Part of the ECA was to establish a means of starting grassroots campaigns to best support the interests the gamer. It seems appropriate at the federal, state, and perhaps even local level. What has been frustrating for me is that here we are, a wealth of knowledge and experience that should be advising politicians whenever laws involving software and games are concerned. Instead, most of the politicians are drafting and approving restrictive and typically unconstitutional laws because they are either technophobes or choose to remain ignorant of the actual content of the laws.

New York, your state seriously needs a grass roots movement. It's clear the current legislature has no regard for the precedent of similarly failed bills in other states of the union. They will pass the law, ESA will prove on Constitutional grounds and Federal Court precedence that it is illegal. ESA will win, but the ECA loses, either way.

The damages paid to the ESA for basically neglecting their duties as lawmakers will come from the taxpayers, including the ECA members. So what I'm suggesting is to create a means to inform our politicians. Most likely they will ignore it, but we have to try.

For example, lawmakers are going to consultants, like J-you-know-who-T. I have been playing these games since their introduction in the 70's, as I'm sure many of the ECA members have decades of experience. We know all the genres, we understand the technology, and most of all, we know how it impacts the average person. We are so much better qualified as be expert consultants for our legislative and judicial systems. And yet, they're not interested in being informed.

I'm writing this out of frustration, for sure. My own Maryland Senators reply with form letters that are most likely automated. It's a very sad situation. So I guess I see the goal of ECA grassroots to educate and inform. I personally would welcome the opportunity for a federal or state legislator to simply ask me questions about legislation concerning electronic media.