June 6, 2007
In yesterday's coverage, GamePolitics picked up on a Statewide News Service report which said that a pair of New York legislators nearly came to blows while debating violent video game legislation.However, a source who attended the hearing in Albany quickly informed GP that the SNS report was overstated and we made that fact known in an update. The Staten Island Advance has more on the incident:
A report that state Sens. Andrew Lanza and Ruth Hassell-Thompson almost practiced what they were preaching against - nearly getting into a slugfest at a violent video game hearing - is bunk, the two lawmakers said today.
...While the senators briefly raised their voices, the exchange never grew nasty, and neither rose from their chairs on either side of the dais.
Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson (D, left), one of the participants, said:
It was passion on both our parts, not real anger. I think [Statewide News Service] overreacted and I wasn't excited about reading it.
Sen. Andrew Lanza (R) added:
It was the type of constructive debate we want to have at these hearings. People have opinions and we're not there to quell them. She and I have worked together on this, and we don't agree completely but we both want the same thing.
Comments
I think after this little fiasco it's going to be more funny to see their bills get shot down.
The fact of the matter is, beyond any sort of proven harm it's up to parents to make sure their children aren't getting ahold of Free Speech materials that they find innappropriate or unsuitable for their children (whether it be "M" rated games, Harry Potter books or even the Holy Bible which if it was put into game or movie form would be an R rated movie or M rated game). This would give the parents the tools to deal with it themselves.
If parents are to lazy or stupid to use these tools then it's their fault and maybe they shouldn't be having fricken kids to begin with. Hell, if parents are to lazy or stupid to raise their own children and need the nanny-state to do it for them, then they should probably have their kids taken away from them for awhile until they're willing to be give it their all in raising their own kids.
Would have taken down the Bills number of helpers.
Blech, early morning doesn't agree with me. My sarcasm generator is broken.
Ah! Just grab a cup of coffee and you'll be back to normal. And yes, taxpayers money would be better spent on fixing the health care system, fixing the school system and of course educating parents on how they themselves can protect (God, i hate that word) their children from entertainment materials that they think they're children need protection from.
LOL Constructive debate would be one in which they were debating the constitutionality of both bills.
There is no law necessary to fund a state wide education promotion of the ESRB ratings. They do need the House and Senate to approve the allocation of funding to such a project. But that would make too much sence for the government.
But I aggree, education not legislation is the key for parents to successfully regulate the media consumption of their kids.
Say it ain't so!
Sen. Ruth Hassell-Thompson
"He pissed me off! That sonofabitch was just getting on my nerves. I think my bill should be struck down first so that all the soccer moms and ignorant fools who voted for me can feel like I am doing something about a non-issue. Then the @&$%ing media had to go and report on it. Damn, I hate those bastards. Always reporting on stuff. They should just trust us! Then the world would be a better place."
Sen. Andrew Lanza
"She said what!? Oh, that bitch. Stealing my thunder! I started this whole pissing contest! I had the original bill! She should just shut up and make my dinner! Which is what I was trying to tell her yesterday. That She needs to shut up and let me regulate this pornography. This is my free votes generator. She and the others have just jumped on the band-wagon. We want the same thing? I don't care! This is my gravy train."
Yea, that sounds a little more like what they were really saying.
From the article:
"Lanza said most games already include the rating, and the mandate would not include restrictions on selling them -- the point on which other laws were killed"
Section S 614 of Lanza's bill:
"No person, partnership, or corporation shall sell or rent or attempt to sell or rent at retail a video game in contravention of the rating affixed thereto"
I had no idea that Anti-gamers were so violent.
No. That's not at all what they were saying.
OK, I'm a little biased (let me have a little fun). In truth, they made statements that were designed to make it sound like they are not out of control loose cannons. They wanted to show solidarity and assure the voters that they are completely competent, responsible individuals who work hard to ensure that bad legislation doesn't get passed.
It's all bunk though. Lies and deceit.
not to mention it mostly revolved around them bickering over whos bill will be passed and not the reason why both would fail....
And yet not one of you 'polichickens" can have such a debate with anyone from the industry you both wish to attack.
We are setting a grand example of how to run things. Take all credit for yourself, give the blame to others and do everything in your power to make things easier and more pleasant for your offspring. The next generation be weaker, more selfish and more foolish than this one. Good news is that things will probably become more interesting and entertaining. Joy.
I'm glad I don't live in NY but it still angers me that people are willing to put someone in prison over the sale of a video game. Take away someones freedom and embarrass them daily for a large portion of their because the store manager at FB games has been busting their balls to sell more video games. Even if that wasn't the case and the individual just sold a minor a game plain and simple is prison a justified punishment? Little Jimmy played a bad game so a small replaceable cog in the machine gets thrown into prison. Why can't the parent simply take the game, return it, and smack their kid. Whenever I did something stupid or wrong at the very least I was yelled at and I knew that It wasn't a good thing to do. Maybe the southern states aren't truly the breeding(or inbreeding) ground for stupidity. Maybe it moved north to NY... wait... hold on.. let me check... yeah... I think it did.
Perhaps the supporters of this bill should be sent to prison until they can no longer procreate. So in case stupidity is genetic perhaps the future generations will have a brighter future.
Zoink