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CA Violent Games Bill Comes Under Fire
Gamespot is reporting that the VSDA and the ESA have filed a suit against the California governor in response to the passing of that state's violent games bill. From the article: "The complaint alleges that the new law violates the First Amendment by restricting access to games 'based solely on their expressive content' and unconstitutionally compels speech by manufacturers, distributors, importers, and retailers by requiring them to label violent games with a 2-by-2-inch sticker of a solid white '18' outlined in black."
Here's one example (via Gamespot): Washington state
Sorry, I'm a writer. That makes you raw material.
From the ACLU
Yes. In 1969 in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District the Supreme Court held that students in public schools - which are run by the government - do not leave their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate. This means that you can express your opinions orally and in writing - in leaflets or on buttons, armbands or T-shirts.
You have a right to express your opinions as long as you do so in a way that doesn't "materially and substantially" disrupt classes or other school activities. If you hold a protest on the school steps and block the entrance to the building, school officials can stop you. They can probably also stop you from using language that they think is "vulgar or indecent," so watch out for the dirty words, OK?
Also, school officials may not censor only one side of a controversy. If they permit an article in the official school paper that says that premarital sex is bad, they may not censor an article that says premarital sex is good.
From the ACLJ
Tony from Virginia asks: My son is in elementary school, and at school one day he was talking to another student about God. It was during a time where the students were free to talk about anything. His teacher told him that he's not allowed to talk about God in school. We know that's not true, but we were wondering if there's something I can take to the teacher, because we've explained it to her and she still says, "No, he's not allowed to talk about God."
Jay answers: The Supreme Court's decision in the famous Tinker case* said that students possess the rights of freedom of speech. They don't surrender them at the schoolhouse gate. That includes recess time, on the playing field, in the classroom, as long as it's not disruptive to the school environment. And in a case that I had at the Supreme Court of the United States just about a year and a half ago, we won unanimously the rights of mi
maybe because it *is* the republicans in this case? the bill *was* signed by ah-nuld shwarzenegger, and last time I checked, he's a republican. I agree, GWB, in this one instance, is guilt free, and it was irresponsible of the parent to use *his* name. but still, the reason so many people say the republicans are evil is because a large part of the time, its true.
(also, the democrats are a bunch of wimps who couldn't campaign their way out of a paper bag, but i digress.)
posted AC because i've gotten a few "trolls" in the past couple weeks for simply stating my mind, not trying to incite negative responses. what *is* this world coming to, when I can't rationally state my mind on a public forum without being attacked for it?! grow some backbone, ye wusses!