Pennsylvania Actually Realizes That Video Game Legislation Is A Bad Idea
from the well,-that's-a-first dept
We've seen so many states with grandstanding politicians trying to ban the sale of certain video games to kids -- despite the fact that every single law that's been passed along those lines in the US has been thrown out as unconstitutional. In the end, politicians know this -- yet they still keep pushing for such laws, so that, come election time, they can make a false claim in their campaign ads about how they "protected the children." The truth is, all they really did, was waste taxpayer money on a lawsuit that was a clear loss from the beginning. That's why it's great to finally see one state at least investigate the issue a bit, with a Pennsylvania task force quite clearly telling state legislators that such a video game sales law is a bad idea. Instead, the task force suggests that, if the legislature really wants to do something, it could fund more research into the impact of video games on kids, or more reasonably, it could fund more educational programs, to discuss the impact of video games. So, now the question is whether or not politicians in Pennsylvania will heed this advice... or if they'll still push forward on a plan to waste taxpayer money?
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Filed Under: bans, pennsylvania, video games
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Another PA resident:
Which is worse, an incompetent lawmaker who wastes all your money or a corrupt lawmaker who wastes all your rights?
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To answer your question...
Of course they'll still push forward on a plan to waste more taxpayer money. Did you forget that these are lawmakers who are out to "protect the children"? ;)
Seriously, though, at the very least, politicians will try to dismiss this study claiming it was funded by the gaming industry. At worst, the politicians will claim the study isn't out to "protect the children" and by twisting the data, they'll claim the study somehow *wants* violent video games to get into the hands of innocent children. Obviously, that's not the case at all, but how many people will actually question a politician's stump-speech or campaign promises?
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Violent Video Games
We make laws to protect children all the time...i.e. safety belt and safety seat laws, smoking, drinking, porn. Europeans will tell you our porn laws are too strict.
Violent video games may not affect all children or people, but you're an idiot if you believe that all children are immune to the influence of things such as tv,video games, and music. If you conclude, that some kids are influenced, then you should be able to understand the attempt to apply further regulations.
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Re: Violent Video Games
"If you conclude, that some kids are influenced, then you should be able to understand the attempt to apply further regulations."
Some children are influenced by violence on TV. That has been "proven" just as much as the influence of violent video games. Why aren't there any people who are trying to ban that?
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Re: Violent Video Games
I am, and will continue to be, a big fan of parents doing what is needed to safeguard their kids instead of shunting that responsibility off to some governmental agency. Parenting, after all, doesn't require taxpayer dollars to fund, is infintely adjustable to whatever the crisis at hand may be, and, let's face it here, is each parent's job. I know that it's easier to be your child's friend than to be their parent, but if we put the responsibility for child-rearing in the hands of elected officials, it just makes it that much easier to not take an active role in the shaping of the next generation.
I don't believe that anyone would say that "all children are immune to the influence of such things as tv, video games, and music", and to imply that seems a bit silly. It's amazing the benefits that can be reaped from taking an active role in the lives of children, both from a protective and an enriching standpoint. Don't ask the government to do a job that we should each be willing and able to perform ourselves, and if you refuse to do your job, don't look to blame others for your own shortcomings.
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Re: Violent Video Games
My congressman wasn't present for the conception or birth of my daughter, so it's hard to see how he/she can genuinely give a tinker's damn about them until they reach voting age, or in a year when her parents themselves will be voting. I, on the other hand, love my kid, and am willing to do whatever is needed at any time to make sure she's aware of the choices she will make, and their impact. Will I be perfect in this? Doubtful, but my oversight is better than government oversight any day of the week.
Maybe my Libertarian is showing, but there are precious few things that the government can do to regulate my life that I can't do better on my own.
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Re: Violent Video Games
Not so. We've looked into most of the studies that claim to show that violent video games lead to violence, and none of them actually do. The methodology on all of them seem to be quite problematic and don't actually show what they claim to show.
We make laws to protect children all the time...i.e. safety belt and safety seat laws, smoking, drinking, porn.
Do we need to explain the First Amendment to you?
Violent video games may not affect all children or people, but you're an idiot if you believe that all children are immune to the influence of things such as tv,video games, and music
Idiot, huh?
Can you point me to a single point where we ever said that kids are "immune" to such influences? We never did. What we said was that there are no studies that show the influence is particularly harmful.
If you conclude, that some kids are influenced, then you should be able to understand the attempt to apply further regulations.
And if you understood the First Amendment, you should also be able to understand why such regulations are unconstitutional. Luckily, the courts do seem to understand it.
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Re: Violent Video Games
Because infants can't process them. It makes them sick.
Also, solid foods and sex.
WE MUST PROTECT THE CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I Know What Kind of Business I Need To Get Into In Pennsylvania
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Where About the Parents?
When MY children were small, I caught them watching MTV after I had told them not to. Suddenly, after my claw hammer broke out the TV screen, they had no more television to watch.
To this day, they do not watch MTV or allow their children to watch either.
Maybe if more parents STOPPED BUYING the video games or stopped their children from playing them, it would not be a problem anymore.
Who runs a family nowdays? The parents? Or the children? Or the government?
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Re: I Know What Kind of Business I Need To Get Into In Pennsylvania
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