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

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:Source?

[JasonKChapman]

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).

Here's one example (via Gamespot): Washington state

Judge Robert Lasnik of the US District Court in Seattle ruled the law [HB1009] unconstitutional under the First Amendment's protection of freedom of speech.

Re:and movies have stickers too...

[Toddarooski]

How well do you think these movie makers would cope if 50 different states had 50 different vaguely-worded laws about what consituted a PG-13 rating, and what constituted an R rating? (That's even assuming all 50 states decide to have a PG-13 rating and an R rating.) 'Cuz that's where this California law is headed.

Movies aren't complaining because they already have a single, voluntary, self-imposed regulatory systems that labels a movie for content nationwide. Just like games do. So, as you said, why should games by any different?