I support banning violent and explicit video games...

[cynatnite]

that I think are inappropriate for my son.

The government cannot parent my child the way I can. Although, I do appreciate the ratings to help guide what I allow in the house, the final say is mine.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ytech_wguy/20100427/tc_ytech_wguy/ytech_wguy_tc1807

[X_Digger]

1. Wait, do you support a ban or no?

Your subject says yes, but your last sentence says no..

*headscratch*

(I don't support the government regulating video games, that's what parents are for.)

[rcrush]

2. I'm confused as well

[Statistical]

3. Add me to the list.

I was about to unrec and then I thought maybe the OP means he/she doesn't support govt banning.

Then again I don't want to rec it if the OP is pro-govt banning.

I am so confused.

[cynatnite]

5. My screw up. It's fixed now. n/t

[cynatnite]

4. Sorry 'about that. Fixed it. n/t

[superduperfarleft]

34. It still doesn't make any sense.

You want violent video games banned, yet you say the government can't parent your child like you can, despite the fact asking for violent video games to be banned is precisely having the government parent your child.

[dorkulon]

54. Yup. Still doesn't make sense.

I don't get it.

[mzmolly]

6. This isn't really about the government parenting, it's about preventing

kids from not listening to parents IMHO. If parents approve of a game, they can purchase it.

[The Straight Story]

7. "The government cannot parent my child the way I can." which is why I home school (nt)

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[The Straight Story]

27. No, that is something from me - care to argue the point or just want to throw out labels??? (nt)

[madinmaryland]

33. Actually it does sound like something from that site. And your comment

about home schooling actually does not make any sense. The public school system is there to educate our children, not to parent them. Equating education with parenting is not an equivalent.

If you feel that you can better educate your children than the public school, then by all means, home school your children.

[eShirl]

50. What a rude comment.

You do know that liberals home-school, too, don't you?

[madinmaryland]

68. I replied that way, due to the way that post was written. As I indicated

in post #33, I have no problem with home schooling. I do have an issue with the way the post was stated.

[sandnsea]

8. The question is whether it's legal for states to ban them

and obviously it is. Rate it R and don't sell them to minors, just like cigarettes, alcohol, etc. I can't see how any court could say that isn't legal.

Whether it should be done is for people to fight out in their given state legislatures.

[AnArmyVeteran]

9. I believe in the 1st Amendment rights, but graphic violence has no place in society, NONE...

But the more warnings put on products the more appealing it makes them to consumers. Anything banned will become an automatic success. But with the internet Pandora is out of the box, and we'll never be able to put all of the vile, violent things back into it. Being good, hands on parents is the best deterrent to your child getting exposed to all the toxic products out there.

[comrade snarky]

19. I'm gonna miss Shakespeare's plays

Ah well... protect those children!

[Fla_Democrat]

26. Yes, but....

Yes, but, look at all those silk buttons we will be saving. Won't someone think of the buttons? :shrug:


The very butcher of a silk button, a duelist, a duelist, a gentleman of the very first house of the first and second cause.

[Ignis]

69. ...

:spray:

Well played. :thumbsup:

[seabeyond]

11. this thread is really fucking with my head.... and posters in the thread too

i feel like i am in a twilight zone.

[madmax]

12. I support banning videos of dog fights!!

but the Supremes disagree. I would like each one locked in a cage with a few rabid Pit Bulls or any breed that is taught to kill. FUCK the Supremes ....again! Yeah, and the smart Latina, too.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Apparently there's a new game out called "Wolfsteen."

Its about nazis and the object of the game is to score points by shooting dogs.

Disgusting!

[TransitJohn]

25. Wow, sounds like an update of Castle Wolfenstein.

I used to play in elementary school on an Apple II, and maybe on a TRS-80 as well.

[EnviroBat]

57. "HALLS PASS"

"Heil..." Loved that game!

[superduperfarleft]

35. :facepalm:

They didn't say you can't ban videos of dogfighting, they said that one particular law was too vague, and had the potential to affect people engaging in completely lawful activities at the whim of any future prosecutor.

The fact that you're agreeing with Alito didn't tip you off?

[madmax]

41. My bad

You made an good point re: Alito. Should have made me go hmmm. Thing is I ran with the headline. Been major busy with home and health matters. Didn't take the time to really get into it. Hell, that's why there is DU ;)

[superduperfarleft]

43. No problem, and I apologize for my snarkiness.

It happens, we all get busy sometimes.

[ZombieHorde]

13. Violent video games are super awesome. nt

[JonLP24]

16. One of the more fun video games out there n/t

[EOTE]

46. Yes, they truly are.

On the subject of violent video games, considering your screen name and your interests in things zombie, have you ever played "Nacht der Untoten" (Night of the Undead or Nazi Zombies) as part of Call of Duty 5: World at War? It's one of the most fun multiplayer games I've ever played. You're basically just holed up in a run-down, abandoned house and you have to protect yourself from an increasingly fierce nazi zombie onslaught. It can get incredibly frantic and is an absolute blast if you play with two or more people. I'd think it would be right up your alley.

[jdp349]

55. I have it for my Iphone

Now I look forward to sitting on the toilet and commuting on the subway!

[EOTE]

65. Damn, I think I better stay away from that.

If I could be tempted to blast away nazi zombies on my iPod touch, I don't think I'd be able to get much else accomplished.

[ZombieHorde]

56. I have never heard of that game, but it sounds awesome.

I may have to look into that.

[EOTE]

64. I'd highly recommend it.

As far as I know, you've got to have Call of Duty 5 to play it. You can either beat the game to get access to it or you can unlock it via a cheat that's easy to find on the internet. The graphics are kind of bland considering some of the amazing visuals today's games are capable of producing, but the game itself is just incredibly fun. It inspires a sense of dread in me that I can't recall ever experiencing while playing a video game. If you manage to survive until some of the later levels, the action gets incredibly frantic. Also, it's about the best cooperative LAN game I can think of. It's fun playing with strangers on the internet, but having a few friends in the same room with you so you can work out strategies together is gaming nirvana. Also, if you're interested in some other zombie themed FPS games, Left 4 Dead 1 and 2 are pretty fantastic (and more full featured than "Nacht der Untoten").

[Posteritatis]

67. It's particularly fun in a dark room with good headphones, too. (nt)

[Dappleganger]

14. In agreement with you. nt

[cbdo2007]

17. Your statement is exactly why we shouldn't need to ban them.

If parents would take an active interest in what their kids are doing, kids wouldn't be out there playing these games.

Unfortunately, parents are more interested in their own dating lives and relationships and gossiping with the girls or whatever to pay any attention to what games their kids are playing. They're happy to buy their kids whatever game they want as long as it will shut them up for a few weeks in front of the tv.

[bluestateguy]

18. President Obama says parents need to turn off the TV set, and put away the video games

and that's a parent's job, not some chubby government bureaucrat with a squeaky voice.

[Carter Hayes]

20. Well, some parents are too stupid and lazy to even care

..let alone actually set rules and enforce. I'm not supporting censorship, but I think somebody ought to set an example, i.e. give advice, maybe some regulations to keep adult content out of minors' hands

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

21. And some parents aren't lazy, but let their kids play the games anyway.

And you've really got no business doing their parenting for them.

[JonLP24]

23. +1

I was going to say that I was under the impression that teens or younger could play those games provided a parent get it for him/her and that the parent judges that it's ok for his/her child to play.

I mean I was allowed to play violent video games as well as watch violent movies growing up and I (believe) turned out fine. At least not violent for sure, I haven't been in a physical fight since I was 15 and I didn't start it. So I never had a problem with the idea of letting kids of mine play a game that lets you shoot stuff. I'm not concerned with what other parents let their kids do or not do.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. Some parents don't let their kids play video games because they're authoritarian dicks.

Perhaps we need legislation to require parents to let their children play video games.

[BoWanZi]

22. I'm still confused by this threa, do you support blanket banning of violent video games or not?

I do not support the banning myself since I feel that if I don't want my kiddos playing violent video games then I won't buy them.

It is not the government's responsibility to be the parent of my kids, that is my job to protect them and choose what is appropriate for them.

My personal beliefs of a game's violence standard should not be imposed on everyone just because I feel a game is inappropriate or not.

[Zavulon]

28. After that, ban all movies you think your son shouldn't watch. Then go to music.

Don't stop there, either. Ban it all. If you don't think something is appropriate for YOUR SON, then NOBODY IN THE WORLD should be allowed to own / use / play / watch / listen to it. The entire planet should live by YOUR parental standards, and thank you for saving us from ourselves.

:sarcasm:

:eyes:

[BoWanZi]

29. LOL love it, great post... (nt)

asdf

[MkapX]

30. Video games don't kill people

Their has never been a direct link to suggest that video games cause violence nor more then movies or TV shows do. In fact youth violence was was at it's peak during the 1980's. The fact that some of the past school shooters played VG's isn't evidence, VG are a common outlet for young men and boys. If you were to take the vast majority of that demograph i would wager that at least 1 out of 3 of them are video game player. I tend to agree with Bill Maher that the reason why we have these problems is because parents suck at what they do now and days. I mean do kids really need a cell phone that sends text messaging and facebook? If they get bullied on it why not get rid of the text messaging and facebook??? The fact that in most every incident of youth violence the child was able to get ahold of a gun or a rifle from a parential figure speaks for itself. The parents didn't do their job

[keroro gunsou]

58. video games don't kill poeple....

people who are already fucked in the head with easy access to weapons kill people. let's face it, if you're going to shoot up a school, there is more going on in your head than some video game. video games are an easy scapegoat for when someone with problems acts out....

[keroro gunsou]

31. pardon my snark

:rant:

but the ratings guide exists to help parents decide what games are appropriate for their kids to play. just because some parents are either too fucking stupid or lazy to use it, is not my problem. it's bad enough there are lazy parents that would rather give up their jobs to police the media their kids are exposed to, i, and other adult gamers like me don't need the heavy hand of the government deciding what should be allowable for distribution.

you don't want your kids to play a game, don't buy it for them, but don't insult their intelligence by not telling them why. instad of acting like an authoritarian wankers, parents should TALK to their kids about why grand theft auto isn't right for an 8 year old. i won't let my sister's kids anywhere near some of the games i like to play and it's not because i don't want to listen to my sister bitch and complain. i know they aren't meant for kids, and i tell them why. they seem to listen to me better than her because i don't treat them like kids, but rather intelligent persons. most of the games i like are survival/horror or MMORPGs, i just tell them that there is stuff in the games that would probably scare the pants off of them... silent hill and biohazard being the prime examples. world of warcraft is boring for my nephews, simply because of the learning curve involved.

this is one of my pet issues, since i've worked in game sales and game design. it pisses me off that parents are getting soft and lazy, expecting the government to do their fucking job by trying to limit what games can be sold... that SERIOUSLY fucks up not only my livelihood, but the livelihood of a whole lot of other people.

games can be conduits for alternative types of learning, but the most important one can be values from their parents, if handled properly.

[Dappleganger]

38. So those of us who choose to allow our kids to watch or play these games

are all fucking stupid or lazy?

LOL!


BTW, our oldest son is doing a summer internship with my brother-in-law's software simulation company (he's almost 17). He's been playing THOSE GAMES since he was in 4th/5th grade--he's a straight-A honors/AP junior, is president of his DECA club, has been working since he was 14 after school. He's never been in a fistfight in his life and doesn't have a violent bone in his body. He has never had a problem separating reality from fantasy and has ton of real life friends. So you're making an awful lot of ASSumptions there about how children will turn out.

BTW, I know quite a few kids who are just like him. ;)

[keroro gunsou]

52. no, just those

that crow for the gubbamint to do their job of content management. that's a parent's job. i grew up on an increasingly violent menu of video games and i'm perfectly, normal... minus the propensity to snark and be sarcastic.

your son doesn't have a problem because you obviously did your job teaching him the difference between fantasy and reality and gave him home training. not all parents are like you. it's the "moral guardian" types who want to ban it all "for the children" that drive me up a wall. don't want your kids to play a game, DON'T BUY IT. just don't make it so that adults can't purchase the game.

my beef is with the idiots that wandered in to my gamestop, bought grand theft auto, and then had the nerve to come back to bitch about it not being appropriate for their little johnny (and in some cases jane). the rating system works when parents stop being lazy and USE THE DAMN THING.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. Yeah well, I'm 26 and my husband is going to be 30 and we don't think we should have to live

by the standards you set for your son.

Call us crazy...

[superduperfarleft]

36. So how would you determine "violent and explicit?"

Is it one of those "you'll know it when you see it" things?

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

37. Because ALL Americans need to live by the rules you set for your kid!

Please, try to post coherent thoughts. This is nothing but idiocy.

I'm a 37 year-old male. I do not play video games.....but that isn't the point.

:eyes: Thanks for your concern and protection; however, I am fully capable of making my own decisions and I don't need some ramped-up, half-bright soccer mom telling me what I can and can not do.

[Dappleganger]

39. Um, she's not telling you what to do.

The OP is in support of parents being able to make that decision on their own.

[superduperfarleft]

40. OP: "I support banning violent and explicit video games that I think are inappropriate for my son."

It's not our fault that the OP doesn't seem to know how to construct a coherent sentence.

[Dappleganger]

44. It went over your head.

When you can read constructively it tends to lead to better discussions. When you make assumptions you effectively shut it down. Which would rather do?

[superduperfarleft]

47. That's why you're the only person in this thread who think the OP means what you think it means. n/t

[Marr]

60. Do you have a special decoder key? That sentence says

the OP agrees with banning the item being discussed. That is what it says. If you have some special insight into the language that makes it mean something else, you should share it.

[Lance_Boyle]

51. The message body of the OP says that, yes.

But the subject line still says "I support banning," as in "nobody should be able to have it period because I find it inappropriate."

So which is it?

[SidDithers]

42. Wait...wut?...nt

Sid

[NeedleCast]

45. Me too

[SidDithers]

48. Funny thing is, the OP has been edited at least twice...

and it still doesn't make sense :)

I think what they're trying to say is something like:

I support banning violent and explicit video games for my son, that I think are inappropriate.

And that it's the parent who controls the banning, for their child only.

I probably agree with them, if that's what they're trying to say. :hi:

Sid

[snooper2]

49. I think after a couple more drinks and 1 more edit

The OP may be able to make it perfectly clear :rofl:

[mwooldri]

53. I support your ban ... IN YOUR HOUSEHOLD.

You are correct. The government cannot parent your child the way you can. And the final say is yours. Also if you're head of household no matter how old the person is if something is inappropriate under your roof you have final say too.

Keep video gaming systems open in a public place so you can see what your kids are playing. OK their purchases. If a title you see warrants vetting, rent it out on Gamefly first, you see it, and if it passes your test then your kids can have it. If it doesn't then return it ASAP and try an alternative.

But if a grown adult wants to play explicit and violent video games it is their choice. That right should not be taken away from them. If a grown adult wants to allow their kids to play extreme violent and explicit video games then that's child abuse and should be reported as such.

Plus any RESPONSIBLE retailer would abide by the ESRB ratings and not sell a game rated mature to someone under a certain age. They are free to demand ID for purchase of those games, even if the law says the retailer can sell Grand Theft Auto XXXX to an eight year old boy.

Enough said, Mark.

[craigmatic]

59. I do not. I support people watching their own kids. n/t

[Marr]

61. You really need to clarify your point.

Do you support government bans on violent video games or not?

[Warren Stupidity]

62. This OP and thread are full of the stupid.

Anyone have a clue where the OP stands on banning video games we don't like?

[Arkana]

63. So...do you support a ban or not?

The ESRB puts ratings on these games for a reason.

Video games are to me what guns are to the NRA--non-negotiable. There's a reason some games are rated M for mature--I've actually been carded when buying them.

But that's as far as regulation should go. After that, it's up to parents to decide--and parents have no right to blame the video game industry because they weren't smart enough to research the games their young child wants. When I see mothers buying their 10-year-old children games like GTA IV, Heavy Rain, and Gears of War, I roll my eyes because these are the same mothers who will come storming back in a day, spitting mad because "I BOUGHT LITTLE JOHNNY THIS VIDEO GAME AND IT HAS BLOOD AND SEX IN IT! HOW DARE YOU CORRUPT MY BEAUTIFUL LITTLE SNOWFLAKE'S MIND??!!!"

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

66. No, he's being sarcastic.

OP has spoken against government bans on video games in the past.

[rcrush]

70. What?