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Violent Video Game Protection Act
KidIcarus writes: "Four lawmakers in Georgia have submitted a bill that would make it a criminal offense to sell or make violent video games available to minors. Full text of the bill here. Seems that politicians still don't have a clue, despite indications that video games don't cause violence." This may remind you of the (since overturned) law segregating certain video games from others in Indianapolis.
But of course it's OK for CNN et al to show scenes of mass slaughter of innocents.
Isn't this a double standard displaying a bias against gamers...
Remember kids! Guns don't kill people - Americans kill people.
They're trying to stop me from playing my violent games? KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL KILL!!!!!!
Dammit, I'm gonna rocket jump over to their house and grenade spam their house, but first I gotta find the red key to get inside....lemme bunny hop over to that building that says central control......
Tim Dorr
Owner/Manger
A Small Orange
Once again, the elected leaders of Georgia demonstrate why this state is still ranked 49th in education quality . It's stupidity that leads to violence. Since this state is chock full of stupid people it might explain the high violent crime rate. Sadly, as more people pass through the public school process in Georgia, the situation will only get worse. We might even sink below Mississippi at some point .
As a parent, I can understand why some people think that playing Max Payne would be like training for the next Columbine. Violence runs rampant in our media.
But it always has. The greatest literature, and some of the most thoughtful movies (Schindler's List and Platoon come to mind) are rife with violence. The difference is the follow-through. Showing a full consideration of the effects, or the struggle against violence is often what sets stories of violence apart as literature.
Would I want these games banned? No. The ratings system that is in place is what I use. Before my kids get a game, I evaluate it. Only the responsible ones get through.
"It remains to be seen if the human brain is powerful enough to solve the problems it has created." Dr. Richard Wallace
Seems that politicians still don't have a clue, despite indications that video games don't cause violence.
Well, that's not really even what the GameSpot article says, and can you guess the slant that the GameSpot article takes on the original Surgeon General's report?
The Surgeon General's report states that violent video games can be a factor, but is not a sole motivator for violent behavior.
If it's a factor, then further studies should be done to determine how much of a factor it is. Put some numbers on it.
I certainly don't have reservations about preventing the very young from having too-easy access to harmful things. I'm a big freedoms-type Libertarian, but young people often don't have the maturity to be able to handle a full set of freedoms. It's why we restrict driving, voting, and other rights that we grant freely to adults. It's also the reason why minors' criminal records are sealed and they're given special sentencing considerations when they commit crimes.
Why are you letting these clowns ruin our country?
Can someone please explain to me why the "Slashdot Consensus" seems to be in disagreement of things like this?
Why is having enforcable ratings on video games a bad thing? After all, we have movie ratings and no one is complaining.
So a salesman will now stop some 10 year old kid from buying Mortal Kombat 7, with ultra-bloody effects. Isn't this better than being stuck with a one-version-fits-all where the blood is replaced by sweat?
Without ratings, all movies would suck. They would have to stay within certain limits. This bill is about enforcing who is able to purchase a game based on content (ie, rating). Such enforcement only encourages developers to be as artistic as possible, and not worry about angry parents. The ratings are here to protect not only children, but developers.
Everyone here throws a fit about everything!
Look, the point of this law is to put the decision of game content into the hands of the parents. If the parent wants the child to own a Mature rated game, the parent can go with the child to purchase it. Same goes for R rated movies. It's the same damn thing. It's not discrimination, it's not politicians not knowing anything about computers or games or violence. It's the same thing as R rated movies.
The video game industry has finally become large enough to get noticed, and at the same time the content is becoming more realistic - more movie like.
This isn't going to get struck down, people. There's nothing wrong with it. Face the fact that until you're 18, there are some decisions your parents get to make for you. That's always been the case.
Here's the question...
did you father or whatever adult that taught you weaponry teach you the basics? Like dont point a gun at something unless you want it dead? Always use the safety, NEVER keep ammo in a stored weapon, NEVER EVER keep one chambered unless you are hunting or shooting?
The basics that are the mantra of the NRA are the most important part of good gun use. My 10 year old daughter has gone shooting (cute little 22 rifles) she loves it, and I am teaching her basic gun safety, Athough I go overboard a bit.. she knows that even pointing an empty gun at anything is dangerous and has a good chance of killing. you never put your gun away without a complete cleaning and inspection, the guns go in their cas and in the safe.
yes, as far as the Liberal Left is concerned I'm raising a gun-toting freak. but in reality I am rasing a child that for the rest of her life knows that guns are NOT toys, they can be very dangerous if you dont use them right.
I firmly believe that EVERY child when they get into 4th grade should be taught basic gun safety and should be taught to respect guns. Maybe we would have less morons running around trying to cap every fool they think diss them.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
How long will it be before we will outlaw children using their thumb and index finger to make a "gun" to play cops & robbers? Oh yeah, a child was suspended for school for that already.
If guns (and therefore video games, TV and movies that depict guns) are the root of our violence problems in america why the hell didn't my fathers generation kill each other at record rates? Have you SEEN this roy rogers guy? He carries a gun and used it several times! How about that show gunsmoke? EVERYONE carried a gun, and someone got shot in EVERY episode! Not like todays "Charlies Angels" where none of the heroes are allowed to use guns. It wouldn't be PC, and god knows that if Cameron Diaz used a firearm in a movie I might go Columbine on your ass!
I remember a frontline article that compared the affects of media on young people to a feedback loop. What our PC culture accepts as normal is so narrow in it's focus that normal behavior that has been in children and teenagers since the dawn of time is now somehow so aberrant that you have to drug you kid out of his mind
If society as a whole can't stand simple age appropriate behavior, we are all in for a rough ride. Outlawing video games is just a silly step that some very misguided people are taking for political expediency. If you truly want to stop the violence you have to start early you have to
1. Have both parents involved (which is hard if they both have to work 70 hours a week to make ends meet. Some parents are additionally pretty heavily medicated at that!)
2. You must have a have school system that actually cares about something besides how good the football team is and how fashionable dressed the students are. Not all student problems can be taken care of with a "magic pill"
3. Have a society that kicks silly politicians out on their can when the pull these knee jerk reactions
I don't hold out much hope
"Science is about ego as much as it is about discovery and truth " - I said it, so sue me.
Anti-gun freaks unite! It's for the chiiiillldreeen, after all! If we prevent just one death then the law will have been worth it.
Okay, so last year, according to the FBI:
- more than 90% of all murders in the U.S. were committed with 'weapons of opportunity', including blunt objects and knives, even when a gun was available. So hey! Save the children! Outlaw knives and baseball bats! If we just save one life....
- this means that of the approximately 30,000 people who were murdered last year, about 3,000 were killed with guns. In contrast, 5,000 died in falls (mostly stairs, followed by ladders) and 12,000 drownded (mainly in pools or local rivers or lakes). So while you're rabidly making the world safer for children don't forget to ban: all stairs, ladders, stools, pools, rivers, lakes, and all eight oceans. After all, If we just save one life....
- ooooh, and let's not forget that a little less than 50,000 people were killed in car accidents. Ban cars!
- and finally, at least another 50,000 died due to alcohol or alcohol-related diseases. So let's ban alcohol too, it's for the chiiiillldren! Wait, where have I heard that before....
Max
My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?