3:41 AM on 01.17.2007
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![New York is the new Germany; insane legislature crosses the pond [Update!] screenshot](http://www.destructoid.com/elephant//ul/29309-Grizzly_Bear_Gone_Fishing-1.jpg) |
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Gamepolitics, by way of Gamasutra, reports on a bill that was proposed on January 3rd by Democrat Keith Wright that comes up with some truly draconic rules for the sale of games. From the article: [the bill] would prohibit the sale of video games “containing a rating that reflects content of various degrees of profanity, racist stereotypes or derogatory language, and/or actions toward a specific group of persons.” According to the report, such games would require retailers to check customers' identification as a proof that they are aged 30 or above.
Thirty!?1?!?one?!uno? So, Mr. Wright thinks video games are more dangerous for our society than cigarettes (legal age to purchase in New York State: 18), alcohol (legal age to purchase in New York State: 21), being shot at by foreigners (legal age to enlist in the military: 18), pornography (legal age to purchase/perform: 18) and accidental immolation via faulty wiring on a carpet shampooer (legal age to rent: 25)? I've never wished harm on another human being for the sake of the rest of mankind, but I think we can all agree that Mr. Wright should be eaten by a bear. [UPDATE: Turns out that Ol' Nexy is a moron. I suppose that's what I get for taking Gamasutra's word on that bill I was talking about above. That quote is from their write up of bill A00547, but the truth is that it seeks to force retailers to ID anyone who doesn't appear to be over the age of thirty; people over the age of 18 can legally purchase any games regardless of sex, violence or any of that other awesome stuff. I dropped the ball. Dreadfully sorry about that, but I still stand by my call for ravenous bears to eat Mr. Wright.] |
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21 comments + 95764 views
shouldn't that be against the constitution? that's censorship taken way too far. fucking 30? im not sure but im pretty sure you only have to be 18 to buy a gun. so obviously games kill people, not guns? if a game can influence you to kill, then you're already fucked up and its not the games fault
VOTE YES FOR BEARS!
Oh noes the Book Burning 2.0 is starting in the US and A. I hope the politicians won´t fuck you up so much as our´s fuck us up.
Btw: Ban the bears, they´re brutal and teaching how to kill
/sarcasm
30 is ridiculous, Imagine being 28 and going a store to buy a game with your dad cus your not old enough. At 21 (18 over here) your a full adult by law so any state/country need to tread them as adults.
About New York is the new Germany, don't think the Dutch are too happy with that.
30 is such a random fucking age.
when will people realize that video games are just like the rest of media. Its unfair to compare it to cigarettes, guns, and alcohol. Compare it to movies and music. I can legally buy R rated movies and profane music at age of 8 if I wanted. It is completely legal to do so in the US. The fact remains that pretty much all retailers in the US choose not to sell them to younger kids. Video games are pretty much already self regulating with major chains such at Best Buy, Wal Mart, Gamestop (and all its chaing), Circuit City, Target... all requiring an age of 17 or 18 to buy or rent M rated games.
And yet dumb fucks still look to make video games illegal. Why is the US filled with so many fucking idiots?
we have too much freedom
Cruds says:
01/17/2007 03:49
30 is ridiculous, Imagine being 28 and going a store to buy a game with your dad cus your not old enough. At 21 (18 over here) your a full adult by law so any state/country need to tread them as adults.
Hahahaha, you win today's internet, good sir. I seriously laughed out loud.
Got my signature againts this Keith Wright dude. Is he crazy or what?...31 to buy a videogame.
I'm not from the US, but for those who are, please do not permit this bill. It's againts any kind of reason.
no problem, by the time GTA comes out I should be 30
@ namelessted:
You're right, but there aren't any forms of media that you can not purchase after the age of 18. 30 is a ridiculous and arbitrary age restriction.
In the end, the post was really just a clever way to push my Pro-Bear agenda.
damn you and your pro-bear stance. I shall fight you to the end. I must kill as many bears as possible. We must eat them before they can eat us! if we don't act soon a bear epidemic will sweep the nation. Don't pretend like they haven't been planning the last 200 years.
Hey Jim lets go get that new game everyone's talking about. Oh wait, we're 29, damn. Lets rent an apartment instead, get shitfaced and then try to light our cigarettes by shooting at them with our guns with some hardcore porn playing in the background.
How retarded. So then, are they also going to ban anyone under 30 from going to see R-rated movies? Because if not, this would be the most hypocritical law in existence. And, of course, banning video games to people under 30 is just as ridiculous as would be banning under 30s from seeing R-rated movies.
See, Colbert was wrong. Bears really aren't the number one threat in America. Idiots like this guy are. So yeah, let's get Mr. Wright a guest spot on this show. (Hell, while we're at it, let's see about getting Jack Thompson a guest spot on there as well, since he likes being on TV so much.)
"Adult by law" means squat to me. By nature, sure. Now if mean adult with regards to maturity, well, I know kids with more maturity than some adults (by nature). Frankly, I wouldn't mind abolishing smokes, alcohol, etc. (w/ the exception of medical reasons). And people being allowed to just pick up guns from a store? Not really comfortable with that idea since the checks and balances are obviously faulty. And don't even talk about "well, what about knives" 'cause the last time I check, people don't use their guns to spread butter on toast or carve their turkeys and steaks with.
That said, thirty years old is kinda high and I'm more willing to have content with some censoring and restrictions. I mean I'd rather not hit that mark when gamers will start defending a rape-based videogame as an "acceptable" theme or part of the freedom of expression or some twisted interpretation that keeps moving "the line" til society hits the borders of societal hell (y'know like in those Robocop or Judge Dredd movies). And yes, I do believe what you put out there, whether that be on a personal basis (like swearing around kids) or through the media (games, movies, television, etc.), can affect people's behavior and how they perceive and operate in the world (like conning a good samaritan which makes that person only bitter and become less inclined to be helpful in the future).
Some people don't even make it to age 30. Take Elliott Smith for example. He was in his late 20's when he killed himself.
@ holyetheline:
I wouldn't trust Elliott "Stabby-stab-stab" Smith with a violent game no matter how old he was. He'd probably start crying the moment he shot someone, and would be utterly inconsolable about it for weeks.
Ban gay bear marrage!
I always laughed at how before being 21, I was old enough to die for my country but not old enough to buy a drink. As far as I am concerned, if you are old enough to be in the military then you are old enough for anything else. Wars tend to kill the most people last time I checked.
I am expecting to see a homicidal maniac beating random people to the ground with a Bloody Wii Mote in his hand or some depraved man beating people with a Gears of War case down.
It's on Now Mother Fucker, It's on now.
I am NOT waiting 14 years to get a Godamned Racial Game.
Isint Racism part of the First Amendment, or whats in video games in general?
Surely not! surely there is no possible way they could ever put 30+ plus on any form of media...But maybe its just to discourage people from playing games and go buy Guns and alcohol instead, like the old days, when your country was safe.
@ questworld
Bullshit, Ive been around profanity and violence laced media since I was 5-6, and ask anyone I know, like 4 people will tell you i'm the nicest guy in the world.
BULLSHIT
From the actual BILL
[i] 1 INDICATING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS AT LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. SUCH
2 IDENTIFICATION NEED NOT BE REQUIRED OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO REASONABLY
3 APPEARS TO BE AT LEAST THIRTY YEARS OF AGE, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH
4 APPEARANCE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A DEFENSE IN ANY PROCEEDING INVOLVING
5 SALE OR RENTAL OF ANY VIDEO GAME, TO AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS
6 OF AGE.[/i]
Yes It is that you have to be 18, but they are required to check ID if you appear to be under thirty. This is the same as it is with booze and cigs. Relax guys. Do your research.
I have a less arbitrary way of deciding when one should be able to purchase violent video games. After a person's 313th moon after the first Sunday following the first ecclesiastical full moon that occurs on or after March 21 (the day of the ecclesiastical vernal equinox). Simple really.
Over the Hedge makes me want to kill
Oh who would have thought.. Another overdramatized article about video game legislation. You know if you guys can't do some research and look into this sort of thing first. before going batshit about it. Maybe, just maybe you're not grown up enough to handle those "adult" games
I agree with maximum0v3rdriv3.
You should have to be able read and understand the legistration before you can purchase an "adult game." I'm sorry, Nex. No game porn for you.
Sure, research.... Ut's on Dtoid isn't It? Enough reason for me to believe there some truth to the story. Who got the time anyway to back check ever lil' post made here, I'm here for some entertaining value not for news facts. I bet if you was here a few hours earlier you been shouting along with the rest of us.
Maybe this legislation will make gamers look cooler the same way cigarettes make me look cool.
@cruds
I mostly met my comments for Nex. I mean techically it is his "job" to back check things maybe just a little before throwing them up here.
It doesn't take that long to look up the bill using google. I was in the process of doing so when i decided to read the comments first. Thanks Detry for saving me the trouble.
All i'm saying is that before jumping on the "OMG CENSORSHIP IS THE NEW STYLE" bandwagon. MAYBE make sure you have the facts? It's the adult thing to do.
I think alot of you guys are misinformed as to the scope of the 1st amendment, it merely prevents the federal government from pass legislation repecting an establishment of religion, abridging the freedom of speech or the press. It's not something that gives you a right as is limits the power of the federal government. The NY state constitution's 8th section reads as "Every citizen may freely speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that right; and no law shall be passed to restrain or abridge the liberty of speech or of the press." Quite different and far more specific regarding free speech than the federal constitution. And so far, any similar legislation has been struck down as unconstitutional. There is really a very simple solution to this, check what your elected representitives', and canidate's policy regarding government regulation of video games, as well as other speech, than vote accordingly.
Ban the Bears. Stop the madness, Nex.
PITT_sauce is right. we need all the help we can get attracting chicks (at least you guys do). being outlaws will help
Let's look at this this way: It's just a proposal. The chances of it passing are slim to zero.
@ turdferguson:
Under Gitlow v. New York, the Supreme Court applied the incorporation doctrine to the 1st Amendment's provisions of free speech and freedom of the press, so that it will basically be the same analysis as if this were a federal statute under fire.
"various degrees of profanity" huh?
So that means games with a T rating for mild language should be banned for people under 18?
Never will pass.
The idiots who run our country don't seem to get that the courts have ruled video games are protected speech. Just like books, movies and music. Even shitty games like Manhunt.
Manhunt FTW
NEW ARTICLE!
It helps if one actually reads the bill they are sponsoring. I almost made the same mistake of assuming this was true until I read it. The key part that this appers to be pulled from is stated below. It does not say you have to be 30. It says that if one looks under the age of 30, they should be asked for identification to confirm they are 18. This is no different than other stores that has an age you should appear to be and if you look younger than that, they are required to ask for identification. One should really do their research before they cause pointless uproars on their comment section. Commentors should also investigate the subject at hand before just believing what they read is true.
Bill Text - A00547
http://assembly.state.ny.us/leg/?bn=A00547&sh=t
A. 547 2
1 COUNTRY; OR (C) AN IDENTIFICATION CARD ISSUED BY THE UNITED STATES,
2 INDICATING THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS AT LEAST EIGHTEEN YEARS OF AGE. SUCH
3 IDENTIFICATION NEED NOT BE REQUIRED OF ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO REASONABLY
4 APPEARS TO BE AT LEAST THIRTY YEARS OF AGE, PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT SUCH
5 APPEARANCE SHALL NOT CONSTITUTE A DEFENSE IN ANY PROCEEDING INVOLVING
6 SALE OR RENTAL OF ANY VIDEO GAME, TO AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER EIGHTEEN YEARS
7 OF AGE.
We need a bear attack video game.
To go along with our clown shows!
zorock
Commentors should also investigate the subject at hand
Pot, meet kettle
I already posted that part of the bill earlier in the thread. :P
Everyone knows that people who are (or even appear) to be over the age of thirty don't play games apart from Minesweeper.
Naive.
Indeed, bears ftw. Especially those of the polar persuasion.
I only skimmed this, but if Will Wright is killed by bears then I'll never get to play Spore.
@mxyzptlk -- Too bad it's Keith Wright that will be eaten. Incidentally, it will be Will Wright's bears that actually eat him.
Will Wright has trained killer bears? Awesome!
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