Senator Hillary Clinton slams Grand Theft Auto ("major threat" to morality)

Eurogamer.net ^ | 3/29/05

[Libloather]

Hillary Clinton slams GTA
GamesIndustry.biz

New York senator and former first lady Hillary Clinton has launched an attack on violent videogames, singling out Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto titles as a "major threat" to morality.

Clinton, who is reportedly planning to seek the Democratic presidential nomination for the 2008 election, has aligned herself with hardline right-wing Republican senators in order to pressure Congress into researching the impact of electronic media on children.

"Children are playing a game that encourages them to have sex with prostitutes and then murder them," she said in a statement on the issue. "This is a silent epidemic of media desensitisation that teaches kids it's OK to diss people because they are a woman, they're a different colour or they're from a different place."

She wants a $90 million investigation to be launched into the impact of games and other electronic media on the "cognitive, social, emotional and physical development" of children, according to a Sunday Times report.

Clinton has been joined in her attack on violent games by Republican senators Sam Brownback and Rick Santorum - the latter of whom is best known for his outspoken stance on homosexuality, which he is accused of comparing to bestiality in public statements.

American political analysts have noted that Clinton has taken on some increasingly right wing stances on domestic issues in recent months, in an effort to win support from traditionally Republican voters in the next presidential race, with videogames being merely the latest political kicktoy to be adopted by the ambitious senator.

[506trooper]

LOL

[LoudAmericanCowboy]

unfortunately i cant find one. but i expect that God-forbid when Terri dies, all the senators will be forced to go on record about it, so i await.

and then when she runs in 08 we'll slam her as a flip-flopping liar on all fronts. well not flip-flopping exactly, but you get the idea.

[montag813]

There goes the black and youth vote!

[G32]

"What kind of adult would want to play a game about stealing cars, having sex with prostitutes and murdering them?"

I know, especially since it's so much more fun to do it in real life. Kinda lazy to do that in a game.

[Doomonyou]

Hillary Clinton, Champion of Morality, goes after video games, of course to her, partial birth abortion is the pinnacle of morality.

[Delphinium]

And I always thought I had lived such an exciting life?

[doug from upland]

What about the RAPIST, Hillary?

[Delphinium]

Oh no, what is happening to me? I have agreed with Jesse Jackson, and Hilary both for the first time in the same day.

[freepatriot32]

shes so far behind on this its not even funny governor granholm is already working on legislation to give stores that sell this game to children a 500 dollar fine and friggin JAIL time It's not all fun and games - Governor, senator push restrictions on video entertainment

[freepatriot32]

Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here.

[MD_Willington_1976]

I thought minority children were too poor to afford systems to play these games...[/sarc

[speed_addiction]

What kind of adult would want to play a game about stealing cars, having sex with prostitutes and murdering them?

The game is pretty open ended. You gain nothing in the game by killing the prostitutes. The game itself is no more violent than the "Resident Evil" games or even the "Ghost Recon" shoot 'em up games. In fact these two game have more realistic game play than GTA. GTA is a fantasy, you can get away with anything, but not without consequence, since the cops in the game will come after you and overwhelm you if you shoot it out with them. It is no more a game for kids than "Pulp Fiction" or "Showgirls" were movies for kids. I would not take a kid to see those movies, I would not get them "GTA" either.

[Libloather]

I have agreed with Jesse Jackson, and Hilary both for the first time in the same day.

Some of us call it Bizarro World. The worst cases have been documented happening near the global Daylight Savings Time change. As soon as the next presidential election is over, things should return to normal...

[mowowie]

I think the game would be more acceptable if after raping the woman you suggest putting some ice on it.

[erik22lax]

what is worse? The moral damage in a video game that is not real or your husbands actions in the oval office? HMM, I don't think you will answer that one anytime soon.

[LibertarianInExile]

ROFLMAO.

That Hillary is thus advocating for prostitutes' safety, while she allows her husband to walk the streets, is hypocrisy at its finest.

[Delphinium]

Coincidently I have just been arguing with my 3 grandsons about that particular game being inappropriate for 7,9, and 12 year olds.

Their mother allows all of them to play it.

I am the mean grandma.

[Delphinium]

You don't think they will actually dare talk like this through the next election?

[RightWhale]

political kicktoy

I like it. She has qualities not of leadership but of demagoguery. And fighting battles of the past.

[MagnumRancid]

Why not start with Breakfast Cereal commercials?
It's cool for Barney to steal the Fruity or Coco Pebbles.
Lie, cheat, steal, whatever it takes to get your Cookie Crisps.
Break into factories to get some other cereal.