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Judge Throws Out Michigan Violent Games Law

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the judge-uses-finishing-move-on-opposing-council dept.

kukyfrope writes "The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) gained another victory today as Judge George Caram Steeh struck down the Michigan law previously attempting to ban the sale of certain games to minors, ruling the law unconstitutional. Judge Steeh is pushing for evidence showing the link between playing violent video games and actual acts of violence committed by players."

3 of 90 comments (clear)

  1. Best part of the decision by TripMaster+Monkey · · Score: 5, Insightful

    From TFA:
    [Douglas Lowenstein, President of the ESA, said:] "It is noteworthy that Judge Steeh specifically chastised the state for not doing what we urged them to do from the start, which is to find less restrictive ways to help ensure that parents make sound choices about the games their kids play."
    Translation:
    Parents: we're not going to do your parenting for you. Take some responsibility.
    Hats off to Judge Steeh.
    --
    ____

    ~ |rip/\/\aster /\/\onkey

  2. Re:Splendiferous by BoomerSooner · · Score: 5, Funny

    I've got the link and it's indisputable. I played Ultima III on the Apple //e. I ran over a rabbit on the highway in rural New Mexico on accident during Spring Break.

    Ultima III kills rabbits. What's next? We must protect our children (our meaning our children collectively) from deviant game players! Who knows if I ever get time to finish Ultima V someone may die somewhere.

    Stop the senseless killing, ban video games outright. Oh and ban sex to since that creates killers. 100% of people that murder were created by sex, this link is irrefutable.

    Thank you for your time. Have courage, we will make this land great once again.

  3. Re:GTA didn't affect me by Goatbert · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Unfortunately, this is a frustratingly inaccurate assumption - parents do not monitor a video game as they might a movie or a television program (and many do not even monitor those enough, but that is another topic). I worked in a GameStop (it was actually a Funcoland at that point) during the GTA3/GTA Vice City period and time after time, parent or grandparent would walk up to my counter buying GTA for a kid who was in his early teens or even younger. This was, in fact, my favorite situation because I get to see the look on their face as I explain.

    "Do you realize this is rated M for mature?"
    "Oh, no, I didn't read the label. Why is it rated mature?"
    "Because you can pick up a prositute, pay her for 'service', kill her, take the money you just paid her back, drive around running over innocent people, and then wind down by lighting bums on fire and shooting cops."

    The look on their face was priceless, but it was also incredibly sad that they didn't even go to the trouble of reading the game's packaging. I just don't understand how a parent can be so unconcerned with what their child is doing, and I don't know why they want to punish the entertainment media for lazy parenting.