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Washington State Restricts Anti-Cop Videogames
Thanks to an anonymous reader for pointing to this CNN report mentioning that Washington state is the first in the US to regulate the sale of videogames to minors. The bill, passed Monday, "..forbids selling minors any video or computer game depicting violence against law enforcement officials.". Interestingly, the law (as mentioned at Slashdot a while back) seems to ignore the fairly well-respected voluntary ESRB ratings for games, with the article suggesting that Enter The Matrix might be banned for purchase by those under 17, due to the player battling cops, despite EtM only being rated 'Teen' by the ESRB.
If you games where kids can play outlaws, then only outlaw kids will play games where they can play outlaws.
Mr. Pink: You kill anybody?
Mr. White: A few cops.
Mr. Pink: No real people?
Mr. White: Just cops.
If kids can't play these games they'll have more free time on their hands. What if they use this free time to learn? What will prevent them from taking all our jobs!?!
In this post-video game world, the kids have already won.
Teacher Killer 2K4, Cop Killer 2004 Season
Those games sound freakin' sweet. Where can I buy them?
Kidding aside (somewhat) I always sort of secretly hoped that all these violent video games would turn me into an unstoppable killing machine, like Rambo or Charlton Heston. But the unfortunate reality is that the thousands of hours spent playing games really just improved my mousing skills.
Need something clicked on, in a rapid and ultra-violent manner? I'm definitely your man. Need someone offed in real life? You probably wouldn't call me.
I guess what I'm saying is: If video games are supposed to cause violent behaviour, I think I got ripped off.
Washington State has already made their choice, now they just have to understand it.
you can outlaw based on violence against cops ?!?! :)
I am going to sue because I am NOT a COP and now the state is advocating violence against me
Tell me....is it mold from all the rain that makes people retarded up there ? or do you guys just leave your politicians out.. How many times has your father told you to put your toys away..now see what you get...
errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
Cop #1: It's working, sir.
Cop #2: What's that?
Cop #1: Here, listen.
[Cop #2 takes off the headphones and allows Cop #2 to overhear the bad guys conversing somewhere else. The scene fades to the bad guys headquarters.]
Bad Guy #1: What do you mean we have to turn ourselves in?
Bad Guy #2: Well, we just don't have the budget to keep on with our life of crime. We used to train our people with those games that let us practice shooting cops. But now we can't buy them any more and we could never afford to develop our own.
Bad Guy #1: Can't we just buy games that let us shoot at people besides cops and practice with that?
Bad Guy #2: People besides cops? You mean like us? You want us to practice shooting bad guys like ourselves?
Bad Guy #1: What are you, some kind of politician? Where's your imagination. Just pretend it's a cop.
[Bad Guy #2 just gives him a blank stare.]
Bad Guy #1: You're right. It's hopeless. If you losers are all I have to help me commit crimes, I might as well just turn myself in. Now where's the phone book? I have to look up the number for 911 so I can turn myself in.
[Fade back to Cops Headquarters, where the police who now have nothing more to do are on the phone to their congressional representatives, thanking them for the new tough laws that make crime-fighting so much easier.]
Kent M Pitman
Philosopher, Technologist, Writer
Just curious...
If you attack people in the Matrix, is that an assault on a battery?
Please don't kill me.
You can walk down the street and beat a regular person to a bloody pulp, and nothing happens. But once you beat up a cop, your 'wanted level' rises, all hell breaks loose and they're on your ass.
Fortunately you can collect some kind of starshaped power ups hidden in the game, that will decrease your wanted level. You can even fool your pursuers completely by repainting your car or changing clothes. Hell, even if you are cought you can bribe the police by giving them your weapons and cash. I mean, what does this teach the American youth? That the police is both stupid and for sale? I hope for your American minors sakes the us.gov doesn't find out about this game. ;)
You know it makes sense, a little reminder from jointm1k.
INTRO to Cop Killer.
This next record is dedicated to some personal friends of mine, the LAPD.
For every cop that has ever taken advantage of somebody, beat 'em down or
hurt 'em, because they got long hair, listen to the wrong kinda music,
wrong color, whatever they thought was the reason to do it. For every one
of those fuckin' police, I'd like to take a pig out here in this parkin'
lot and shoot 'em in their mothafuckin' face.
- Body Count (w/Ice-T) - "Out In The Parking Lot" - Cop Killer
Since nethack has Keystone Kops, I guess that rules out playing nethack in the state of Washington. Not a minute too soon either, whenever I see those K letters Ice-T's Cop Killer starts going through my head.