Political Putzes Propose More Gaming Laws

Mere days after the industry run ESRB adds a new category to their
video game rating system, a bill coming out of Arkansas would require
retailers to place M rated games literally out of the reach of kids,
shelved a minimum of 5 feet from the floor (leaving the perfectly
acceptable Hustler magazines at a reasonable height). Though not
completely without merit, the proposal would allow the state’s public
health department to fine offenders up to $500.

Washington
state reps however, take it further, proposing a bill that puts game
developers at the heart of responsibility for violent acts by minors
including torture, sexual assault and the killing of women, minorities
and police officers. The bill apparently references studies into the
subject, however anyone educated on the subject knows that such studies
have never correlated video games and violent crimes to any extent, on
occasion proving the opposite.

Lew McMurran of the Washington
Software Association told a Seattle area news team what most gamers
have been saying for years: “We’re removing the responsibility from the
person who committed the act to somebody else who’s completely removed
from the situation”. We couldn’t agree more. At the very least, how
about shifting responsibility to the parents who often prove negligent
and ignorant of the behavior their children exhibit.

Don’t expect these issues to disappear anytime soon.