Washington state passes anti-video game law

The BBQ Pit
1

Washington state has now made it illegal for retailers to sell to anyone under 17 video games that depict violence against law enforcement.

Pardon me while I decide to laugh or cry.

First of all, what is even the point of this law? What games will it actually target? Let’s see. Grand Theft Auto 3, Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, ummmm, The Getaway, errr, Postal 2, maybe a handful of others? Yet it won’t target games like, say, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance or Unreal Tournament 2003. And what about games where “cops” are the bad guys, like (and yes I know this is a dated example) Duke Nukem 3D?

Second, are these people completely ignorant of legal precedent? The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals already struck down a similar law regulating the availability of violent video games to minors in American Amusement Machine Association v. Kendrick, finding that the law wrongly curtailed freedom of expression. The 8th Circuit court is also expected in the coming months to strike down a similar law about video games in IDSA v. St. Louis County.

Music, movies, and books/publications all are protected under the First Amendment. Attempts to legislate control over violence in those media have been struck down. It’s time to grant video games the same amount of First Amendment protection.

Oh and since this is the Pit, let’s get it on:

These laws are bullshiat infringements on free speech and represent nothing more than pandering about a non-issue for votes. You think these farkers that passed the law know a single damn thing about the games they are talking about? Have they even heard of the farking legal definition of “content neutral”, which is central to pretty much all legislation of speech? What the fark do they really think this law is going to accomplish? I hope they get their asses sued over this stupid law within days, because this law is a pointless, useless, vague, unconstitutional piece of shit that needs to be overturned.

Ok, rack me. But I’ll continue coherently and calmly from now on.

2

Most of those, or all of them, I’m not sure, are already rated M. If retailers would just follow ESRB guidelines, legislators would have no room to complain.

You see this every time some congressman brings up Grand Theft Auto. They talk about how kids are playing it and that’s bad. Of course, if those kids parents knew jack-shit about what games the kid was playing, that parent would know that that game was rated M and is only intended for people 17 and older. They always ignore that part.

You never see legislators making huge rally cries to ban R rated movies because kids are sneaking in. Just games. Because they are old old men. Lousy old guys.

(I know this largely didn’t address the OP… But it just really pisses me off when legislators act as though M games are made specifically for children, and they do it all the time)

3

It’s a “look-good” law – it lets the politicians look good come election time, even though odds are it won’t change a damn thing.

4

Eh, I don’t care, if I keep hearing screechy parents complaining cause little Johnny bought Vice City (or, twice as bad, parents who bought it FOR him), I’m going to use some of my leet shooter skills. It’s a feelgood law, so they can make campaign commercials saying “Bob Banner is tough on crime and tough on violent video games. He cares about your children.”

5

Looks like someone forgot to tell Gary Locke that he was elected Governor, not Mom.

6

Saw this bill thing advertised on d2.net a few months ago, I think. It’s sort of like a shiny penny … it looks nice, but in the end it isn’t worth much. The almighty dollar (unless the penalty for breaking this law are really fucking severe) prevails every time. And in this case, I’m pretty glad about that.

7

Washington State is home to Valve software, owners of the enormous motherfucking Counter-Strike empire. You’d think that our legislators would kinda get the point that they SHOULDN’T FUCK WITH MAJOR BUSINESSES in this state. Apparently they don’t. This is, of course, aside from the issue of how completely and totally fucktarded this law is. Sixteen year olds playing Counter-Strike! OH NO!

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I’m not sure I understand you, Alereon…are you saying that even if something is detrimental to the well being of our youth…we shouldn’t mess around with it if it brings money into our state?

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I think Alereon’s point is that, if you want to attack a strawman to gain some political points, you don’t pick someone who contributes a substantial amount of money to your state’s economy.

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Washington state has made many noises about how “progressive” it is.

Bullshit, as this pathetic vote-whoring law illustrates.

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Well, it must comfort you to realize that there are 49 other states available for you to reside in more comfortably. And a whole lot of other countries.

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You fucking animal.

Do you have any clue what my family and me have been subjected to at the tender mercies of the Washington state government?

Before you make some provincial, ignorant, and just plain fucking stupid statement, I would suggest you post a reasonable reply (asking for clarification), or email me privately.

Until then, fuck you, you provincial, little piece of dogshit!

13

Wow, and P.T. Smegma does a triple half-gainer with a twist, right off the deep end!

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Holy shit, Washington state must be a hellhole. :smiley:

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and splashes all over the judges on entry

1.4, 1.2, 1.5, 1.8, 0.5…

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:cool: Yes indeed, folks!

Keep in mind that Mr and Mrs Smegma, as well as the Smeglets were subjected to violations of their civil rights!

I truly wish that I could cite with links the obscentity that Chez Smegma suffered at the tender (very fucking neurotic) mercies of the Just (apparently, in Schotticher’s opinion) Washington state gummint, but it’s fucking confidential!

Suffice it to say: My wife and I were exonerated.

I’ll say this again with complete conviction: Washington state blows hard about being “progressive,” but when push comes to shove, the local parasites (politicians) whore for votes.

Any fellow Washington citizens disagree? I’d suggest that you are simply naive.

As far as leaving the state of Washington or the United States for greener pastures? Fuck you again, Scotticher, in the ass. With a big rubber dick. Unlubricated.

I love this country, and even this state, despite the often misguided shit from the respective governments.

One more time: Fuck you, Scotticher! Answer me in this thread, or private email. I don’t care. You’ve made some noise about tolerance, how about you put your money down?

17

Well, shit!

I try to impress the judges, but my natural gawkiness tends to fuck things up! :confused:

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You’re right on about the movies, Earl. There’s a couple of key cases that keep legislators off movies, though. It’s not just because they are out of touch. First, there’s Burstyn v. Wilson (1952), when the Supreme Court ruled that movies are protected speech by the First Amendment. Second, there’s Video Software Dealers Association v. Webster (1992) when the 8th Circuit struck down a Missouri law prohibiting video stores from renting violent movies to minors.

Great job bringing up just who in fact these games are made for as well. It’s a very large misconception that video games are kid stuff and that probably inspires a lot of the outrage that gets channeled into laws like these. In fact, the IDSA has found that the average video game player is actually 28 years old, that 90% of video game purchases are made by people over 18, and that 86% of those under 18 make video game purchases with parental permission.

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Which we all should have known, seeing as we’re all faithful followers of the P.T. Smegma Weekly Newsletter.

Incidentally, is anyone else disturbed by this guy refering to his wife and children with a slang term for the crud you scrape out from underneath an unwashed foreskin?

So, Scotticher should have known better than to make that comment, despite the fact that it’s impossible for her to have known better, because whatever it is you’re raving about is confidential. It’s a little hard to sympathize with the tribulations of your family when you won’t tell us what those tribulations were.

Yay?

Which makes it different from every other state in the union how, exactly? And if it sucks so much, why are you so pissed off at the suggestion that you move?

Again with the inexplicable and entirely unwarranted hostility. Either explain why you’ve got your panties so far up your ass crack you’d need the jaws of life to get 'em back out, or just shut up. Actually, scratch that first option.

And, boy, does that love ever shine through in your posts!

Answer you about what? Tolerate what? What the hell are you talking about, you spastic freak?

20

Could be worse. Could be like Greece. There, the dumb supposedly progressive government banned ALL VIDEO GAMES!!! Simply because of the illegal gambling ones(which shouldn’t be illegal anyway). Course the law was appearently overturned by the Greek Courts and if the court doesn’t succeed, the EU court sure as hell will.

That said, I give the Washington Law about 2 seconds.

I also wonder how the Primal Rage stuff in Arizona went. Did that ever last? A “woman” named Ellie Rovella had the game pulled off the shelves there because she didn’t pay attention to what the game was before she bought it for her son. Didn’t stop her from blaming the Game Store. GamePro rightfully villified her while the more conservative Woman’s World hailed her as a hero.

She should have been executed.