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."

Comments

Source?

[HunterZ]

The article doesn't cite any sources. I guess gamespot got a copy of the "complaint"? I'd like to know more about the "numerous precedents of video games being qualified as free speech in other circuit courts and states" (quoted from TFA).

Sex and Violence are not the only things

[linzeal]

What if you are a parent who does not want his kids renting Christian video games? Why are they only protecting kids from becoming violent and sexually active when some parents worry more about their children becoming part of a religion that typically distances themselves from non-believing family memebers?

Re:Sex and Violence are not the only things

[The Snowman]

As a parent, I am more concerned about my child joining a religion and wasting hours of his life in a church each day like some people here in the Bible Belt do. Sex and violence are more fun than church. I would rather my son do what I did when I was young: run around beating up/getting beaten up by his siblings, or getting drunk and laid once he's old enough. That is more fun than church, and teaches real world lessons such as how to fight, which whiskeys taste good and which ones hurt the morning after, etc.

The real issue is why the government needs to hold children's hands when their parents or legal guardians should be? I'll be damned if I will let my child buy video games, DVDs, Playboys, etc. on his own. Sure, I'll expose him to some adult material to acclimate him so he doesn't go nuts on his 18 and 21 birthdays, but it is my job as Dad to make sure he does what he is supposed to. I don't want the government trying to do my job for me.

Re:Sex and Violence are not the only things

[thegrassyknowl]

kids renting Christian video games

That got me thinking, as a devout athiest, I don't want my son dragged into some waste of time religion, preying to a god that doesn't exist, asking him to solve problems that he's too lazy to go out and solve himself.

Why doesn't somebody pass a law requiring them to shrink wrap and label everything with religious themes as containing such before distribution (think of all those shrink wrapped copies of the bible and that crap the JWs hand out on weekends as well as more than half the Hollywood movies and american TV shows where they are always thanking for for their salvation).

Why doesn't somebody protect children from being taken to church and brainwashed from the day they are born? Because it's "moral and decent to go to church" they'll all say. Anywho, this post doesn't mean much but I felt that I had to say it and get it off my chest!!!

and movies have stickers too...

[advocate_one]

don't hear them complaining about the ratings... they just cut the film to get in under the particular age rating they're going for... even going as far as shooting different scenes several times with different states of dress for different markets... so if they can cope with the ratings, why should games be any different???

What the mainstream hears

[Phantasmo]

I was just watching Anderson Cooper, and they were doing an "exclusive" on Blitz: The League. It's an M-rated football game. Why on earth is this newsworthy? Because it gives them an excuse to interview Jack Thompson.
He spoke at length about how stores like EB will happily sell M-rated games to any kid that has the money. This "fact" was not challenged by anybody on the show. None of the controversies surrounding Thompson were mentioned. Now, I can't quote any studies but I can remember EB employees telling 14-year-olds to come back with their parent or guardian... in the Pre-Hot Coffee Era!
What does this mean? Well, the Slashdot and Penny Arcade readers may know both sides of this issue, but the other 99.98% of North Americans get the CNN version. That includes lawmakers.
In the long run I guess I'll be expected to pass some sort of psychological test and register my purchase with the government before being allowed to buy something like Metroid Prime 3.