Politician's 'violent' World of Warcraft life slammed by opponents

by Lauren O'Neil Posted: October 5, 2012 7:35 PM Last Updated: October 5, 2012 10:08 PM

View the story "Politican's 'violent' World of Warcraft life slammed by opponents" on StorifyPolitican's 'violent' World of Warcraft life slammed by opponentsColleen Lachowicz is a democratic candidate running for State Senate in Maine. She's also a well-regarded orc assassin rogue within the World of Warcraft game - a fact that her Republican opponents say makes her unfit for office.Storified by CBC News Community · Fri, Oct 05 2012 16:35:29undefinedImgur

Colleen Lachowicz is a social worker, foster parent andpassionate democrat who's running for State Senate in Maine.

She's also an orc assassin rogue namedSantiaga within the massive multiplayer online role playing game World ofWarcraft (WoW) - a fact that her Republican opponents say makes her unfit to be in office.
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In a recent mailer sent out by Maine GOP communicationsdirector David Sorensen, Lachowicz is condemned for "living atime-consuming double life as a member of the World of Warcraft community."

While those within the WoW community are doubtlesslyimpressed by Lachowicz's gameplay, Sorensen used her impressive stats to implythat she spends too much time online.

"Her character's impressive Level 85 distinction - thehighest that can be achieved in the massive online role playing game," hewrote. "Studies have found that the average World of Warcraft gamer is 28 andspends 22.7 hours per week playing." Santiaga @ Garrosh - Community - World of WarcraftLog in now to enhance and personalize your experience!

A website has also been set up by Lachowicz's opponents tocriticize her gaming activities.

Colleensworld.com features an image of the candidate'sface morphing into green-skinned WoW avatar.undefinedColleensworldColleen's World - The Online World of Maine State Senate Candidate Colleen LachowiczColleen Lachowicz, AKA Santiaga, is a gamer in the massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft (WoW), which takes pl..."In Colleen's online fantasy world, she gets away with crude, vicious and violent comments like the ones below," reads the website's header. "Maine needs a State Senator that lives in the real world, not in Colleen's fantasy world."

Dozens of screencapped messages from forums and websitecomments populate the website's blog. These messages were written by Lachowizin discussion of the game over a span of at least seven years.

undefinedColleensworldundefinedColleensworldundefinedColleensworldundefinedColleensworldOn October 3, Lachowicz's camp issued a public statement in response to the attacks on colleenlachowicz.com.

"I think it's weird that I'm being targeted for playing online games. Apparently I'm in good company since there are 183 million other Americans who also enjoy online games. What's next? Will I be ostracized for playing Angry Birds or Words with Friends? If so, guilty as charged!" said Lachowicz on her blog.

"What's really weird is that the Republicans are going after my hobbies instead of talking about their record while they've been running Augusta for the last two years."
" Statement on Attacks Colleen Lachowicz for State Senate - Vote Nov. 6October 4, 2012 - Colleen Lachowicz Here is a statement from our campaign in response to the personal attacks made on Colleen by the Main...Some fellow WoW players have been coming to Santiaga's defence on the game's message boards.

"I don't know Santiaga or Colleen and I certainly don't live in Maine. I don't know that I'd agree with her political stances or that I would vote for based on her policies. That's not what this is about," wrote Level 85 orc death knight Perky in the WoW US forums."What I do know is that using the fact that she plays World of Warcraft against her in a political campaign is absurdly pathetic. This site infantilizes Colleen by using denigrating descriptions like 'make-believe land Azeroth' and apparently suggesting that 'the average WoW gamer' is an immature 28 year old who spends too much of his or her free time playing World of Warcraft."

Santiaga 2012 - Forums - World of WarcraftThreats of violence. We take these seriously and will alert the proper authorities. Posts containing personal information about other pla...Many gamers likewise feel offended by the idea that gamers are less responsible than their non-gaming counterparts.

"The State Department seems to think a gamer can be be trusted with our national security," writes blogger Rowan Blaze. "But if the GOP thinks that a gamer is not fit for public office, perhaps, as a gamer, I am not fit to vote for Republican candidate."I Have Touched the Sky: Not the Girl the ESRB Warned You AboutThis is a gaming blogger's dream in a hot election season. The Maine GOP is attempting to take a page out of the Lieberman-Kohl Playbook ...Elsewhere online, debate rages on.

A great deal of support is being shown for Lachowicz on Twitter.
Everyone in Maine vote for Democratic Senate candidate Colleen Lachowicz. How dare Republicans decry her for playing video games as a hobby.Brent BarnesThis poor woman! Colleen Lachowicz, democrats are smearing her over her warcraft comments taken out of context.Celena RoldanThis is a personal friend of mine running for State Office. Please help me spread the word about this attack. http://bit.ly/Pfe4U1 #gamersDee in MaineRepublicans, please: WoW does not disqualify one from public office. That's just stupid: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2213180/Colleen-Lachowicz-Maine-state-senate-candidate-outed-World-Warcraft-player.htmlKinsey Holley#Colleen Lachowicz plays Warcraft. So what? What she does in her free time is HER business. Back the eff off, GOP! Is that all you got?Diana HollinsIf I were in Maine she would have my vote:Shawn DeltonI LIKE this woman. She's relateable. It's a shame I don't live in Maine so I could vote for her. We need more gamer girls!!Maria MyrbackSo apparently playing World of Warcraft makes you unfit for office. Umm... okay.Jenn WilliamsonEventually, everyone will have grown up gaming and this won't be an issue. Raiding takes teamwork #warcraft #themarysue http://www.themarysue.com/colleen-lachowicz-world-of-warcraf/nerd to your motherIt's about time that we got some orcs in the federal government. I say her guild ought to start up her national campaign. Lauren MarshallMaine GOP further proves out of touch with today's generation, denouncing WoW-playing opponent for casual gaming http://ow.ly/efCdP...Sean FeeneyYikes...I may hate WoW...but good god..."Drug use? A Swiss bank account? No, sadly, even worse: she has a scary-looking World of Warcraft character." Please...WoW is not worse than either of those...Cando PaxSome took up issue with the game in particular, criticizing the democratic candidate for playing WoW.
@BBCMarkMardell playing video games shouldn't count against you, but World of Warcraft in particular shouldDrew SimmonsMany expressed sheer disbelief over the fact that this was an issue at all, poking fun at and making jokes about the situation.
I would vote for Colleen Lachowicz. Sometimes you need a senator who's not afraid to poison and stab people. http://j.mp/PeXHa7David LaneThat's it, I'm voting for Leeroy Jenkins. Maine senate candidate attacks opponent for playing WoW. http://games.slashdot.org/story/12/10/04/2217255/bin lee"Thousands of pigs crushed, their homes in ruins. Because Colleen Lachowicz unleased an angry mob of birds for her own amusement."Rob CottinghamCannot believe this is a real thing | Maine GOP attacks candidate for violent 'World of Warcraft' gaming http://vrge.co/T65LW1 via @vergeJoe GrossbergWe should not be voting for Colleen Lachowicz. She's only level 68. How can we trust a CASUAL to take our government seriously?Link SkywalkerVirtual stabbing, oh the humanity!!!! http://flpbd.it/2fO36Mike OttenbriteA candidate for senate plays world of warcraft so they're saying she's unfit. Makes sense. You play video games so you can't be a senator.Billy S.Games are bad mmmkay RT @ComplexVG Republicans attack campaign on senate candidate for "living a double life" in WoW http://flpbd.it/V9RpXJason BrownBecause Bizarro land is globe-wide : "Republicans attack Democratic candidate because she plays video games". http://wow.joystiq.com/2012/10/05/on-the-surreal-attack-ad-against-a-state-senate-candidate-who-pl/#continuedElazulThat's crazy someone is going be slammed for video games... Seriously? http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/10/candidate-for-maine-state-senate-attacked-for-warcraft-character/?fb_action_ids=3673513240772&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=aggregation&fb_aggregation_id=288381481237582EnCincyAt least she's not a gnome! Michael MeunierWhat are your thoughts? Share them with us in the comments.

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