Linda Fiorentino in the flesh! 1985
Posted on 02/07/2018 2:37:35 PM PST by HKMk23
On 2/7/2018 9:25 AM, [The Local High School] wrote:
The annual game “Assassin” is now being played by students from [the local] High School. This game is not sanctioned, supported, or approved by [the school]. The [local] Police Department and the school are collectively concerned about the safety of our youth; thus, we are reaching out to parents and students with important information about this dangerous activity.
The game involves teams of seniors who are assigned “targets” whom they must “assassinate” using toy Nerf type guns that fire foam darts. Each participant pays an entry fee and after several rounds and several months of play, the winner is the last person standing. The winner collects a large pot of cash, the collection, and custody of which can create liability for the game organizer as participants often make accusations of mishandling or gouging of funds. There are specific rules concerning the type of weapon used, which cannot be altered or painted in any fashion. There are also rules regarding times and locations the subjects may be “assassinated,” and so on.
A major concern for parents, school staff, and [local] police is that the thrill of the game overrides common sense in many instances. Participants do not think about how their behavior is being viewed or interpreted by community members who see individuals with potentially dangerous weapons, often chasing others on foot or in vehicles, and surprising their “targets” in convenience stores. Non-participants can feel frightened or threatened as only participants are aware at the time that the behavior is not real but rather a game being played.
Unfortunately, our students and your children are engaging in behavior that has possible dire consequences. We want you as parents, students, and participants to be aware of the pitfalls, dangers, and consequences of taking part in the game.
Some examples of dangerous behavior among participants include: painting or disguising weapons to make them look more realistic; reaching for concealed weapons in public places; lying in wait behind bushes, trash cans, vehicles or fences; accessing or hiding on the property of another, often late at night; waiting for a target while dressed in all black or camouflaged clothing; reckless driving to avoid being targeted; car loads of teens driving around “stalking” or “hunting” their targets; jumping out of moving vehicles to attack or flee from other participants; and conducting a “drive by” shooting of a target in a parking lot or public street.
When viewed through a non-participant’s eyes, the behaviors look and have all the elements of an actual threatening or violent event unfolding. They often prompt multiple calls to the police who respond to what they believe is a violent incident in progress. Not only does this consume significant time and resources of emergency personnel, it also jeopardizes the safety of our community when actual threats cannot be responded to in a timely manner. Furthermore, in the eyes of a startled homeowner protecting his or her family or property, a violent response to a player is quite possible.
[School] administration is urging students to consider the potential ramifications of their behavior and to avoid playing this game. Students will face suspension if any weapons, even imitation guns, are brought to school. If evidence is discovered of the game being played on campus, students will face disciplinary action. To the parents of participants and high school-aged children: please have a serious and candid conversation with your children about the very real dangers of this behavior. To participants: please recognize that the only people who know this is a game are those directly involved; others who see your behavior likely believe a real threatening situation is unfolding. To juniors and underclassmen, consider the dangers and problems with this game and do not participate when you become a senior.
Thank you,
[Local HS VP]
Am am utterly disgusted, and dismayed that a wide-ranging Nerf game of "Last Man Standing" is now cause for this level of "OMF'nG!!!" hand-wringing concern. In a better -- I hope not lost forever -- day, this wouldn't have even raised a blip on the radar; we all knew the obvious difference between kids playing and psychos like The Zodiac Killer.
Apparently, not anymore.
I think "The American Experiment" is in DEEP trouble.
Sounded like it could be fun.
Linda Fiorentino in the flesh! 1985
We did this in high school with squirt guns. And painting them to look more realistic was encouraged. The more real looking, the better. Of course, where I grew up in Western PA, you could get up to two excused absence days to go deer hunting, and it was not at all uncommon to bring a shotgun or rifle to school in the morning, put it in your locker, and go hunting right after school let out.
Sounds like something from the 40’ and 50’s. It was a BFD back then, you impersonated Bogart, Wayne, Audry, Rogers, Ladd, Flynn, Raft, hell, you even shot your friends with a BB gun. Nerf? it shoots a tub shape marshmallow thingy, its not like getting hit with a rubber band powered piece of linoleum. Actually thinking back to those times, we did have store bought red and white, spring powered, Luger shaped pop guns, that shot test tube cork tops. Yup it sure did raise a generation of cold blooded killers. NOT!
The VP sounds like quite the p***y.
If they’d done it when I was that age, I’d have played, and we could have gone all second semester without worrying that local cops might make a mistake and shoot someone dead.
Don’t want one of these miscreants to get plunked by some trigger happy rambo. Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Sounds like a game some enterprising teachers could spice up with nerf ebf-25’s.
Meanwhile, in the anything goes high school bathrooms....
I agree with you. One of the basic kid-excitement feelings is being chased...in the dark... with repercussions should you be found.
My 2yr old grandson has just learned how to play tag and hide and seek. Even tho I’m a “woman of a certain age”, playing with him is a total blast! And when his 14yr old brother joins in, it’s even more fun. With the older one, we play for KEEPS! Their parents like us to keep it at the level right below blood or hair loss.
In other words, the “community “ needs to let their kids be kids. Sure, the ‘rents need to have a serious talk with the teens about gun safety ( sorry, but I insist all play guns have an orange tip) and appropriate places to play, but I just have to assume the teens have just a tinch of common sense.
Where’s the note to the community telling them that things are about to get weird, they need to observe a bit before they freak out.
“Where’s the note to the community telling them that things are about to get weird, they need to observe a bit before they freak out.”
That was my take on it, exactly.
There have been serious studies indicating that children who are not given a creative outlet for “violent actions”, have a tendency to become ACTUALLY violent as adolescents and young adults.
Back in the day when kids went to the movies for the Sat cowboy films and the whole world knew that the shooting was not real and the dead cowboys would turn up next Sat. this “game” might have been okay. In today’s world it could get somebody killed for real. Not a good mind-set for young people either, “assassin” should not be the best name for a “game” when we have people who actually might try to assassinate our President. Sorry, in this case I think the school is right to discourage this.
Nerf guns are “potentially dangerous”? When we were kids, we played “war” and “cops and robbers” and “cowboys and Indians” all the time. Now, they want little boys to dress in princess dresses.
D’ya miss the part where the kids are supposed to use UNPAINTED, UNMODIFIED Nerf guns? Bright orange and yellow or blue right outta the box?
NONE of them look AT ALL real.
Admins oughta be glad the kids aren’t using airsoft; many of those things are ACTUAL size, weight and look of their “real gun” counterparts.
It was. I played it in college. In the 80’s, that’s how long it’s been around.
CC
No, I'm not stalking you, Slim. Really... ;-)
Wasn't there also a slasher movie in the '80s with this same theme? The killer used a real gun and just put the suction dart in the barrel to give the victim pause... Can't recall the title.
Don’t remember that one. Lots of fun movies in the 80’s.
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