From their blog…at blogspot, for some reason.

April 29, 2008
MADD Calls on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to Reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an Adults Only Game

Each year nearly 13,500 people die in drunk driving crashes and another half a million are injured in alcohol-related traffic crashes. This is why MADD is extremely disappointed by the decision of the manufacturers of the game Grand Theft Auto IV to include a game module where players can drive drunk.

Drunk driving is not a game and it is not a joke. Drunk driving is a choice, a violent crime and it is also 100 percent preventable. MADD is calling on the Entertainment Software Ratings Board to reclassify Grand Theft Auto IV as an Adults Only game, a step up from the current rating of Mature and for the manufacturer to consider a stop in distribution – if not out of responsibility to society then out of respect for the millions of victims/survivors of drunk driving.

Here’s what it really says:

MADD Calls on the ESRB to Demand Help in Getting Attention

Each year we write a lot of press releases. Tons, really. And when we heard about GTA IV, we couldn’t take time out of our busy press-release-writing and maternal hand-wringing for lawmakers schedule to actually become informed about the game, we’ve decided to just jump to the conclusion handed to us by other peoples’ articles.

Because we don’t know the first thing about this game we’re complaining about, we’re going to do our best to make ourselves look like the joke that we think GTA IV is making out of drunk driving. [Trite bullshit, words, words, words, emotional argument.] MADD is calling on the ESRB to let us stick our ill-informed, emotionally-reactive noses in where they don’t belong. Ban GTA IV, because we haven’t a fucking clue. [Hand-wringing, emotional argument, bullshit].

Get the hell out of my country, you hypocrites.

No, seriously. You want it banned, move to a country that’s banned it already. This game does not need rerating. Grand Theft Auto IV does not turn ‘drunk driving’ into a game, or a joke, or even a choice, from what I’ve seen.

I should probably mention now that I have only watched the game. I have not played it, and therefore am not as well informed as I should be. I do, however, consider myself to be more informed than the person or persons who decided that MADD should be upset over this game.

That said, I do not know if you can actually choose to get drunk outside of certain ‘side missions’ — the dates you go out on with various females, and the social activities you do with various friends. I suppose you can choose to not do those activities, or opt to not go to the bar, but that could cause you to not fully complete the game.

And, sure, it’s insanely funny to watch the camera wave around in erratic not-quite-circles, and the screen get all blurry when the character is drunk. And it’s kinda funny to watch the character fall over and stagger around. But I’m guessing it’s not so funny when you’re actually trying to get the damned character to go in the direction you’re pushing the control stick. That’s not really making it into a joke, though, any more than laughing at an IRL drunk.

…oh, and, what the hell was that little notice at the bottom of the screen about recommending that you take a cab when you’re in that state? Am I the only one who saw that? I guess you actually have to have at least seen the game played to see that.

Did I call them hypocrites yet? Because they are. At least, it appears that they are, because I can’t find them comlpaining about The Save A Life Tour, which also turns drunk driving into a game. Literally. They have a big videogame that’s only about drunk driving.

I don’t see a rating on it, though. I guess that could be because they’re not distributing it, but it’s marketed to kids, and it has a mature theme. Where are the complaints? MADD? Hmm? I’m waiting….

Either become more informed, or shut the hell up. Don’t try to ban something without knowing what it is.