Posted on 03/02/2005 8:30:50 AM PST by MaxMax
SEATTLE - Should the people who make and sell "violent video" games be held accountable if someone commits a crime because of playing them?
That's something our state lawmakers are considering, to open game makers up to more liability.
House Bill 2178 proposes to hold the makers and sellers of violent video games liable if someone under 17 years old commits a crime, due in any part, to playing the game.
Supporters of the bill, like Bill Hanson with the Washington Police and Sheriff's Association, say "kids" are getting the games, and they're becoming desensitized.
"If you sit up and watch this and play these games over and over again... it seems that this is alright to walk up and hit a police officer over the head with a bat," Hanson said.
Opponents argue that the proposed bill would shift the responsibility from the person who actually committed the crime.
Lew McMurran, with the Washington Software Association, says violent games are clearly rated for adults only, and that the responsibility should be on parents to use the video game rating system and control what their kids are playing.
like the old saw....those that can do..those that can't....Legislate
So Grand Theft Auto is a get-out-of-jail-free card?
Gates?
It's a great example of why we need part time legislatures.
This reminds me of that article posted yesterday about a parking garage owner getting sued because a kid tried jump his bike off it to another building and didn't make it across.
Seems that parents have no responsibility whatsoever...
Well, with that logic, if I were to beat up a liberal political scumbag, because I read a DNC handbill given me in a park, it's all Howard Dean's fault, right?
Unreal....
After you hit the police officer and you are laying in the morgue with several slugs from the police officer's gun in you, your estate can sue the game maker for what happened. You may also file suit against the police officers training program for giving him the ability to shoot straight while under attack. Geez, where did we get all these lawyers with so much time on their hands. Lets move to a loser pays tort system now.
Supporters of the bill, like Bill Hanson with the Washington Police and Sheriff's Association, say "kids" are getting the games, and they're becoming desensitized.
"If you sit up and watch this and play these games over and over again... it seems that this is alright to walk up and hit a police officer over the head with a bat," Hanson said.
Only a complete moron believes this to be true.
Obviously, the Police and Sheriff’s Association is looking for some deep pockets they can sue next time a dirtbag assaults an officer.
Two predictions here:
1) The obvious (and therefore wrong one) is that since one cannot prove video games make kids violent, noone will be brought to court under another useless law.
2) The other is that kids hearing of this law will start beating the crap out of teachers and blame the games (whether they have the game or not) and then we'll just have a problem with violent kids also being smart-asses and getting off scot-free.
So if I drive drunk with a bottle of scotch, drive off a bridge and watch my passenger die, I can blame it on watching too much Ted Kennedy?
"Unreal...."
Fun game :)
The new American motto:
Why take responsibility when you could blame (and sue) somebody else?
If we're going to blame crime on video games, can we blame the contraction of sexually transmitted diseases/AIDS/teen pregnancy on the DNC, NEA, and ACLU for introducing more "tolerant" and sexually "open-minded" education in schools??
Remember years ago when they went after Dungeons and Dragons? Fortunately that never really went anywhere. Kinda reminds me of the same thing.
"The sheer stupidity of todays lawmakers is astounding"
Oh, I don't know, I think the ones of the past were just as stupid.
LMAO!!!
I saw the headline and figured Kalifornia, Washington, or New Jersey.
The socialist Nazis rule the day in those toilets!
It would not surprise me to see this idiocy passed. Not at all.
Well, it was fun while it lasted.
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