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Venezuela Bans Hostile Videogames and Toys

An anonymous reader writes "In an effort to 'help improve child education and prevent misconduct,' the Venezuelan government began enforcing a law on March 3rd banning war videogames and toys, imposing a fine and 2.5 years in prison on the production, distribution, sale, hiring and use of video games and toys inciting violent behavior. Alberto Federico Ravell, former director of opposing news network Globovision, has already come on twitter denouncing the authorities for seizing imported Gameboy, Wii and PlayStation 3 consoles, due to considering them violent."

17 of 335 comments (clear)

  1. Story at 11 by Citizen+of+Earth · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Tinpot dictator does something stupid. Story at 11.

    1. Re:Story at 11 by royallthefourth · · Score: 4, Informative

      He's actually a tinpot democratically elected president.

    2. Re:Story at 11 by h4rr4r · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So then don't move to Venezuela?

      If you actually had a rough life you would not say that. If you have not eaten in a week violence in video games and the freedom to play them is way down on the list of shit you care about.

    3. Re:Story at 11 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

      I have family in Venezuela, been going there for years. Here's an interesting story that was suppressed. The second time Chavez got re-elected by a super majority, 98.6% of the working population didn't show up to work the next day in protest. in contrast, he has done a lot for the poor in the haciendas on the mountain sides, but they don't have jobs and don't pay taxes. They don't contribute in major ways to the economy. I have no problem with job programs for such a populous, except that in Venezuela they don't get paid, they get tickets for socialized food programs. Still better than it was, but the working populous isn't making any of that money to invest in new business. All the job programs are run by companies Chavez owns. All the contracts those companies "win" are also owned by Chavez. You can't make any money without having to bribe officials. It's not just foreign interests he suppresses, he does it more internally. course he owns the media outlets and fines cable operators for not airing his marathon speeches. So I have no links. Take it as it is.
      Anon because my family is high profile.

  2. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by wmbetts · · Score: 5, Insightful

    How about seize nothing, because this law is retarded.

    --
    "Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me". - stolen from Dan C alt.os.linux.slackware
  3. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by alexborges · · Score: 5, Insightful

    As a gamer talking to a parent I ask you: WHy in hell do you want ME to suffer for YOU to educate YOUR CHILD in whichever way YOU decide?

    Do I violent gamer have a say in how you educate your children? Then why do you advocate in favor of people telling ME how to educate MINE?

    --
    NO SIG
  4. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by 0racle · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As a parent I applaud the effort.

    You are the embodiment of everything that is wrong with actions and laws such as these. It is not the governments place to parent your children yet you cheer them on every time they do.

    You think of your children, no one else should have to.

    --
    "I use a Mac because I'm just better than you are."
  5. Alberto Federico Ravell an Asshole Liar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Im Venezuelan, linving in Venezuela. And the seizing of gaming consoles is a lie. The new law, bans violent games and toys. So since yesterday no violent videogames can be imported or sold. The goverment will refund the stores who have violent videogames on their shelves so they dont lose their investment, as same for violent toy. Thats all, Alberto Federico Ravell is a liar and a media terrorist.

    1. Re:Alberto Federico Ravell an Asshole Liar by LordLucless · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Media terrorist, eh? All those poor DVDs and storage viciously butchered in his attempt to influenece their policies by fear...

      Words have meaning. The meaning of terrorist is not "someone I don't like", despite US policy to the contrary.

      --
      Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  6. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by dwiget001 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    As a parent, let alone a human being, you should really FIND OUT about who Hugo is and what he has done to the people of his country.

    I work with person from Venezuela, his family is here (U.S.) from Venezuela and they are all, everyone, completely opposed to mad-man, his usurping of power, his decimating the what freedoms the people of his country had, etc.

    Hugo and the antics of his government deserve the ridicule and condemnation of all free people. This gaming thing is just a small small piece of the overwhelming oppression he has rained down on his people.

  7. Not really by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    He was elected to being with, and that election seems to have been fair. However since then he has been taking increasingly underhanded methods of retaining power, stifling dissent and so on.

    Do remember that a large number of dictators are elected to power initially. They then just misuse the power and suppress freedom. That someone was elected initially doesn't mean they aren't a dictator now.

    1. Re:Not really by frosty_tsm · · Score: 5, Funny

      He was elected to being with, and that election seems to have been fair. However since then he has been taking increasingly underhanded methods of retaining power, stifling dissent and so on.

      Do remember that a large number of dictators are elected to power initially. They then just misuse the power and suppress freedom. That someone was elected initially doesn't mean they aren't a dictator now.

      I seem to recall a certain German dictator who I recall was originally elected, but I won't mention his name since I don't want to cause a Fuhrer.

  8. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by jombeewoof · · Score: 4, Insightful

    killing other humans is just as if not more natural than sex.

    --
    Linux Zealots: Smarter than Mac Zealots, but still zealots.
  9. ORLY? by copponex · · Score: 4, Insightful

    So, in your crazy little head, assassinating someone - which the CIA and our proxy Mossad do regularly - is the activity of a thuggish dictatorship...

    I guess when Chavez plots an assassination of a government we subsidize, that's a crime. However, when we carry out plotted assassinations against our enemies, it's justice. Yes, it makes perfect sense to me now!

    Hypocrisy? What's that, a new Morrissey cover band?

  10. Not a big deal... by I'mJVC · · Score: 5, Informative

    The way things are developing right now in Venezuela, in a couple months we'll have no electricity to power our violent video games anyway.

    It's another violation of our rights, but it'll have to take the back seat while we deal with the hijacked supreme court, the lack of separation of powers, 12000+ violent deaths a year, the constants attacks on freedom on speech and the money unlawfully gifted by Chavez to foreign countries while lobbying for its revolution and the 21'st century socialism, and estimated over 50 billion dollars.

    This could be called my two cents, but being in Venezuela I can't exchange local to foreign currency freely, another right violation that's 6 years old and counting.

    --
    Will add sig later...
  11. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by Sir_Lewk · · Score: 4, Informative

    Chimp tribes have been observed to go to war with other chimp tribes, and brutally kill them. As repulsive as you may find it, war is a natural activity for humans.

    --
    "linux is just DOS with a UNIX like syntax" -- Galactic Dominator (944134)
  12. Re:Great, but don't go overboard by dskzero · · Score: 4, Informative

    I'm not going to read all that because the fact that you think people who come from spanish, portuguese and the such families are responsible for the slaughter of the indigenous people 300 years ago. You have no idea of how Venezuela is nowadays. It's one of the most dangerous, hostile, and ignorant countries in the world. The "Democratic process" is held by a company who's allied with Chavez. The "aristocratic rich" people are like, i don't know, 1% of the whole population? Yet the last election chavez won by less than 10% of the total votes. Really interesting isn't it? Why does he win? Because the ignorant masses vote for him because he's a ridiculous clown, is funny, and keep saying he helps the poor, which is a sad lie. Why do I know that? For a fact. I live in Venezuela.

    --
    Oblivion Awaits