15 Year Old Has No Problem Buying "M" Rated Video Games

[matcom]

<snip>

High school sophomore Dan Shemwell won't be old enough to drive until the end of this month, but he learned last week that he could see "blood and gore," "intense violence," "strong language," "strong sexual content" and even the "use of drugs" through a "Grand Theft Auto" video game without his parents knowing.

Those descriptions are listed on the back of the box for the hot-selling "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas," which the 15-year-old had no problem buying by himself Thursday at a Best Buy store in Schaumburg.

The game is rated "M" for mature audiences by the industry's Entertainment Software Rating Board, meaning it has been found suitable for those 17 and older. But Shemwell was able to walk out of the store at 900 E. Golf Rd. not only with "Grand Theft" but another M-rated game, no questions asked -- something a Best Buy spokesman said shouldn't have happened, under company policy.

In all, Shemwell, who turns 16 Jan. 27, was able to buy M-rated games at a total of 11 of the 15 stores he visited that day, according to state Rep. Paul Froehlich (R-Schaumburg) and leaders of the Illinois State Crime Commission, who wanted to test Gov. Blagojevich's belief that violent and sexy video games are too easily available to children. They drove Shemwell from store to store, sending him in to buy M-rated games, which they would return if he hit pay dirt.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-vid03.html

[underpants]

1. Shocking

NO hold it wait no it isn't

[matcom]

2. its the MORALS dammit!!

[Droopy]

3. The sting is on.

Watch out video game clerks. The fuzz is after you.

[underpants]

7. to be replaced by.............

the kid who bought it from them

[Flammable Materials]

4. I want an "M" rating on the Bible, dammit.

There's more sick, twisted shit in there than in most R-rated movies.

[Kellanved]

5. I am relieved

I thought that stuff like that only happens in Germany. *whew*.

[Jesus H. Christ]

6. Good thing he didn't get a hold of "Catcher in the Rye"

God only knows how many people could have been hurt if he had.

[shraby]

8. One time my kids were going

to an R rated show..2 were old enough but the youngest one was a year short of the limit. I laughed when they came home and told me "Bill got in, he just had to pay half price".

[SlackJawedYokel]

9. Damn Capitalists will sell to *ANYONE*!

Oh wait...

Nevermind.

Cletus