Quantcast


Videogames as bad as kiddy porn, claims Bavarian minister photo

It's been approximately eight seconds since a politician said something stupid about videogames, so let's return to Germany, where people are still screaming and vomiting and crying over the scary games and their dangerous effects on young people. Bavarian Minister Joachim Herrmann has potentially taken the trophy for "dumbest thing ever said about games" by likening them to illegal drugs and child pornography.

"In regards to their harmful effects, [violent video games] are on the same level as child pornography and illegal drugs," he claims, "the ban on which is rightly unquestioned."

Among other nuggets of juicy stupidity in Hermann's statements is the obvious belief that school shootings are caused by games and kids get "lost to our society" because their being "mired" in gaming leaves them no time to find a job or go to school. 

Hermann's offensive statements come on the same day Munich held the very first German Videogame Awards ceremony. By way of retaliation, Hermann has been taken to task by the country's game associations and an apology has been demanded. Quite right too. Such casual comparisons to child porn are at best irresponsible and at worst, thoroughly sick.








More gaming stories around the web. Got news? Submit yours to tips@destructoid.com

Jim Sterling serves as reviews editor for Destructoid.com, head of the Podtoid podcast, and produces a number of news stories, original features, one-of-a-kind videos. With his passionate argumentative style, controversial opinions, harsh delivery, and dedication to brutal honesty Sterling is a name that you can't help but recognize. Likes PS2, iPod Touch, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, Dynasty Warriors 3 Meet the rest of the team



Post a comment! You can also post a photo below:

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

37 comments | showing # 1 to 37
prev next

DaedHead8's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:43
DaedHead8
Riiiiiiiiiiiiight. I'm pretty sure the vast majority of people on this site either have a job or go to school...And I bet a lot of them do both!
Harris Hatsworth's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:44
Harris Hatsworth
What precisely is the recourse for games in this? Too many people are defaming them to stop them all but can't they take the most public ones to court and let them know they can't get away with that shit?
John B's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:47
John B
So, Now if you play any kind of violent video game, you're automatically a pedophile? That just makes the brain want to explode.

BTW, that picture goes beyond awesome!
ThunderHeartXI's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:49
ThunderHeartXI
Common sense!
eternalplayer2345's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:50
eternalplayer2345
No wonder I get so horny when I turn on my 360
IroN1c's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:51
IroN1c
So, we are all Robert Summa?
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:52
PappaDukes
I guess this begs the question, how the hell would he know how bad kiddy porn is? He's a freakin' minister. What a douche.
Jamie McGinn's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 10:58
Jamie McGinn
But I can't fap to videogames
Danzflor's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:00
Danzflor
I understand the drugs but, child porn? OMG! i Would never let my sister touch a videogame EVER...
BHACKNEY's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:07
BHACKNEY
I'm so glad the Germans have a clean conscience when it comes to the pollution of a young child's mind. They would never stoop so low as to indoctrinate young children into a violent and hateful culture.
DaedHead8's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:09
DaedHead8
@The Young Scot

You're just not trying hard enough.
sickNasty's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:09
sickNasty
Oh yeah, well being a politician is on the same level as being a serial goat rapist.

See I can outlandish claims too.
Leathersoup's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:15
Leathersoup
The Bavarian Minster was also heard to say that all gamers should be relocated into "camps" where they could be trained to "concentrate".
Bioautographical's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:18
Bioautographical
I don't think there's any recourse for "games" in general, per se. That's like someone coming out and saying, "Vaccines are all poisonous!" Pfizer or Glaxxo can't really sue you because you're not talking about THEM in particular or their products, just the medicine in general.

But I do think idiots who call out specific games ought to occasionally be taken to court for their stupidity.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:26
Samit Sarkar
I love you for that header image, Jim.
Harris Hatsworth's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:29
Harris Hatsworth
@ John B

A pedophile that kills people.
TheToiletDuck's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:40
TheToiletDuck
Germans say the darndest things
Tarvu's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 11:58
Tarvu
I did wonder about the freely dispensing Heroin and Paedophilic materials associated with my console.
Dowd99's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:07
Dowd99
I really think you need to read in between the line in this one. He states that violent video games are on the same level as kiddy porn and drugs and that they are illegal. Maybe this isn't a call to ban violent video games but maybe a call to un-ban kiddy porn and drugs.

This is really just his way of admitting to being a drug using pedophile.
ErigBurger's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:15
ErigBurger
Sorry, could you repeat that, Jim? I was too busy filming myself raping some children.
Malikyte's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:27
Malikyte
well the Xbox360 IS a 3 year old I can't keep my hands off of....
welkstar's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:30
welkstar
Best header pic ever!
BattyAdroit's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:32
BattyAdroit
pitiful.
Chronic Logic's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:37
Chronic Logic
What if I'm smoking pot while playing a video game containing child porn in it?
Monodi's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 12:50
Monodi
Brb pedo shopping
jawshoeuh's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 13:34
jawshoeuh
whatever, there's always one guaranteed retort for Germans who are douchebags... Nazis!
Brian Szabelski's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 14:03
Brian Szabelski
The Germans, they are so crazy.
catsithx's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 16:04
catsithx
WUT??
Syn's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 16:14
Syn
OH YEAH!? Well if you're German, you're a NOT-SEE!

(get it? Dark Tower reference)
MatCD's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 16:36
MatCD
When did using an input device to manipulate pixels on a television screen become worse than forcing young children to have sex?
B-Radicate's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 17:20
B-Radicate
What a (child) fucker.
zanthox's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/03/2009 18:05
zanthox
How could he even get close to that statement? Child porn implicitly ruins children's lives during it's creation and drugs... well yeah.
Darren Nakamura's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/04/2009 00:17
Darren Nakamura
He is probably just pre-emptively justifying his kiddie porn stash.
Steve Cebu's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/04/2009 06:59
Steve Cebu
Sad truth is the guy has no clue about videogames. He's just a politician who has a knee jerk reaction to a crisis that happened. Say what the voters want to hear, because defending videogames would be political suicide at this point. It's all rhetoric anyway. But Germany does do some amazingly stupid things as a result of past memories of WW2. Lots of things you cannot say there about Jews without going to jail etc...
This is just over-reacting to a problem. In the end it will be forgotten. These people aren't Nazi's nor do they have similar beliefs.
They are fightfully aware of their past and do not want to repeat it.
Sexualchocolate's Avatar - Comment posted on 04/06/2009 04:16
Sexualchocolate
They're scared the gamers will taint the genes of their master race!

I suppose when there's such a high proportion of games where the objective is to KILL GERMANS - they have a bit of a shit outlook on games.

I mean, i know the difference between an on-screen Nazi and a random twat in the street, but Germans, the enemies on screen shout harsh pointed german phrases at you, and the random twat on the street / at work / at school / parents / teachers - hell EVERYONE you know loundly throws pointed German phrases at you.

Which one is teh game?!

Best just shoot them all up eh.
Sparta2020's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/27/2009 09:23
Sparta2020
@ Sexualchocolate
Great one dude

anyways yea germany is going to experience a revolution if they dont shut there mouths. i mean what the hell, shut the hell up you old fucks talkin bout shit you dont understand. i know this because i recently got in an arguement recently(and remarkably randomly)with some old fart who said games were evil. really, so when i'm playing halo 3 with my 10 year old lil bro he's sercretly plotting to make some pipe bombs and grab a gun and go to his grammar school screaming DIE COVENANT! man fuck this im gone
prev next

Comment with Facebook





Click connect and comment instantly!

Comment with Dtoid





New? SIGN UP - it takes 5 seconds

Comments policy

Destructoid is an open discussion community. You don't need to "audition" to post a comment - just speak your mind. We respect differing opinions on the site, so have at it. Be smart, funny, insightful, clueless, or cute -- but back it up with substance. Keep your cool, keep it fun. We only ask that you act respectfully and above all: don't be a troll and ruin it for everyone else. Don't bring down gamers or we'll, you know, gently shoot you in the face and stuff you into a flaming mailbox. Each comment is your opportuntity to make this community awesomer. Is that even a word?

Avoiding the banhammer only requires common sense: spamming, trolling, racism, NSFW stuff, and other forms of sucking will not be tolerated. If anyone is griefing please report abuse. Be good. Don't suck!