In poor taste

In poor taste
fiction
edward w pritchard

A Japanese gaming corporation had developed an interactive game technology that allowed realistic re-creation and involvement by the player into the great events of history.
Several of us took offense at one of the games developed and marketed by the Japanese Corporation that concerned a shooting that occurred at Kent State University in the 1960's. We felt the game simulation where one was either with the troops who accidentally shot at students, or with the students who cajoled, the troops, to be offensive and in poor taste to all concerned. A friend of mine who worked at a title company near the University, and had attended College there at the time of the original incident went beyond mere disapproval or out rage at the Corporation involved and organized a small protest against the Company, on that same campus where the original tragedy had occurred. About 10 of us attended the protest on campus, and after about an hour, on a very cold day, several of us went to a local bar and had a few beers, listened to some old music and for most of us that was the end of things.
My friend from the title company was not satisfied however and sent a few letters to the Company.
The Japanese Company involved was part of a large conglomerate, and had budgeted part of their huge profits generated from the game division to appease disgruntled protests about their products. Primary because other parts of the gaming division involving pornography re-enactment were constantly barraged with citizen protest, the company was amenable to a compromise, but not an apology. The Company suggested to my friend, as an appeasement, a few changes in the next addition to the game to make it less offensive, and they promised they would fund and build a small park in Kent Ohio in memory of the victims of the shootings.
About ten years after that original second protest, by the 10 of us, I was at a small park in Kent, with my Granddaughter, where we hadn't went before, and noticed a small plaque and picture near the water fountain. Sure enough this was the park that Japanese corporation had built. The plaque was a brief dedication of the Park and in the picture there were several Politicians and business leader types, both American and Japanese, in suits looking very stiff and formal. But there also was, in the picture, my friend, who I hadn't seen in a long time, with no jacket, but a formal blue dress shirt. and a tie dyed cravat and a broad engaging smile, and on close inspection, although he didn't have his hand raised, he had it confidently near his right side and was modestly giving the peace sign to the camera.