Video Games Rating Enforcement Act (H.R. 287)

[toj.cc]phantom

Tribe of Judah Membership Administrator
This is on par with the Comic Code Authority, this needs to be stopped.

[video=youtube;65vO9JvPlTk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65vO9JvPlTk[/video]
 
I didn't watch the video - but I did read the screen capture.

To say that video games don't have an influence on a small percentage of the population is to bury one's head in the sand. Same as violent movies influence a small percentage of the population. If things we watch didn't influence a certain percentage there would be no such thing as a commercial or public service announcement. That being said, the vast majority of the people playing these games or watching these movies aren't going to go on a shooting spree.

On the other hand, gun control legislation is unlikely to make a dent. Gun crimes are already on the decline (Source) and the vast majority of gun crimes are committed with handguns, not assault rifles.

What we are actually seeing is our politicians once again using smoke and mirrors to direct our attention to something they appear to be doing something about (gun control & policing video games) and away from something they should be doing something about (our wildly out of control spending). It's rather sickening if you ask me.
 
Don't worry... this thing has been up in front of Congress twice already now. It's been defeated because it goes against the First Amendment.
 
What we are actually seeing is our politicians once again using smoke and mirrors to direct our attention to something they appear to be doing something about (gun control & policing video games) and away from something they should be doing something about (our wildly out of control spending). It's rather sickening if you ask me.

Ditto.
 
So, I've been looking into this.

On the one hand, it would ban the sale of M and AO games to kids. But their parents could still buy them and give them to their kids. I'm 100% okay with this.

On the other hand, since Indie games are typically not submitted to the ERSB, it would ban the sale of Indie (and possibly foreign) games in the U.S.

That's not good.

I figure the ERSB would have to start rating Indie games.


Two problems that you can drive a tank through:

1. What if I buy games online? I mean, they could probably fine the pants off of Steam, but what if I buy direct?

2. If I am an Indie developer and my livelyhood comes from my games (they are out there,) this law directly damages my right to a livelyhood -- and that's not going to fly.
 
The problem with the ESRB rating indie and imported games is that the publisher has to pay the ESRB to have the game rated.
 
On the one hand, it would ban the sale of M and AO games to kids. But their parents could still buy them and give them to their kids.
Funny, I already thought this was the case. Silly me. Seems a little odd to restrict movies but not games.

Either way, it ultimately falls on the parents. They should be involved enough to know what their child is playing and whether it is appropriate.
 
Actually, video game vendors are considered the best in the entertainment business for already voluntarily restricting sales to minors.

So it doesn't make much difference... the law would simply close the small gap where it's not already done.
 
I think its funny that this nation tries to blame lack of ethics, and every disaster we have encountered in the past 40 years on something other then the lack of Christ in our community. Video games desensitize they youth to violence is what they say but yet they approve of ideas that say that human life isnt important(abortion, evolution) and it is randomly created. and there is people out there who cares more about animals then other humans even children. so our lack of ethics comes from our lack of Christ.
 
At the risk of sounding snide, Christians are hypocrites.

Thank God for his infinite mercy, which has made a way for us even while we are hypocrites, and worse.
 
Politicians use video games as an easy scape goat to hide behind because it's more difficult to crack down on gun sales to people who, lets be honest, probably don't have the mental capacity (in some form) to own a gun.

There's no amendment that states I have the right to play video games in a well-regulated gaming community.

I am trying my hardest not to venture too far into the politics of this, but it's bad when it's just as difficult to purchase Mucinex-D (a decongestant that is used in the manufacturing process of methamphetamines) as it is a handgun.
 
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