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New MA Bill: Video Games = Porn
Zahaladeen
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
The Massachusettes legislature is currently working on a bill that mimics Jack Thompsons Louisiana failed attempt at making video games with an "M" rating an "X" rating for minors.
STORY: http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/17/massachusetts-will-consider-video-game-legislation-this-week/
I don't understand why this is a parental issue. As it is, this is over-reaching by the state and poorly done at that.
STORY: http://gamepolitics.com/2008/03/17/massachusetts-will-consider-video-game-legislation-this-week/
I don't understand why this is a parental issue. As it is, this is over-reaching by the state and poorly done at that.
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I don't think it's possible in the US, with the constitution and all.
I thought there was some level of government regulation with regards to those things. Like, can a smut theater allow anybody they please in without legal recourse? I know the comic shop down the street from me was brought to court for giving some violent comic book to a minor, but I'm not so sure if it's a state matter or a civil matter.
Games rated AO are already illegal to sell to minors. Analogy fails. The other is civil.
Anyone who has played the source mod "The Hidden" knows this to be false.
With that said, I wouldn't regard the right to play violent games without your parents knowing about it as exactly inviolable.
What the fuck? How do you think that comparing modes of aesthetic expression to destructive mind-altering substances is going to move the debate in a positive direction?
Nevertheless, kids will want to do what they want to do. If you actually think this shit actually harms kids, then you better make a law to prevent kids from going to their friends' houses to watch Nightmare on Elm Street.
Is there a debate here?
Anyone in the room think this bill should pass?
I could play devil's advocate if need be. It's always nice to have an opposing view point to sharpen your own views against.
A little less radical or contemptible, but along similar lines.
What about "why do politicians pull this bullshit?"
i.e. why do we allow them to waste our tax dollars on bills that will not pass, and then later on court fees to the companies that challenge the law?
https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197970666737/
that's why we call it the struggle, you're supposed to sweat
The politicians are doing this for political capital among parents who don't understand why little Jimmy doesn't act exactly like they did when they were his age.
Also, if we ruled the world, this wouldn't happen, but we would have so many other problems that I don't even want to think about it.
Considering a law like this was passed in Louisiana and then immediately repealed by a higher court and the state itself fined, not too good.
On to the topic--politicians are corrupt and we're heading to a period I feel is similar to the 1870s through 1900. Which sucks, really.
I'd say it's more for violating safety.
You'd be right. Speeding isn't a public-order violation, and public-order violations are a waste of tax dollars.
Who will enforce these laws?
When I was a teenager, I would go see R rated movies with my friends all the damn time. Never was carded once. What makes this video game rating system any different?
Sure, WAL MART has a policy of not selling M rated games to minors, but the 16-17 year old kids working the checkout counters for minumum wage usually don't give two shits about what you buy
As a matter of fact I can only remember ever being carded once in my entire life (for something other than alcohol that is) and that was when I tried to buy a CD with explicit lyrics. When the lady told me I couldnt purchase it, I simply went 3 checkout lanes over and bought it from someone else.
Explain to me how its not a great argument.
BECAUSE IT'S EXACTLY THE FUCKING ARGUMENT IN FAVOR OF LEGISLATED REGULATION. If industry self-regulation never works then there is a need for the state to step in. Fucking christ, sometimes I want to go ahead and shit on the bill of rights just to spite teamkillers like you.
Edit: What you just described, simply going to another counter, it doesn't work with products where the cashier can be thrown in jail for selling them to you, does it?
It basically says that without legal penalties for selling violent games to minors, there is no enforcement.
Which leads to the conclusion that legal penalties are needed. Which I think is the opposite of the intended destination.
Relax. Address the issue, not the person.
No, the conclusion is the legislation is pointless.
Someone get this man a new car because he's a winner!
Teamkillers cease to be people and become part of the issue when they decide it would be funny to gun down team-members.
Yeah, right, that's why there are no laws against selling anything to minors. Nice job.
I think you're missing a logical hop here.
You're arguement is that when you bought things store policy said you couldn't have, you just had to find a sales rep that would ignore store policy.
This says that in it's current unlegislated state, store policy is not enforced enough and has too minor a penalty attached to it.
The obvious logical result is that the policy needs a much larger penalty to force employees to follow it. Jail time is a pretty large penalty that gets people to break rules a lot less.
You really are stating a case where the only logical end point is "we need laws to cover this". You may want to change to a freedom of speech arguement, or stick with pointing out that movie ratings aren't legally enforced, either.
No, the logical endpoint is that the legislation is pointless.
It really, really does. Cf. alcohol and cigarettes.
Explain. If it is well known that selling minors something will result in jail time, you're saying people will still not stop selling them said something?
I know I won't buy beer for minors no matter how much they ask, because it risks a generally steep penalty. And the cashier at the liqour store will definately not do it.
However, we all know how easy it is to get into an R rated movie as a minor, and that's because it's unregulated.
I really need you to show your work here, because I can't find a single method that your post leads to the "we shouldn't clamp down on this" angle that supports self enforcement as a viable option.