Censorship at its finest.

censorship is forbidding something from sale. This is preventing its sale to kids.
I guess you think hardcore porn and assault weapons should be sold to 9 year olds too, because otherwise its censorship right?

I think enforced age ratings for games are a good idea, just like they are for films, but the wording of this is just scaremongering at it's finest. I mean what games contain even a hint of sodomy, rape, incest, bestiality, or sado-masochism anyway?

Yeah in the name of 'protecting the children' much can be justified.

What makes it seem hypocritical is the fact how much of what they seek to stop in electronic gaming is seen on TV and deemed appropriate.

censorship is forbidding something from sale. This is preventing its sale to kids.

Preventing it from sale to kids is censorship. It isn't outlawed or prohibited, just censored.

From wiki:

Censorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful or sensitive, as determined by a censor.

Looks like this is censorship to me. Or maybe taken from the other perspective, this law restricts freedoms of minors.

I don't necessarily disagree with this law, surprisingly. But I don't think its going to solve or fix anything either. I think violence (and other forms of suffering) is deeply very rooted in our society. These are politicians and activists grandstanding to get attention and recognition, many of whom are deluded to think this type of action will bring positive change.

Humans are a dangerously insane and very sick species. That's not a judgment. Ifs a fact. --Eckhart Tolle

This comment was edited on Jan 29, 2009, 07:17.

censorship is forbidding something from sale. This is preventing its sale to kids.

I apologise. I skim read it and thought it was about the glamorisation of the mentioned acts, not about restricting them to minors.

I guess you think hardcore porn and assault weapons should be sold to 9 year olds too, because otherwise its censorship right?

Obviously not. We have legal restrictions here in the UK on videos and games and I support them.

Gotta love those religious types that at desperately seeking power to turn the whole world fascist.

What game glamorizes sodomy? heh

Another frivolous bill destined to be delcared unconstitutional.

Gotta love those religious types that at desperately seeking power to turn the whole world fascist.

I think this misconception has been going on long enough. It's not just religious zealots pushing this stuff. Take a look at the records of the congressmen and women pushing this type of garbage. They are not all Bible-thumping Christian fanatics by any means, and about half of them are Democrats (the "party of freedom?" Hardly...).

It is much more a sign of out-of-control political correctness (a by-product of leftist agendas) than religious fundamentalism.

This comment was edited on Jan 29, 2009, 09:47.

I see the economic recession isn't slowing this frivolous spending...

is this the bill that the Blind ONE sponsored that includes language about racism?

In any case, these bills actually serve a purpose.....it allows the citizenry to see which politico is simply attempting to raise his/her profile rather than institute laws that actually make a difference. At this point every single one of them should know that such a bill doesn't stand a chance.

BTW, which games contain "sodomy, rape, incest, bestiality, or sado-masochism.....?

More importantly, where can I get them?

This comment was edited on Jan 29, 2009, 10:15.

Which game actually glamorizes sodomy? Or rape? Or bestiality? I mean, wtf?

Does state legislature really have nothing else to waste our tax dollars on? Fucking worthless shitbags.

Creston

This comment was edited on Jan 29, 2009, 11:10.

I think enforced age ratings for games are a good idea, just like they are for films,

Except, they aren't really enforced for film. Every film gets a rating, but so does every game. Any game that doesn't have a rating wouldn't be carried by the retailers where a child could possibly come into contact with them anyways.

And theaters do not enforce the ratings system one way or the other. I see plenty of tweens in movies that are rated R.

Creston

Gotta love those religious types that at desperately seeking power to turn the whole world fascist.

Kindly explain WHERE it shows that these are "religious types?" It doesn't mention anything about it in the entire article. So you're just blindly attributing this to "religious types." There is a word for that.

Creston

The Strawman fallacy.

"You are wrong in thinking [these potential censorable games] should be available for sale for minors, because I say you think [hardcore porn and assault rifles] should be available for minors too."

Attempting to make the censorship of the game seem more palatable since it can be associated, by your language but not by fact, to porn and assault rifles.

You fail at logic 101 and civics 101 but pass propaganda and manipulation 101.

Glamorizing bestiality, rape and incest?!

SIGN ME UP! WHERE ARE THESE GAMES?!

As to the expanded fears listed in the bill, it's probably looking to capture future problems, not specifically implying that these problems exist in current games. On the other hand, listing them gives the impression that they do exist in current games, which doesn't hurt the fear factor.

As to censorship, with little exception, everyone is willing to censor to some degree: I want the bank to censor my bank information from the public, Most people approve of censoring adult material from kids, and so on. That's not a straw-man fallacy, it's reality. Crying "censorship" is simply not a good argument unless you really believe in no censorship at all. "useless" censorship, "misguided" censorship, "bound to backfire" censorship is more appropriate.

I honestly think these guys are doing what they think is right, and I honestly think it's also misguided, since these laws never pass. But I also think parents and hardcore video gamers are not taking responsibility for any moral censorship of their own. Arguing that people have different moral values is not a reason to throw all of them out.

But that's just my humble opinion.

Yehuda

SIGN ME UP! WHERE ARE THESE GAMES?!

Why would they try to pass a bill for games that don't exist? I'm guessing for preventative reasons. Within the past few decades what's been considered "normal" has changed dramatically. Just Elvis's head was usually shown on TV because of his 'crazy hip gyrations' they thought unsuitable back then. I'm sure they're proposing it now so it makes it easier to pass based on what's considered "normal" by today's standards and will be harder to overturn when games that include rape, incest and beastiality (really?) start showing up.

For all the progressive thinking the Democrats pride themselves on, this is exactly the kind of garbage that keeps me from taking them seriously.

Libs....no better than the Cons....

"...sodomy, rape, incest, bestiality, or sado-masochism."

Shit, where is THAT game store?

But but but, I'm just about to release my cRPG master piece - "Father Billy Wild All Boys Summer Holiday Camp at The Farm House Ranch" I'm just waiting on the pillow cases that I was going to ship with the game. Dam.