The answer is not to enforce ethnic quotas, but to award government prizes for the positive portrayal of minorities. That'll work better, and be cheaper, too."
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3. "The government should do what now?" says TV studio executive Sue-Ann Trax. "You've got to be kidding. We make soaps here, not documentaries. I should be able to put whichever characters I want into my shows. Quotas! Government prizes! God save me! Hasn't the government got anything better to do? Why don't they just back off and let society work out these things on its own?"
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The Issue

After a series of bloody wars between the nations of Maxtopia and North Bigtopia, fights have broken out in the streets between immigrants in 1337 Skill who came from the warring nations.
The Debate

1. "Foreigners are a major cause of civil disturbances," begins Buy Mombota, whose opinions form the book '101 Arguments FOR Slavery'. "What we should do is make all immigrants, foreigners, and non-native 1337 Skill folks slaves! I mean, who in 1337 Skill wouldn't like a minority slave group to do his bidding? Imagine! People could be bought and sold over the Internet!"
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2. "I am shocked and appalled at what my colleague is suggesting!" exclaims Clint Utopia, President of the Civil Rights Union of 1337 Skill. "Slavery? We should punish these offenders, yes, but send them to rehabilitation centres instead! As for the ethnic squabbles, programs in school should begin to stop these racist attitudes in childhood! All it will take is some slight fortification to the education budget!"
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3. A quiet old man stands up to speak. "Now, I may be a quiet old man, but I believe that these ethnic disputes are none of the government's business. It's not our war anyway, so it's not our problem. I'm sure if you leave it alone, it'll work itself out. Just think of the money that would be saved if the police don't have to be paid to deal with this!"
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4. "It's not our war? It's not our war?" cries (in)famous 1337 Skill-born fascist Sue-Ann Shiomi. "Well maybe it's time it became our war! 1337 Skill should take a more active, and by 'active' I mean 'hostile', role in international politics! This ethnic squabbling will be over when the war is over, and WE can end that war and purge the impure! Please don't kick the sheep.! Sieg 1337 Skill!"
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