Labour MP Keith "Vadge" Vaz has been obsessed with violent videogames ever since he wrongly attributed the murder of Stephen Pakeerah to Manhunt, a theory which the police have since debunked, but that Vaz still maintains as truth. Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions yesterday, Vadge has continued to cast truth to the wind, as he demanded tougher ratings for videogames.
"In a survey published last week, 74 percent of parents said that they were very concerned about the increasing level of violence in video games," said Vaz, lying that the survey said violence was increasing. "Given the fact that there is increasing availability of these games on the internet exhibiting scenes of graphic and gratuitous violence, when is the government proposing to implement the Bryon Report in full?"
If you want some sort of clue as to just how little knowledge Vaz has on the subject, he once fully admitted that he had no idea what a PlayStation was, and yet still decided to claim that the PSP has videogames that allow you to rape women.
I don't mind it when people have legitimate concerns about videogames. Most of us can agree that some of the more extremely violent games are probably best kept away from young children. However, until the anti-game lobbyists can voice their concerns without resorting to lies, scaremongering and insults, nobody within the game industry will want to work with them.
Not that a bottom-feeding politician like Vaz would care. Anything to raise the man's profile, I guess.
Contest:
9:00 AM on 03.05.2009
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Yep, it was the victim who owned the game.
Jim, you'll like this:
http://www.channel4.com/news/articles/politics/domestic_politics/boris+johnson+attacks+keith+vaz+in+his+own+version+of+the+f+word/2944762
The who way (two hour train journey) he was playing GTA on a PSP (with the sound on, urgh). All the while his mum was reading the Daily Fail and snorting in indignation at regular intervals.
Its hypocrites like this that gall me the most.
Boris for PM.
http://kotaku.com/5164757/microsoft-75-of-parents-think-gaming-is-beneficial
To hell with Vaz.
"I congratulate my Right Honourable friend for his long standing campaign on this issue"
Why? Where are the experts who are informed on these issues? Vadge and Balls and all the rest clearly know nothing about videogames, maybe they should bring in some people who do! Or get some more balanced opinions, like this guy's. http://www.gamepolitics.com/2008/10/24/parliament-mp-stands-video-game-biz
true, but Thompson was always a bit of a fringe nutter while Vaz has got his fat snout firmly in the Whitehall trough, and when he talks bollocks (as he is prone to do) people listen cause he's got a shiny badge with 'MP' on it. Even though he's clearly full of shit.
Did he just make up his own Byron Report as well?
Unfortunately MPs are a law unto themselves in this country, and pay no attention whatsoever to the facts and/or science. Prime example: Experts have frequently complained that the government has completely ignored their advice on the issue of drugs abuse. One can only presume their heads are so far up their own arses that they can't hear anyone else other than themselves.
It seems to me the problem could be easily sorted by having different sections of games shops for kid's games, all-ages type game and adult/mature games. Visually re-enforce to parents that not all games are designed for kids. I reckon this might also help games general profile - most people see games right now as a nebulous blob of child-ish and teenager-ish wastes of time. If you had seperated sections of stores, people would start to respect the differences and importance of different genres within the medium.