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Illinois Gov. Seeks Violent Video Game Ban
Foobar_Zen writes "Gov. Rod Blagojevich of Illinois has apparently decided to build on past "wins". He seeks to impose legislation that will prohibit the distribution, sale, rental and availability of mature video games to children younger than 18. Breaking of this law would be punishable by up to one year in prison or a $5,000 fine." From the article: "The Illinois Retail Merchants Association blasted the governor's proposal as a way for retailers to become "the violence and sensitivity police for the state of Illinois." Update: 12/16 21:14 GMT by Z : Lum's take on this over at Broken Toys is excellent.
I don't know the exact wording of the law, but I doubt it. I think this would work the same way movies work (at least here in Canada). No, a 16 year old can't get into the latest R rated flick, however, if they are accompanied by a parent/guardian they can. Its the same for rentals as well.
I'll have to check, but I think the same circumstances apply to alcohol, though that is regulated provincially here. I seem to remember being told that an underage person can drink if the alcohol is supplied by a parent/guardian though it can't happen in a public establishment (bar, restaurant, etc).
This is not banning violent video games. Repeat after me, this is not a ban on violent video games. The games are still legal, they can still be bought and sold, this is not censorship to repress violent video games. This is a prohibition on selling them to minors. This is just like having minimum age requirements on buying alchohol and tobacco products or seeing R rated movies. They're proposing a fine for merchants who sell something to minors that the minors are not supposed to have.
This is not a ban.
As a resident of the Chicago area, I have to say, it seems like Blagojevich is out to destroy business in Illinois. First raising the tolls for truck drivers, and now he's about to cripple the video game business in Illinois!
This guy has had tons of static from the Illinois Congress regarding many issues such as passing the budget and getting medicine from Canada! I hope they fight him tooth and nail on this one too.
Plus, this will hurt more than just video game retailers. What about arcades? Is he just going to put an age limit on who can get in there because of game violence? Most of the people in arcades are under the age of 18 anyways.
IGB: More fun than eating oatmeal!
Nursery rhymes?? Jeez. If anybody wants violence, they just have to read the Bible. You'll get plenty of violence right there in the first book(Genesis). It's all downhill from there. There's murder, war, anger, rage, jealousy, envy, hate, mayhem, you name it. Once again, somebody's trying to distract people from other much more serious problems. And once again, it will work. It's like a guy that buys flowers for his girlfriend to make her forget that he cheated on her last light. That usually works also.
What?
The extreme left likes to censor and restrict anything they consider "bad" for you, or the children. They want the whole world to be a kindergarden.
No violent videogames.
No Christmas holiday celebration.
No Easter either.
No public celebration of any Christmas holiday. Heck, make it a Federal felony to enter a Federal building, or heck, perhaps any public place, with any Christian symbol or anything associated with a Christian holiday.
No prayer in school (if a kid is caught praying, expel him and permanently ban him from public education - or perhaps permanently exile him to gulag style "opportunity schools".)
No sugary or fatty foods.
No meat.
No alcohol.
No leather.
No fur.
No cars except for the most utilitarian, stripped down ones possible.
No gun ownership.
No allowing English speaking to be a job requirement. If your customers can't buy something in your store because they can't communicate - too bad.
Ordering women to get abortions if they have any politically incorrect health habits. Pro-choice only goes one-way for a true liberal - the choice to HAVE a kid is not a respected choice.
Not allowing stay at home moms. Make it economically infeasible, but if someone still manages, claim that home mothering and not putting kids in daycare will result in them being unsocialized, loners who aren't given the politically correct indoctrination that society wants - so put those mothers in prison for "abuse" (they aren't "getting a proper environment", being raised at home instead of outside the home) and put their kids up for adoption.
Extreme left is just as bad as extreme right.
Just because it CAN be done, doesn't mean it should!
In the UK, we already have a similar system. Some computer games are rated by the BBFC (the violent ones - non violent games are not usually rated by them), and are given the same ratings to those applied to films and videos. Although the system is not perfect, it allows for some degree of control. As an example, games such as Manhunt are given 18 ratings, with Quake III getting a 15 etc. Of course, this still doesn't stop the occasionaly press frenzy over violent games and children (...suspiciously familiar in tone to the "video nasties are corrupting us" 20 years ago...)
The laws only apply to sale and distribution - for example, it's illegal for a minor to buy an 18 rated game, but it's perfectly fine for their parents (if they think it's sutiable) to buy it on their behalf, and them allow them to play it, as you suggest.
Dumbass legislators have, on many occassions, tried to pass these Strict Liability Statutes with long jail sentences, and almost always, they've been overturned.
The one place they have generally been sucessful, however, is when the strict liability concerns "sex and violence," to the extent that what would otherwise be an act of consensual sex is legally defined as a violent act.
People get funny about some issues.
In this case, however, I think you're right, as the issue rubs hard against the First Ammendment and there is already an extensive body of statute and case law brought up by other media such as books and movies.
Of course, as with all such laws, if passed, it will likely require the utter ruination of at least one person's life to get it overturned.
KFG
MPAA ratings are not government controlled. It's strictly voluntary.
SNACKS ARE AWESOME
What must be made clear is that the headline is incorrect. There is no proposed ban on violent video games. What is proposed to be banned it the SALE of the video games TO MINORS.
Killing Monsters Why Children Need Fantasy, Super Heroes, and Make-Believe Violence
Finally a reasonable look at children and violent fantasy. A must-read for retarded old governors and senators.
My Freakin Blog
Given that a recent survey has pointed out that nusery rhymes had more violent content than video games
DOn't forget that todays nursey rhymes are quite toned down from the originals. Read the original uncensored brothers grim and its alot mroe violent. Especially what they do in Red Riding Hood (Hint, One of the things they do is the wolf dies by drowning)
Fly me to the moon Let me sing among those stars Let me see what spring is like On jupiter and mars
I don't see how this could possibly be a problem; it's not like we let our kids buy porn and guns. There is NO issue here. Most likely, if this law passes, some big businesses will start carding for "M" rated games, but I'm sure your savy 15 year old will be able to get a copy of GTA/Doom/whatever if they really want it (with or without parental permission; I know I could get smokes, alchohol, drugs, you name it, at 15).
I fail to see how this could possibly be construed as some type of censorship, or some left-wing conspiracy to steal your precious children away.
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You are referring to Zardoz. It has to be the worst film ever made that involves sex and flying stone heads.
Yeah he did answer your question, but your IQ isn't smart enough to see it in his post. The law clearly is about making sure that you are the one making the decision for your minor dependant. That is exactly what the parent favors.