Victims' kin blast WTC video game

New York Daily News ^ | 12/05/03 | TRACY CONNOR

[kattracks]

A ghoulish Internet video game challenging players to shoot down passenger jets before they hit the twin towers is a huge hit - outraging families of Sept. 11 victims.

"My daughter was on one of the planes," Tom Roger, father of slain American Airlines flight attendant Jean Roger, told the Daily News.

"To think people are making it a game is pretty bizarre. But there are a lot of sick people out there," he said.

The game, New York Defender, was launched on the French Web site Uzinagaz.com a month after terrorist hijackers attacked the World Trade Center.

It has been played more than 1.5 million times since then, but is relatively unknown in the United States, the creators said.

The game starts with a cartoon of the towers under a clear sky, which is suddenly invaded by a few planes.

The player can shoot down the aircraft, but planes keep coming at a faster clip. After a few hit the buildings, the towers collapse in a cloud of dust.

Jonathan Pitcher, the Parisian who runs Uzinagaz, insisted the game's purpose isn't to make sport of the slaughter of 2,752 people.

"After the attacks, we felt there was nothing we could do. But with the game, you could pretend to defend the World Trade Center," he said.

Yet he also said the game represented another philosophy - which would seem to undercut that stated purpose.

"We wanted to show there isn't any way to win against terrorism. Because it doesn't matter how many planes you shoot. There are always new planes," he said.

Patricia Reilly, a Staten Islander whose sister, Lorraine Lee, was killed on the 105th floor of Tower 2, doesn't buy that.

"It's horrible," she said.

"I think it further desensitizes us to the realities of this thing," she said. "I've seen some weird things in the last two years, but this is the first game."

The crass pastime also turned stomachs at a state Assembly press conference to drum up support for a law targeting violent, sexually explicit video games.

"Is that an outrage, or what?" said Assemblyman Robert Straniere (R-S.I.). "What warped mind would want to create such a video?"

The state bill would require bold warning labels on video games that depict illegal acts and limit their sale to adults only. A similar bill has been filed at the city level by Councilwoman Gale Brewer (D-Manhattan).

With David Saltonstall

Originally published on December 5, 2003

[Kudsman]

I don't remember crying during the memorials either.

I do and will never forget the young girl (approx 8 yrs old) whose voice cracked with grief while reading the names as she stated "Goodbye Daddy, I love and will miss you forever." Crap now I'm doing it again just remembering.

Never forget. Thanks for the ping.

[proud American in Canada]

"The game, New York Defender, was launched on the French Web site Uzinagaz.com a month after terrorist hijackers attacked the World Trade Center."

Yet another reason to pour French wine into the gutter where it belongs.

[proud American in Canada]

"This article, though, has made me cry. I am crying now."

This article has infuriated me. And to think--this freaking software game was created ONE MONTH after 9/11. A couple of years, well, maybe... but one month? No... whoever wrote this cr*p was capitalizing on that attack... The news of this needs to be spread and I'm going to ping everyone I can think of.

btw... where's that picture of the Concorde hitting the Eiffel Tower and Chirac calls GW and GW says, "who gave you my phone number? Don't ever call me again!"

I'll look for it... but that's what this thread needs.

btw, mhking, thanks for the ping. :)

[proud American in Canada]

I am trying to remember people off the top of my head. Please pass this along to any ping lists you have.

Thanks in advance. :)

[proud American in Canada]

If anyone knows the exact screen name of Mr. 68-69 Gulf of Tonkin Yacht Club, I'd really appreciate it if you could send this along.

I'm trying to remember individual Freepers by name--with limited success.

Maybe this story isn't "ping worthy" but I feel that it is. Sorry to bother anyone who doesn't want a ping. :)

[MEG33]

Ping

[proud American in Canada]

"I do and will never forget the young girl (approx 8 yrs old) whose voice cracked with grief while reading the names as she stated "Goodbye Daddy, I love and will miss you forever." Crap now I'm doing it again just remembering. "

me too. I always will.

[MEG33]

(((((((Calpernia))))))

[Steel Wolf]

Irony of ironies: hard to believe this is the same people who gave us the Statue of Liberty, isn't it?

They won't be having any use for it, what with Sharia coming in the next 30 years.

By all means, France, laugh it up. Islamic terror is a great big joke. We'll check back with you around, oh, say 2025 or so and see how funny you find it.

[LibKill]

Way over the top. Bad taste. Bad judgement.

Some (unprintable) idiots will do anything for money.

[LibKill]

By all means, France, laugh it up. Islamic terror is a great big joke. We'll check back with you around, oh, say 2025 or so and see how funny you find it.

We may not have to wait that long. Jock-Itch-Chirac took a stand this week against head-scarfs in schools.

Of course, when a murderer sets a bomb off in the Arch d'Triumph crowds, he will blame America first and GWB in particular.

You can't win with the frogs. To perdition with them.

[MEG33]

I expected to just get angry.It just makes me so sad.

........Never Forget..........

[Agitate]

"We wanted to show there isn't any way to win against terrorism. Because it doesn't matter how many planes you shoot. There are always new planes," he said.

That's right, lets all just don our burqas and pay the dhimmi tax.

Remind me again why these people are called allies?


http://merdeinfrance.blogspot.com/

[JustPiper]

There are no words Cal ;( Forgive me, but John's daughter?

[Dinsdale]

Don't look now but there is also an unreal mod in the works.

You are a random person in the towers. At http://www.selectparks.net/archive/911survivor/

At least it's not french.

BTW does anybody know if the Colimbine HS doom levels ever got out? (the originals not the re-works)

[proud American in Canada]

"I expected to just get angry.It just makes me so sad."

I understand. Even last night I had a dream where I went to Ground Zero and just started to cry, thinking of all the people.....

like you said, "NEver Forget."

[proud American in Canada]

"Remind me again why these people are called allies?"

LOL! Good point... um, I'm not sure. :)

[Calpernia]

Hey Meg. Thanks.

[Calpernia]

John Candela, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=321&GScid=764416&GRid=5840587&pt=John%20A%20Candela& . Dear friend of ours. At his memorial, none of us thought of warning his daughters that daddy would be in a box about the size of a shoe box. So when she asked mommy how daddy fit in that little box...well, mommy collapsed, I scope her us and sat in another room for about an hour fielding the most difficult questions an 8 year old can come up with.

We lost about 6 people that day. The Candela's are our longest and dearst friends.

[JustPiper]

At his memorial, none of us thought of warning his daughters that daddy would be in a box about the size of a shoe box.

My eyes are so burning right now. I am so sorry for the loss for this little girl and all the children who lost their parents. Cal, I am so sorry you lost so many friends and your very closest. My heart to you Cal!