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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."

6 of 335 comments (clear)

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

    How about seize nothing, because this law is retarded.

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    "Ubuntu" -- an African word, meaning "Slackware is too hard for me". - stolen from Dan C alt.os.linux.slackware
  2. 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?

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    NO SIG
  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

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    Will add sig later...