Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Why is it that every time Roger Ebert decides to say something about video games, everyone seems to arch their backs and hiss like a petulant cat. It's not the passion that sets me at odds with this reaction, but the lack of thought. Why in the world would anyone let the words of a man who writes articles regarding his thoughts about movies for a newspaper in Chicago get so far under their skin? This is a guy who writes articles about what he thinks of movies like The Backup Plan, and admits that he doesn't play video games.  I consider a person like Stephen Hawking to be a pretty smart guy; while I might be interested in what his musical tastes are, I certainly wouldn't be threatened by any of his opinions regarding it (someone like Uri Caine, Bill Frisell, or Dave Holland and it would be a different story for reasons I hope are obvious). 
 
Apparently this round of discussion was started by a TED lecture given by Kellee Santiago regarding the affirmation of games as art, which was then followed up with Ebert's response (linked above). That article Ebert wrote was then responded to by forums across the internet and, once more, by Kellee in another article. In my opinion however, Mike & Jerry seem to have the best perspective on it. 

Having read Ebert's article referenced above, there really isn't a whole lot there I feel strongly about attacking. Kellee and Jerry take him to task on his technique, and there are valid points to be had there for sure. When I read his article however, I get the strong sense (likely because he states it at least once) that he is following some kind of personal code in defining works he feels are truly transcendent in some manner. For most people (I'm making an assumption, but I feel safe) there is some form of media out there that has "gotten to us" in some manner. Even the most eloquent people have difficulty adequately describing why these works move them in the manner they do, but I would not call their opinions wrong by any stretch of the imagination. I think history has proven that language creates its own set of unique limitations. I don't know about you, but I sometimes find it difficult to express myself with someone else's words. 
  
I am, of course, completely at odds with his argument... I guarantee you that he feels exactly the same way about mine. Personally speaking, I'm tired of even having this argument any longer. The conclusion seems obvious to anyone that engages with this medium, so its only equally obvious that it eludes a man who has no interest in it. There are lines of post-graduate students lining up with grant applications in hand to discuss this topic to death. We're wasting valuable time arguing about where we've already been as opposed to where we're going.