Is this ridiculous or what?

[XXXconanXXX]

Browsing through the Battle.net forums, I came across a thread that stated that the governor of Illinois is trying to pass a law that will not allow anyone under 18 to play a violent game.

Now, I might only be 13 years old, but this still pisses me off. I KNOW this law won't be passed, as the government wouldn't allow it. But I'm saying, if it did I would seriously be pissed. It should be within parent's rights to regulate what their kids watch and play, NOT the government. ONe thing that does bother me though, HOW THE HELL would the government rewgulate what kdis were playing or watching? WOuld they put cameras in our house? They couldn't as that's SERIOUS invasion of privacy. If they were however, make kids NOT be able to buy Mature games, then I'd be fine with that. My parents don't have a problem buying me violent games, heck, just after Christmas my dad bought me Doom3 since Target wouldn't allow me to purchase it even though my mom was right next to me.

Another thing that getsme is most kids who play violent games, they don't interfere with their lives. Only the F'ed up ones with horrible parents are the ones that grow up to Drug dealers, things like that and that's mostly because their parents were F'ed up as well.

The only thing about that law that really bothers me is how are they going to regulate that if it does get passed? Would they go to EVERY parent with a kid and ask them if they played violent games? Most parents would lie about it. WOuld they put cameras in the hosue and watch what kids are doing? Most likely not because that violates a HUGE law.

Again, I'm jsut stating my opinion in this law, as I know it's not going to be passed by congress. Since it's for the whole country, the law will be passed to each state and maybe 3 or 4 will accept it, most will vote against it.

I like the way it is now, where only the family places like Target and Wal-mart are the ons that won't allow any kid or adult with kid to buy aviolent video game, but places like Gamestop can freely sell them to kids even without parents.

So, give your opinion in this stupid, god forsaken law.

 

[SD_Ryoko]

1. Even if its parents responcibility, there not doing anything. Kids are still shooting up schools.

2. How enforce it? battlenet and other games would require credit card info for age verification purposes.

my dad bought me Doom3 since Target wouldn't allow me to purchase it even though my mom was right next to me.

Good to see the system works.

3. Won't pass it? Never say never. They did away with gay marriage in 11 more states for us They cry and whine its unconstitutional on a daily basis - and it still happed.

How do rediculous / unfair laws get passed? The system my freind. The people in this country VOTE and determine them. It can be downright unconsitutional and unfair, but if 70% of us in ohio voted for it, it gets passed. The people have spoken, I love my country.

Lastly, remember as you are only 13, you have ZERO personal constitutional rights until you are 18.

 

[XXXconanXXX]

Hehe your probably right. I'm still just a kid, and a moron at that, so its good to listen to your superiors.

I don't mind it, and it doesn't bother me it just bothers me if it does get passed, how would they enforce it? Even if they did require you to send a picture of your license or something like that (something for ID) it would cut down on the number of kids playing but alot of kids could just walk in and grab their parents credit cards, and key in the info there.

It still seems to me that parents should decide what their kids watch, play and do, not the law. I mean, I play very violent and bloody games all the time and it hasn't crossed my mind once to pick up a weapon and do anything with it, so it seems to me that it depends on the person, not what the person is watching or playing.

On the 9 page thread I was looking at about this, it seemed alot of the adults were voting for it and the kids weren't, it seems once again I'm clumped in with the rest of them.

Let's ask you a perosnal question Ryoko. Would you vote for this law if it was up to you?

Quote:
my dad bought me Doom3 since Target wouldn't allow me to purchase it even though my mom was right next to me.



Good to see the system works.

Hehe, I should've put that differently. I too, am glad that places like that have rules like that, as place slike Wal-mart and Target or family oriented, and kids shouldn't be allows to walk in and buy very mature games. That, does not bother me, it does bother me however that this would go against some freedoms. It makes me mad that people with kdis that beleive they shouldn't allow their kids to watch or play vioelent things, think they have the right to stand up and decide what should happen in every family and that they should also follow what they beleive in.

I might be only a kid, and that may be why I think this, but I don't think video games and violence on Television will turn someone from a normal kid, into a moron who shoots up a school.

I'm a serious gamer, and I don't focus on the violence of games, but the depth of them. THings like Doom3 aren't meant to be all bloody and violent, but that's the way it is since it's made to be a horror sci-fi game. I'm not going to go play Unreal Tournament 2004, see what happens when you blow people to bits, and go to school and shoot someone to see if they blow up as well.

It seems that yes, the law should at least do something to enforce what kids watch and seeby advertising it more and showing parents they need to care, rather than telling people what their kids can and cannot play.

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Well I'm sorry man - I'm just biased.

My roomates kid spends every hour hes awake cramming his head with video games.

Stupid kid can't spell the street he lives on - but I have to listen to star wars and sound effects the entire time I'm working on my computer.

I'm so sick of it. Down with games for kids.

 

[Darg]

There are kids who play games who have good grades and who are also courteous, polite, respectful individuals.

Then there are kids who play games who have really bad grades, are terribly unhealthy (probably fat), disrespecful to others and so forth.

Unfortunately its those bad kids who ruin it for the good kids. But that's the general rule in society - the bad people always ruin it for the good people. And they always draw more attention to themselves of course which makes things worse.

So the odds are probably stacked against you conan.......



(why are kids in such a hurry to grow up? what's wrong with just being a kid?)

 

[XXXconanXXX]

There are kids who play games who have good grades and who are also courteous, polite, respectful individuals.

Aww you mean me right? Awww that's so sweet.

Then there are kids who play games who have really bad grades, are terribly unhealthy (probably fat), disrespecful to others and so forth.

Your talking about 75% of the people on Battle.net. Me too, am sometimes mean when I make a game, and 99% of the time there's at least one idiot who stats cussing me out because I pawned their head.

(why are kids in such a hurry to grow up? what's wrong with just being a kid?)

This isn't fully with the topic, but Darg you brought up a good point. I get sick of the friggin morons who think they have to be all cool, and have to learn to drive a car all early, and tell their parents that they're growing up. I mean, being a kid is the easiest thing in your life, you get free mney, free food, free shelter, free whatever the hell you want and these kids just can't appreciate it. The other thing thast makes me mad is people who think if they do drugs, smoke some cigs, and drink some beer then they're all cool. "Go ahead, go right on and ruin your life buddy, REALLY cool".

You know the OTHER thing that makes me mad? People who think that using jui juitsu and all these karate ttraining schools and being in MMA fights is cool. (Haha Ryoko I'm just joking with you, as I did the same thing to)

 

[Rinpun]

I hope they don't pass it.

Still, there was one kid really sick in the head that when around as if the world was like Vice City. If you heard some news about some idiot wounding cops with his little pistol, that's him. I suppose he got his gun from his not-so-careful father (stole it, perhaps) and with his incredible idiotic line "life's a game, so who cares if anyone dies and...."

Sickening quite a bit to say in the least.

Then there is the people in my class and myself. I don't know if you'd call us smart or not, but we don't go around killing people (if we have any anger or energy to use it up, we do it the right way...football) even though we play Halo, Doom 3, or Age of Empires (the list goes on).

But, I don't know, it doesn't really matter. I'm just sad to see the possibility of taking away violence out of games. RPGs suddenly become incredibly pointless. Most are about strategy and loyalty (when you're playing the good side) pitted against corruption and the "bad dudes". What they should do, but this would be quite hazardous such as signing to buy a handgun, is to have a short of idiocy test as well as a few questions for the parents such as "Do you own a gun?" or "If yes, do you keep it locked up tight?". The idiocy test might include annoying the kid and making sure he doesn't cuss like a fool, because most messed up kids cuss like crazy when ticked. It also might include feeding him a demo of the game and making sure to get a "no life is not a game".

We all know the real "game meaning" of Life. It's not an RPG, because not everyone is incredibly smart (a main character) or incredibly dumb (an NPC). It's not a game in general, because life is life. That person you might have just shot could have contributed something to the world (in an atheist's point of view at least). In an RPG, that person you just shot (if it's not Fable but then again it doesn't really matter either way) is pre-programmed to get shot and no one really cares. Most of the time you're fighting against an evil empire and you may end up killing humans, but it's for a good cause. In Fable where there isn't necessarily an inclination to be good, it still doesn't hurt to be bad. If life were a game, you'd be able to don a gun expertly and kill as much as you want without either anyone caring or the ability to shoot down everyone around you just for sport. But, that's not the case. Anyone who thinks so isn't the "main character" in their "Life RPG", and will be disarmed and punished accordingly, no successful rebel action here.

And Life doesn't have sides. Sure there are evil terrorists who love to go around shooting people, but there is no real "evil side" of purple-colored beings that spurt blue blood and have a tendency to bathe in human blood. In Life everyone has an opinion and a willingness to think. I think Bush was wrong to war in Iraq, others think it is right. I think Terrorists are messed up, but they obviously think what they're doing is right--they don't do it "for entertainment".

But of course, the above is obvious. I restate my opinion. I HOPE that they don't pass this but I won't attempt to commit suicide if they do. I find some "entertainment" in "romance".

 

[Spastic]

Ryoko, I disagree with everything you have said

1.) Kid's do not randomly shoot up schools because they played a game. There must be a mental disorder/deeper problem present to make anyone do such a thing and plead innocence. They are looking for a scapegoat - nothing more.

2.) This law doesn't exist anywhere, but if it were to be implemented it could easily be cicrumvented. Credit card? "Hey mom, can you put in your credit card number so I can play this game?" "Sure honey, here it is"

3.) That's why we have a government, to protect the people from the stupidity of the poeple. The hicks may have spoken, but the Supreme Court hasn't!

4.) Zero constitutional rights? Where the hell do you live? Last I checked, I wasn't forced to go to a Mormon Church or silenced after protesting "X" outside school property. Just because I can't have sex, does not mean that I do not have any rights. I have loads of them - perhaps more than I should.

5.) The rating system is a guideline - kids mature differently and it's at the parent's discretion whether or not a kid is mature enought to play Vice City. It is the same as if you were to go to the movies, no-one can stop me from seeing an "R" movie as long as I have an adult with me. You are delusional if you put every kid in the same box.

 

[SD_Ryoko]

You have rights within your parents, as they are legal guardians. None yourself.

 

[Spastic]

My parents can't come into my room and murder me legally - is that not a right?

Can they send me to a state prison for not cleaning up my room?

Can they break my foot for not doing my homework?



oh btw, did you know it's illegal for one of my parents to tape a phone conversation of me and someone else?

 

[Technomonkey]

hi

i dont mean to slag ur country off (im british) but one thing i have noticed is the large amount of gun crime and the right that every one of u has to own a gun. I have this opinion therefore that that right has a major implication on violence in ur country. We here have the same games as u do as does germany, france, and the rest of europe yet we dont have these problems, so there is something very wrong. We have mental people, but they only have knifes, in london we get stabbings, but not that many shootings... u have legal guns, easy to get hold of and therefore it takes doom3 and a mental person to scare ur entire country to a almost ridiculous degree by a sadistic act of a mentally disturbed person with a gun... i think a ban on guns would solve a lot of problems in ur country to do with this sort of thing.

p.s. anyone anywhere would have to be mentally weak to give into a game to run their life once into teenage years, im a gamer... im 19, the games do not influence the way i run my life.

this is my opinon and that law is stupid (in the words of Americans) period.

 

[Spastic]

If we outlaw guns, only outlaws will have guns

As a consequence in London one out of every eighty people gets mugged, criminals know you're not concealing a weapon so they're not hesitant to do what they wish with you.

As long as the military, police, and criminals can manufacture guns, there's no way in hell I'm going to support a ban on them.

 

[SD_Ryoko]

Because I dont care for all these issues, I drop all arguments except post #4.

Down with games for kids. Get a life. Fat flikken sits in front of the computer and PS2 all god damn day.

Defyantly doesn't do his homework, go to bed, or go outside so he can play games.

When they kick him off the PC, he goes to PS2. When they kick him off that, he has a handheld. When they take that away, he watches other people play, all the while stuffing his face.

No argument or debate is going to change my feeligns on that. Even if some kids arn't as bad.

 

[darkassaisin]

see i have been waiting till i am 18 for a while. i no it will be a lot harder be i always want more giths. and right now i live in a dictatorship. me parents never let me do anything. i have almost no socal life. if i would give u my phone number i bet u whenever u call me i would be home most of the time in trouble (usally for looking out the window too long or something) but i just can't wait.

 

[Rapmaster]

I wish I was still 13 or 18

 

[1JadedJen]

Wishing to still be 13 or 18? Good Golly not me. I would have to say I am a thousand times happier since my teenage days LOL.

 

[Technomonkey]

darkassasin
"but i just can't wait"

thats what i thought... then when u turn 18 it gets worse trust me, whatever u think, ur childhood years are pretty damn good, although now im at uni im as happy as larry!!!!

Spastic said:-
"As a consequence in London one out of every eighty people gets mugged, criminals know you're not concealing a weapon so they're not hesitant to do what they wish with you.

As long as the military, police, and criminals can manufacture guns, there's no way in hell I'm going to support a ban on them."


That is probably a true figure, however ive been wondering around london at about midnight going to a all nighter at a london club (the rave clubs are quite safe actually) but going down brixton highstreet i had no problem, said no to drug dealers and cos of the huge market they accepted it. I go to london often for all-nighters and i have no problem at all.

U have to keep ur senses about u, knifes dont have a range, keep ur distance and ull be ok, i have been known to walk from one side of the road to the other in Reading (near london but not really policed well) to stay away from people, guns have range, knifes dont theres a difference... have to stay wise!!!!

edit:- muggings dont leave people dead either, like guns do... some grannys have put up fights before, if both the criminal and the victim both have access to guns itll be a lot worse than if the criminal has a knife and the victim has the sense to not risk their life for £50 for example.

 

[Cognitor]

Technomonkey,
I think the point is that the figure exists, whether or not you are effected, whether or not you see it, whether or not you are street smart. You mentioned that you say no to drug dealers - so they apparently get close enough. Most muggings involving guns don't involve people standing accross the street or 5 feet away because a gun has range...they only use guns in most cases because it's intimidating. Knife or gun, they are both used from the same range and it depends on where and how the wound is taken to judge whether or not it would result in fatality.
It would also be in everyone's interest that most people actually do fight for their however many pounds or dollars because that is a deturrant as well, however dumb it may sound. If no one fought back, muggings and would be even more common because criminals would know it would be quick and easy. Same reason we don't negotiate with terrorists...if we did, kidnappings and such would be much more common because they would know it works and their demands would be met.

 

[GB01-NiCk-01]

That is unfair bro

Well I'm sorry man - I'm just biased.

My roomates kid spends every hour hes awake cramming his head with video games.

Stupid kid can't spell the street he lives on - but I have to listen to star wars and sound effects the entire time I'm working on my computer.

I'm so sick of it. Down with games for kids.

The problem that you have is that ur stuck with your own room8 who does wot ever he wants, he doesn't respect you. But that doesn't mean you don't respect him. If he wants to do that with his life you can talk to someone bout it, get timings bout when to play it when not too but you cant say:

I'm so sick of it. Down with games for kids.

because that is unfair. I have loads of video games but play this only 2 hours a day. although this sounds like little, im 16 and don't have much time to do my home-work.

If you have a problem with your room8 don't put the blame on us.
Nick

 

[Rinpun]

(I'll put up a side note that I have pretty much every video game there is in the next-gen consoles and I only play 2 hours a day--violence is a good stressball. That's why I favor Ninja Turtles 1 for the best game ever. Halo has too many idiots online/stupid computer/too buffed up computer; and Frozen Throne has simply too many idiots online or too many idiotic maps wasting server space like Legendary Heroes. I think that is the name, but basically you just pick a hero, buy tomes and cruddy gems, and then just kill...and kill...and kill. No strategy whatsoever. Know what icon to pick and pick a "God". Inferno attacks super fast, and becomes impossibly hard when he levels up. That Shadow Hunter dude attacks poorly, but has the power to call up hundreds of thousands of black serpent wards that are resistant to spells, and (each) do 28-34 damage a very fast shot. Namely, no matter how much defense you have, these guys friggin kill you.)