"Violent" Video Games To Be Banned In Venezuela

An anonymous reader writes "The country that has bought Sukhois, tanks and 100,000 AK-103's, is planning to build a manufacturing plant of Russian rifles, and oppresses peaceful marches has decided to ban 'violent' video games because they 'promote violence and can alter the behavior of children.' The new legislation in Venezuela says, 'The violence found in video games is translated into the real world.' This new law affects people who sell, 'use,' produce, import and distribute these games. Video games as a whole have been labeled as 'a consequence of savage capitalism' by PSUV (United Socialist Party of Venezuela), which is the political party led by Hugo Chavez. Days before this law was approved by the National Assembly, Chavez promoted the use of traditional toys like the Yo-Yo and Trompo, and suggested that electronic toys like 'the Nintendo' be put aside because they promote 'egoism, individualism and violence.' Just today the AFP released a report showing Caracas as the second most violent city on the planet — even more violent than Baghdad. I guess all those violent gangs in Venezuela are addicted to video games."

Comments

banning make hulk smash!

[jollyreaper]

Maybe banning violence would help to cut down on the violence in that country.

Oh please

[Rei]

The country that has bought Sukhois, tanks and 100,000 AK-103's, is planning to build a manufacturing plant of Russian rifles, and oppresses peaceful marches

Venezuela's defense spending is just over $2B/year. Their oft-foe, Colombia, spends about $6B/year. And the US spends over $400B/year.

And, FYI, your "peaceful marches" involved a freaking coup.

Just today the AFP released a report showing Caracas as the second most violent city on the planet -- even more violent than Baghdad.

Didn't bother to mention that New Orleans came in right after Caracas, with only one less murder per 100,000 people, did you? Or that Caracas's murder rate fell dramatically since their last survey. Skew much?

Piensas de los niños!

[elrous0]

It's tragic. South America was always such a peaceful place before those damned video games came in!

Re:Individualism? Oh, no!

[Millennium]

Any sufficiently far-left philosophy is indistinguishable from a far-right philosophy.
The reverse is also true.

Re:citation needed

[floop]

That didn't happen. It was faked by the TV station that was actively taking part in the coup attempt and picked up by CNN, et. al. to support the US position on the coup.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hugo_chavez#Ch.C3.A1vez_and_the_media

Now I know you're saying "that just wikipedia" but maybe read the cites. Or do a google search. Educate your self. You might find that the US government has done far worse in acting out foreign policy goals... And publicly acknowledged it: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CIA_sponsored_regime_change. Almost as bad as the Brits.

But I understand your need to deny anything that the US does that could be construed as bad since this might force you to take personal responsibility for your own life.

Re:Individualism? Oh, no!

[Draek]

How exactly does one promote "capitalism" as in the free and unfettered enterprise of individuals ... while eliminating individualism. That's a contradiction. How does the state "get out of the way" AND destroy personal liberty ?

Take a look at the US and see how they do it. By granting enterpreneurs the ability to screw everybody else for their own gain (see: copyright, patents), they manage to both incentive the free enterprise of individuals *and* destroy personal liberties. Take it just a bit farther and you get corporatism first, then fascism, two extreme right-wing philosophies which you somehow missed in your effort to Godwin the discussion.

Now, I'm a right-wing capitalist, what in the US would be called a "libertarian" I believe, but seriously: stop pretending only one side of the political spectrum holds a monopoly over stupidity, you aren't helping your own credibility by doing so.