The First Amendment continues to get raped

[KillerGremlin]

Originally Posted by Xantar

Now what does the First Amendment have to do with all this? The First Amendment prohibits the government from abridging freedom of speech or the free exercise thereof. Where in all this would this be happening?

The proposed law would prevent minors from buying games with a certain rating. That's not censorship. Censorship would be if the game was banned outright so that nobody could buy it. And if parents can still buy the game for their kids if they think it's appropriate...then what exactly is the problem?

Quibble with the particular ratings all you want (I myself have issues with how the MPAA rates certain movies), but the First Amendment and the freedom of speech it protects has nothing to do with it.

I actually thought about that, and I realize that it doesn't, yet. However, as some of these anti-violent super groups continue to build a presence, the more I think you will see things like "ban Grand Theft Auto." I believe it was Australia that banned Grand Theft Auto, and there have been numerous groups of angry parents that have wanted games like Grand Theft Auto taken off the market altogether. If politicians continue to be swayed by these groups of people against violent games, who knows what could happen.

[Xantar]

Angry parents have been trying to get various things banned throughout American history. If it's not violent videogames, then it's pornography. If not that, then it's violent music. If not that, then it's Huckleberry Finn. Needless to say, naked pictures, music by Eminem and the works of Mark Twain are still around for us to enjoy.

Except for a very brief period, people hung up on morality haven't even managed to get alcohol banned. And unlike violent videogames, booze has actually been proven to cause harm when abused. You can criticize people who want to ban certain videogames all you want (I certainly would join in with you), but I wouldn't get too worried or worked up about it. The tradition of allowing people to carry on as they like is too strong in this country to be overrun by a largely ridiculed segment of society (evidence shows that most Americans do not sympathize with people who want to ban violent media).

[TheSlyMoogle]

Lol, I'm sorry to say this but being 18, I could care less. It's not like they're stopping production of violent video games and I can totally buy them anyway.

Besides I was always mature enough to know this junk wasn't real, so mom bought me whatever I wanted. I've been rocking out rated R movies since I was 9, and most games didn't start becoming M style until the days of 3d graphics, and even then that stuff was horrible graphics style.

It's not until the games of today that I would have been worried about screwing with heads anyway.

I think it's great that they're trying to crack down on vendors because they need to start filtering out who they're selling games to.

Seriously though, I could care less about the subject. It's mostly stupid Mothers who are probably house wives who are always there and have nothing better to do but complain to make their lives seem more useful, or the polar opposite as in parents who are never there and don't really care so they buy their kids everything, then they notice a violent video game off-handedly when their child gets in trouble or something, and then tries to fight a battle against the gaming industry because they're too stupid to wake up and realize it's their fault and not the gaming industry's.

[Typhoid]

Originally Posted by TheSlyMoogle

I could care less.

GAH!

Im sorry...as much as I send you music, talk to you, and downright like you as a person....I hate how people constantly get htis wrong.

Its "Couldnt" care less.

If you CAN care less, thats good. That means you already care for it.

If you CANT care less, thats bad, because that means your already at the lowest point of caring.

I gave you +rep though...for the lack of the hard feelings...plus I completely agree with you...except for the above statemnts about caring.

[Vampyr]

People get the expression wrong enough times to make it right.

[Professor S]

The government has always come across very stern in such hearings as Lieberman held before the ESRB and even the Gore music debacle of the late 80's, they have never outright banned anything.

The message they have made in each case has been quite clear: Regulate yourselves, or we will do it for you.

And in each case the entertainment industries in question have made concessions to help keep inappropriate material out of the hands of children (even if the Parental Advisory warning is a joke in practice)

The problem I find is that while the industries have made rating systems, the only one I see consistently enforce them is the movie industry. I've been purchasing videogames and CDs for a long time now, and I have NEVER seen anyone get carded for a CD or game.

Here lies the issue. If the rating system has no enforcement, then its just lip service and more and more activists will figure this out as time goes on. Once again, the industry will be left with another choice:

"Regulate yourselves or we will do it for you"

[Jason1]

eh....



Looks to me like it does say 17+

Granted not everyone will actually look that close to see that, but its there. If parents honestly cant understand the current ratings system, we've got a seirous problem on our hands...

[Ginkasa]

Originally Posted by Jason1

If parents honestly cant understand the current ratings system, we've got a seirous problem on our hands...

I once saw this grandma buying birthday presents for her grandchild at Wal*Mart. Apparently, the child had given his grandma a list of things he/she wanted. Several of these items were video games. The grandma had asked a clerk employee person for help in finding the chosen games. When the clerk asked which games, she replied, "Star Wars: Super Smash for the GameCube." (this was soon after the GCN's launch, obviously).

Obviously the grandma was actually referring to Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Fortunately, the clerk realized this as well and pointed her to both games, but the grandma insisted that there was a game called Star Wars: Super Smash and that was what her grandchild wanted.

The moral: Parents (and grandparents) can be very very stupid when it comes to video games.


*shrugs and walks away*

[TheSlyMoogle]

Originally Posted by Link1130

I once saw this grandma buying birthday presents for her grandchild at Wal*Mart. Apparently, the child had given his grandma a list of things he/she wanted. Several of these items were video games. The grandma had asked a clerk employee person for help in finding the chosen games. When the clerk asked which games, she replied, "Star Wars: Super Smash for the GameCube." (this was soon after the GCN's launch, obviously).

Obviously the grandma was actually referring to Star Wars: Rogue Leader: Rogue Squadron II and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Fortunately, the clerk realized this as well and pointed her to both games, but the grandma insisted that there was a game called Star Wars: Super Smash and that was what her grandchild wanted.

The moral: Parents (and grandparents) can be very very stupid when it comes to video games.


*shrugs and walks away*

Good story.

Man I would have hated to be that clerk. I already hate old ladies enough as it is.