The Great Dungeons and Dragons Panic of 1980

[gary42]

I did sort of LARP once in high school.  We made foam covered PVC swords and went to a local park and beat he snot out of each other.  I remember the guy who was the wizard throwing colored, streamer covered tennis balls at people yelling "The green ones make you freeze!". So you'd stand there after getting hit by one while people beat you into submission.  " One steamboat...ouch!.. Two steamboat... Hey!....etc...

I was, however able to finally kiss a girl...

[Dr Mathias]

I was lectured about the evils of D&D more than once, mostly by friend's parents.

One of my favorite quotes was when my friend was arguing with his mom (she had opened a bible up and started reading relevant passages) and said "If it was named 'Shirt Tales' you wouldn't have a problem with it!".

Pretty sure she and her husband were busted a few years later for cultivating psychedelic mushrooms

My mom, bless her heart, bought me the Monster Manual for Christmas, and I'm pretty sure she got me the 3rd ed. Cthulhu hardback shortly after. I'm guessing she didn't look inside

When metal music started taking a lot of flak, and I started getting into bands like Ozzy and Mercyful Fate her radar turned on somehow and she brought home a pamphlet from a "Save our kids from Satanism" seminar she attended. I had a LOT of the red flags. For some reason she never pushed me over it though.

Ah, good times

Then gang violence showed up (Crips and Bloods) and noone gave a shit about D&D anymore

[Mr. Peabody]

Then gang violence showed up (Crips and Bloods) and noone gave a shit about D&D anymore

So very true!

Nothing like a little perspective to help us focus on the truly significant issues, eh? Lord, I miss those seemingly carefree days before crack cocaine showed up.

[Paleskin]

Never did me any harm!

Rpg,heavy metal music,video nasties......all been blamed for various acts over the years!

[Zoggin-eck]

Wow, I grew up in the 80's but at the time barely had any idea people thought roleplaying could be evil, perhaps since I grew up in a mostly religionless area (Australia, ha!). I guess I don't know or talk to anyone who follow a religion that typically stands against it or believes in this Satan bloke, come to think of it. Demons, devils and the like were no more real to me than Pokemon are to children today.

Interesting enough article to read now, quaint even.

Actually, I remember a teacher laughing that it used to be seen as villainous. She clearly didn't agree with the idea. Since then, I can think of a single mention of it in recent years (a hilariously outdated flyer in the mail).

[Hat Guy]

Having been President of the Monash Uni RPG club and a Roleplaying Convention, I came up against this more than once. These days, it's just funny to me. Despite being a Deist, I have no issues with faith, I'm even friendly with the local JWs, so I'm happy to explain that what we're doing is "Cops and Robbers" with more rules and dice.

If patiently explaining the hobby doesn't convince people and I feel that they have made their decision long ago and are just looking to confirm it, I can always whip out a Wraith: The Oblivion book and help them feel justified. 

[jp762]

I too grew up in the 80's playing D&D and listening to Motorhead and AC/DC mostly bought for me by family members. The entire family was and is Northern Ireland Presbyterian/Methodist and nobody had a problem with it.
My minister once objected to a Motorhead England T-shirt I wore like a second skin but that was the most that was ever said. He found my studying Philosophy as a second subject at university much more objectionable.
Dragons and Lemmy are fine, Socrates, now there is a danger to the youth!

I am now a clinical Psychologist and RPG's are pretty much recognised as being a legitimate theraputic tool.

[Donpimpom]

In the first 90's in Spain we had a crime related to rpg, two guys killed a men in a bus stop, they declared they were testing the combat rules for their own game. Later, forensic doctors declared the leader of the crime was completely nuts in a multiple personality disorder, but on the meantime press went into the guy house, full of weird stuff, esoteric books, lots of knives, ...and rpg rulebooks. So, you can guess how the media had fun with that.
It is nowadays known as "el crimen del rol", an turned into a journalist resource from time to time, associating any kind of weird crime to rpg and videogames as the main source of evil.
If you want to know more search google by "el crimen del rol" or drop this link into google translator http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crimen_del_rol

[Archie]

Blimey ... to misquote the NRA ... rpgs dont kill people, people kill people. Mind you after three years of playing fourth edition DND my head still spins trying to work out character generation. I mean I might be doing it right but frankly I dont know ... it's enough to make you crazy! 

[Conquistador]

Then gang violence showed up (Crips and Bloods) and noone gave a shit about D&D anymore

Priorities sometimes sort themselves out.    

Gracias,

Glenn

East Los Angeles born, So Cal Urban/suburban eaised