A new online computer game attempts to capitalize on the current strain of right-wing paranoia and activism, embodied by Glenn Beck's televised blustering and the Tea Party protests, by allowing players to inhabit a world of the near-future that represents a conservative nightmare.
The game, called "2011: Obama Coup Fails," is hosted by a website called The United States of Earth, and according to David Corn of Mother Jones, it was developed by "a small group of Ron Paul-loving libertarians living in Brooklyn."
According to the game's ham-handed chronology, early next year President Obama begins secret meetings with Felipe Calderon of Mexico and Stephen Harper of Canada, ostensibly to covertly erode the sovereignty of the United States and pave the way for the North American Union. After the Republican party retakes Congress in the midterm elections, Obama stages a coup before anyone is sworn in. Afterward the revolution begins: firearms are outlawed, 20 million armed civilians take over local and state governments, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh are interned and die of an "aspirin overdose," and Barack Obama declares himself the "Legendary Lost Imam," among other fantasies.
It's mostly juvenile stuff for sophomoric Obama foes. But a libertarian message is included in the mix. As the Obama forces are being squashed by patriots, Rep. Ron Paul is running for president and actually in a position to win. "We faced total collapse at the hands of the fascists in both parties and finally America is waking up to that fact," Paul tells supporters. "It is unfortunate we had to lose thousands of lives across our great nation to get to this realization."
Michael Russotto, one of the game's designers, says the developers have no partisan agenda, and are merely trying to bring publicity to The United States of Earth, which supports a larger online community role-playing game. "He promises that the forthcoming anti-Bush version will be cheered by Huffington Post readers," Corn writes.
Whether liberals will embrace a similar, progressive-themed game is yet to be seen. In the meantime, watch a mystifying introduction tutorial below.