Campaign Creations

This is a pretty big case since it's the first national one and an anti-censorship decision would essentially end most state-level challenges on the subject. Two encouraging signs are that at least 3 of the justices, including the recently selected Sotomayor and conservative Scalia, seemed to be against any form of censorship as well as the fact that the Supreme Court voted earlier this year to strike down censorship.

The case name is Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association. No, really.

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Iirc all charges against a state go against the name of the governor.

So if the pro-games win, kids could buy gta games at gamestop without needing an I'd?

The ESRB system is voluntary as is any store's compliance with it. If the state of California wins, access to certain games could then be defined by law (and not by the industry) including a fine, where a loss would end any serious attempt to regulate video game purchasing by minors for some time.

*sigh*

I still can't wrap my head around the reasoning behind those "groups" pushing for law to regulate violent games. Is it really that hard to read the ratings shown on the game cases and keep kids younger than said rating from playing it themselves?

My parents at least aren't oblivious to what games I play, and they (well, mom at least) made sure I wasn't playing something too graphic when I was younger.

On a slightly rambling side-note, I still recall my sister's very silly "don't play that" comments towards Bully (from a bunch of years back), even though I still haven't rented and played it yet. I guess even with good parenting from those parents & caretakers for their kids there's still folks who excessively worry over things that can be easily monitored, provided they keep to it from a very young age.

DrumsofWar wrote:The ESRB system is voluntary as is any store's compliance with it. If the state of California wins, access to certain games could then be defined by law (and not by the industry) including a fine, where a loss would end any serious attempt to regulate video game purchasing by minors for some time.

In all honesty this doesn't sound too bad if I am understanding it correctly. It's the same way with alcohol, which should be banned completely, as unlike games it's dangerous. But I certainly wouldn't be opposed to keeping GoW out of hands of little timmy until his balls drop.

But what's more likely is they'd use this as a gateway into actual censorship.

A gateway it would become, as not even violent movies are subject to these kinds of laws (the rating system for movies, as with games, is entirely voluntary).

The only way out of this that would satisfy both sides would be to split the difference. Make games with full nudity illegal with a considerable fine for distribution to minors, exempt player use of nudity addons, then let the violent games do whatever they may.

Are we seriously arguing video-game censorship?

Look, it's this simple: Censorship is censorship. It's the big long arm of the Federal Nanny telling you she knows more about what's better for you than you do and you had better live YOUR life HER way or she'll take you to jail by threat of the gun. Buckle your seatbelt! Don't smoke cigarettes! Don't drink alcohol! Don't play violent video games! Eat more vegetables! Play more soccer! SERVE THE HIVE.

Fuck that shit.

If I want to buy poison for my own consumption, and I'm of legal age, it's nobody's business and everybody can piss off. If I want to play a violent video game, to vent my frustrations of the world or just be-damned-cause, who is anybody to tell me different?

Fuck the government, man. Get the hell out of our lives.

Damn straight Archangel. There's another important issue the SC will have to decide in a few months, and if it sides with the government it won't just be a gateway, but a portal to Hell.

Archangel wrote:If I want to buy poison for my own consumption, and I'm of legal age, it's nobody's business and everybody can piss off.

What is the legal age for buying poison? I agree with you that censorship is retarded, and I'm against the video game regulation. But with that one sentence, you kindof negate your whole argument by adding in the "legal age" bit, since that is exactly what this whole thing is about. It won't affect what us old farts can and can't buy. Just anyone under the "legal age."

Nonetheless, I agree, it's not the government's job.

Being a Libertarian means I actually do believe in a rule of law. I'm not an anarchist.

"Legal age" is - for the layman - the legal age of consent, (in this country it's 18) where we are of right and sound enough mind to stand independent of our parental guardians, as full citizens. We can vote, we can live on our own, we can do all sorts of things those younger than 18 can do.

Crap, Archangel agrees with me. But yeah, I see censorship as censorship.

The only rationale you'd have against this is IF video games are as harmful as alcohol or nicotine, which pretty much everyone agrees should have a legal age limit (even if that number moves). I'd be more for not letting anyone under 16 view MTV and VH1 at this point.

Archangel wrote:Look, it's this simple: Censorship is censorship. It's the big long arm of the Federal Nanny telling you she knows more about what's better for you than you do and you had better live YOUR life HER way or she'll take you to jail by threat of the gun. Buckle your seatbelt! Don't smoke cigarettes! Don't drink alcohol! Don't play violent video games! Eat more vegetables! Play more soccer! SERVE THE HIVE.

You know who that sounds like? Blizzard! *laughs*

You ain't shit'n me.

And while it pisses me off to no end, they're private and this is their private property. They have that right because we don't have to buy into their bullshit. But when a Government does the same thing, we don't have that choice. Unless we have a hankering for jail time. And soap.

Archangel wrote:Are we seriously arguing video-game censorship?

Look, it's this simple: Censorship is censorship. It's the big long arm of the Federal Nanny telling you she knows more about what's better for you than you do and you had better live YOUR life HER way or she'll take you to jail by threat of the gun. Buckle your seatbelt! Don't smoke cigarettes! Don't drink alcohol! Don't play violent video games! Eat more vegetables! Play more soccer! SERVE THE HIVE.

Fuck that shit.

If I want to buy poison for my own consumption, and I'm of legal age, it's nobody's business and everybody can piss off. If I want to play a violent video game, to vent my frustrations of the world or just be-damned-cause, who is anybody to tell me different?

Fuck the government, man. Get the hell out of our lives.

I don't see what's censorship about saying "This material is inappropriate for minors".

It's not "you can't have violent video games"- it's "We should keep violent and sexually perverse material away from impressionable young people."