Utah Senate Passes New Video Game Bill, Battle to Follow
The Utah Senate last night passed an amended bill to ban the sale of M-Rated video games to minors. The bill, HB 353, was drafted by ex-lawyer, Jack Thompson, and would use a new avenue to try and restrict the sale of violent video games to minors.
HB 353, would hold retailers accountable under the Truth In Advertising law, if they were caught selling M, or higher rated games to a person that is not of age to buy them. The Truth In Advertising link means that if a retailer advertises that it abides by the ratings, then it can be found liable if it does not. The Senate passed the bill with some changes, and the changes were ratified by the House. Now the bill goes to the Governor of Utah for signing.
Okay, before I rant, I think anyone that reads the site, and listens to the podcast knows that almost all of the writers are parents of young children, and we all take a long hard look at the ratings when dealing with our children’s gaming habits. With that underlying fact in mind, I just cannot understand how a state legislature would listen to a raving madman like Jack Thompson. He is so insane that he lost his license to practice law in the state of Florida. He has had countless lawsuits thrown out of court because of his rabble rousing.
Also, with almost every state facing some sort of budget crunch, state government is still looking at video games instead of dealing with home foreclosures, funding medical care, fixing tax statutes, and making sure basic services turn on. I mean I live in California, and we were delaying tax returns because the state was broke, yet Leeland Yee felt that his video game ban was far more important than keeping the lights on.
Yes, there are violent video games, and yes companies know, just like movie studios, that these types of games will sell to the consumer. And while the ESRB is not perfect, it has been shown in studies by the government that it is more effective than MPAA ratings or Parental Advisory stickers. I sound like a broken record when I say this, but why don’t we just make parent’s accountable for monitoring behavior. I know what a fucking concept, but it tires me to see lazy parenting, and big government getting in the way of how I take care of my son. Here is a far better tip than what government can do – the next time little Billy or little Sally want Grand Theft Auto 4 and throws a fit, tell them tough. You are the parent, so do your job. Don’t ask government to handle your responsibility.
Now I am sure the Governor will sign this, it will go to the courts, and the state will fight this, and use up resources that again, could go to the people that need services, instead of protection from violent video games. Utah should look to the past when Indiana tried to get creative with video game law, fought it tooth and nail, and then ended up paying the ESA a bucket load of money, that ended up being funded out of programs for putting food on poverty stricken individuals. Unfortunately, I think Jack has given them too much Kool-Aid for them to think intellegently.
Tags: california, constitutional law, esa, esrb, indiana, jack thompson, lawsuit, leeland yee, parents, responsibility, senate, utah, video game bill
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So it means that the minors will be standing outside of the EB Games in Utah waiting for the older kids to walk in and say to them “psst hey, can you pick me up Gears of War!!!! pleeeeease!”
I agree with you, Joe, although you voiced your opinion quite a bit harsher than I might have. This just goes to show how “politically correct” our country is getting. “Don't you think we should be focusing on important issues?” “But who will protect the children from violent video game corruption??” Gimme a break…
As-if Utah really needed any more reasons not to live there…
I agree that if a retailer advertises that they follow a certain practice that they need to be held accountable to it, whether that practice is price matching, offering rain checks when items are out of stock, or not selling M-rated video games to minors. This is a very straightforward issue. However, a law does not need to be written to specify that this other law exists. This will be handily thrown out on redundancy.
As-if Utah really needed any more reasons not to live there…
I agree that if a retailer advertises that they follow a certain practice that they need to be held accountable to it, whether that practice is price matching, offering rain checks when items are out of stock, or not selling M-rated video games to minors. This is a very straightforward issue. However, a law does not need to be written to specify that this other law exists. This will be handily thrown out on redundancy.
I just heard about this on the news tonight. I live in Utah. I am a mother of young children. And, I have had issues with the violent video games for a long time.
The fact is, the games have ratings which outline age appropriateness for content. There is sound reasoning behind it and obvious as what that is.
Young children do not have the mental ability to seperate fantasy from reality. These games have powerfull imagery. I have had to make the rule in my sister in law's home that when my children are there, her 9 yr old is not to play those games. Period. This boy's father is the one who plays and played them with his son at a very early age. This was the only real 'bond' that they shared, as the father is a dysfunctional anti-social. I have seen the negative affects on my nephew because I am aware of how what we experience becomes our experience. He is violent, bully-ish, hurts animals, poor social skills, glorifies war, etc… I attribute these 'tendencies' to the nature of his game-play.
It is disturbing and startling to me how few people see the direct relationship of how dumbed-down much of the public is. The masses are. This selling of war (literal and figurative) through games to a mind-numbed public. The younger one is exposed to this imagery, the more accepting they will be of violence, in all it's forms, and become de-sensitized to it. These effects are highly desirable in military professionals. And there is a whole new decade worth of generations of highly-skilled gamers to fight the broken warriors way of machine and long-distance combat. Disgusting.
I support the ban. What teenager wouldn't want to go against their parents and go buy it for themselves? Teenager's brains operate completely on fight-or-flight mode all the time, and they are not thinking, or rational. Retailers don't give a shit about my kids, their well-being, or society. If they are rated inappropriate for minors, they should not be able to be sold to minors.
Just speaking my word ~*~