March 3, 2008 -
Although we can't think of a single commercial video game with an interactive rape scene, British MP - and frequent game critic - Keith Vaz (left) made sexual violence sound like a gaming staple in a debate on Friday.
As reported by Spong, the issue under consideration was Conservative MP Julian Brazier's bill to bring additional censorship to games in the U.K. Although Brazier's attempt ultimately failed, Vaz, not surprisingly, was a supporter:
Someone sitting at a computer playing a video game, or someone with one of those small devices that young people have these days, the name of which I forget - PlayStations or PSPs, something of that kind...
Well, whatever they are called, when people play these things, they can interact. They can shoot people; they can kill people. As the honourable Gentleman said, they can rape women.
Conservative MP Edward Vaizey, speaking later, questioned Vaz's rape assertion:
...the right honourable Member for Leicester, East (Keith Vaz), who chairs the Home Affairs Committee, mentioned that some video games allow the participant to engage in a rape act... I checked the point with the BBFC and found it to be completely unaware of any such video game.
Is the honourable Gentleman aware of any video game that has as its intention the carrying out of rape or that allows the game player to carry out such an act? The BBFC and I are unaware of any such game.
Vaz, however, was not present to respond to Vaizey. But the frequent game critic also took time to paint the U.K.'s video game industry and gaming press as malign forces:
The industry is one of the strongest and most powerful in the media today, and London is the centre of that industry.
Whenever those of us who raise the issue of video games have done so positively in relation to concerns about violence, we have been pilloried in the press that is sponsored by the video games industry for trying in some way to destroy it.
Link to full debate here...
Comments
Someone show me a game where you can rape women.
Imagine if JT was an elected Congressman of an extremely unpopular and 'shortly-to-be-removed' party. Imagine he was treated with utter contempt by everyone within the Congress, by the press and generally from the public. Now add to that all the stuff we already know about JT being a mentally unstable and generally idiotic attention-seeking muppet. Also, add on about 200 pounds of pure public-gravy-training fat.
Voila, you have Keith Vaz.
I think the LaRouche group beat Vaz to that allegation...
He's got the potential to be even more legendary than the woman who has it currently, one who quite famously claims sex with a virigin cures AIDs. Net result: Rapes on the increase!
From: http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/6303
“In February 2000 the Parliamentary standards watchdog Elizabeth Filkin was requested to investigate allegations of undisclosed payments to Vaz from businessmen in his constituency. The following year, 2001, members of the opposition began to question what role Vaz may have played in helping the billionaire Indian Hinduja brothers - linked with a corruption probe in India - to secure UK passports.
“In March 2001, the Filkin report cleared Vaz of nine of the 18 allegations of various financial wrongdoings, but Elizabeth Filkin accused Mr Vaz of blocking her investigation into eight of the allegations. He was also censured for one allegation - that he failed to register two payments worth £450 in total from Sarosh Zaiwalla, a solicitor whom he recommended for an honour several years later.
“Mrs Filkin announced in the same month a new inquiry which would focus on whether or not a company connected to Vaz received a donation from a charitable foundation run by the Hinduja brothers. The results of the inquiry were published in 2002 and it was concluded that Vaz had "committed serious breaches of the Code of Conduct and contempt of the House" and it was recommended that he be suspended from the House of Commons for one month.
“Keith Vaz was also a director of the company General Mediterranean Holdings' owned by the Anglo-Iraqi billionaire Nadhmi Auchi, who had in the past hired British politicians Lord David Steel and Lord Norman Lamont as directors. Vaz resigned his post as director when he became Minister for Europe, but it was later discovered that he had remained in contact with Auchi and had made enquiries on his behalf over a French extradition warrant, Auchi even calling Vaz at home to ask the minister for advice.
More - from same Page:
Political observers note that Keith Vaz has been lobbying on behalf of the banned Tamil Tigers. It is the practice of the Tamil Tigers to infiltrate left-wing political centres in Western democracies – particularly offices of parliamentarians from Toronto to Sydney – and manipulate the system to gain political mileage.
Oh, what about that group, eh? They wouldn't be a militant group would they?
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/ltte.htm
See for yourself.
Hey - I just googled it - try it yourself - I'm sure there's more out there.
Oh wait, I'll lay odds that the perverted bastard was playing one of those hentai games, there's BOUND to be one of those that lets you rape schoolgirls with your tentacles.
But IMO, anyone who plays those games really does need psychiatric help... I have only watched brief parts of them (from a roommate I had who had a whole collection of the damn things) but they were gruesome enough to make me feel like puking :s
Just hope that none of these politicians find out about them...
This man has no PULL in politics.
This is another ingenious way for Vaz to blame someone else for his mistakes. He assumes that the media is mocking his policies because they're conspiring to make him look foolish in an effort to defend the sources of their advertising income; did he ever even stop to consider that maybe they really are calling him out because they aren't buying into his 'video games are the bogeyman' arguments?
In all fairness, Vaz sounds like a compete retard. The media doesn't need to make him look foolish, he does it for himself.
Well, whatever they are called, when people play these things, they can interact. They can shoot people; they can kill people. As the honourable Gentleman said, they can rape women."
What hte fuck do you mean "Whatever they are called"? Get your fucking facts straight or shut the hell up.
So basically he's the British version of Jack Thompson?
the rapes not really interactive and the graphics are very crude
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer's_Revenge
There is also a rape scene in phantasmagoria, but that is not interactive either, and I'm not really sure if it would be considered rape or just rough sex, its been a while since I have seen it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantasmagoria_(computer_game)
Especially MP Edward Vaizey, who's response to Keith's rape in games claim as "You're full of crap, you know that?" and "What game is this?"
I'm surprised Keith didn't reply "Battletoads".
Perhaps Vaz was thinking of a flash game playable on the PSP's web browser?
Clever
Hahahahahahahahaha... If anything, Tokyo is in he center of it. There are developers and gamers all over the globe, FYI.
Get used to it- that seems to be where it is heading. Just wait until that "study" by that TV personality (WTF LOL) comes out. Europe in general is going in that direction...the US & Canada will go that route later on as well (they tend to lag behind Europe by a few years).
Clearly, if Keith had stayed well away from video games he'd be a better man :D
Gift.
A game where you can rape women...on the PSP?
I've seen my fair share of hentai games like these on PC, but I don't think I've seen a game like this for any of the Sony machines.
The closest I can remember is the new Tokimeki Memorial title, or maybe even DokiDoki Majou Shinpan on the DS. The latter is more of of ecchi than hardcore sex, though
It's unfortunate that, if the British publuc is anything like the American public, many people will just go "Oh my God! Video games are horrible" after beleiving every word without having any urge to go and find the truth themselves.
Is he going to blame video games for inspiring Hitler to try and conquer Europe next?
No offense to anyone that lives there, but I'm fairly certain that London isn't remotely the center of the industry. It's got a few centers, but none of them are London.
Methinks "Man holding in Fart" is good. I'll settle for "Complete Wanker" though.
That's because that's what you're doing, Vaz. Stop talking nonsense and we'll stop saying that you're talking nonsense. Problem solved.
The company mentioned 'GMH' above - seems to be in a bit of controversy.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections...
According to prosecution documents Mr Rezko tried to persuade unnamed Illinois officials to help Mr Auchi to get a US visa after he was convicted of fraud in France. Mr Obama’s aides deny that he was approached.
Mr Rezko has been indicted for pressuring companies seeking state business for kickbacks and campaign contributions, although none for Mr Obama. He was granted bail in October 2006. He told a judge that he had no access to overseas money. But in April 2007 Mr Auchi’s business, General Mediterranean Holding (GMH), wired $3.5 million to Mr Rezko from a bank account in Beirut via a law firm.
Hint:
“Keith Vaz was also a director of the company General Mediterranean Holdings’ owned by the Anglo-Iraqi billionaire Nadhmi Auchi,
Just more info I found - feel free to come to conclusions yourself.
"I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's intervention on that point. This goes back to our earlier discussion about how Chinese whispers can feed debates through the media, and we end up arguing about things that never happened and, through the early-day motion mechanism, creating a huge superstructure to deal with things that do not exist and are not a problem. We have all been spoofed at one time or another, and the possibility of people spoofing us on this issue is particularly horrifying."
Jack Thompson, Keith Vaz - He's talking about YOU!
Yeah, if there's a centre of the industry, it's in the US. If there's a UK centre, development-wise it's either in the midlands or the North East.
Perhaps there's a lot of business-types in London (publishers, UK offices of foreign devcos etc), but not much in terms of actual games.
/b
And here was me thinking that Edinburgh was the center of the UK gaming industry. You know, with Rockstar North making GTA and all that...
Are there any major developers in London?
If UK people want to have a look at my site (www.stateofgameplay.com) its an attempt to make a UK version of Game Politics, with UK centric stories. Any one who wishes to help me with it in anyway, especially with the Byron review upcoming, is more than welcome to email me paul at stateofgameplay dot com.
"The game was discovered not in Warren Leblanc's possession but in the victim's possession. It does not feature the use of a hammer, and it was not considered by the police to be a contributory factor. No such connection was ever suggested in court.
Indeed, the prosecution and defence barristers insisted in court that the video game had played no part in the killing. It was reported that Leblanc was motivated by fear of a gang to which he owed money."
I like her. :)
Yet, who speaks out? Another politician. And still referring to Vaz as honorable and gentleman. Seriously, tradition or policy aside, someone just needs to call Vaz a lying git.
Had this been the US, the ESRB, the ESA, and perhaps even the ECA would have sent out press releases. They would have done so no matter who else spoke up.
C'mon, BBFC, you're "independant". Call Vaz out. It appears you have other political support. Speak up for crying out loud!
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
The BBFC doesnt really comment on political matters. The government keeps their noses out of the BBFC's business for the most part, the BBFC extends the same courtesy, otherwise they'd run the risk of losing their perceived 'impartiality'.
It would seem to me that if the BBFC spoke up without concern for losing favor with the government, then that would would PROVE its independance.
After all, if they could speak out, setting the record straight, they would also be showing themselves to be supporting the idea of informing individuals and Parents.
And if the government retaliated, then the government should be brought to task.
But this way, it seems like the BBFC is being told "sit down, shut up, and we in the government will speak for you".
Now, if the politician said "I checked with our official ratings board, the BBFC, and I don't see the game Vaz is talking about." And then, the BBFC came out and said "that's correct, we have no record of any such game". Well, that just sounds like a confirmation of the politician's statement.
Nightwng2000
NW2K software
Wow, this guy clearly knows what the hell he is talking about. I thought politicians were at least supposed to be ~good~ at blagging stuff they are clueless on? This bloke didn't even try!
I believe this conversation has already been had in a recent topic, and it is just as apparent here that our opinions on this matter are inconsolable. The BBFC is an independant body, it is not funded by the government and has no political agenda. The only relationship between the 2 is that government has given the BBFC power to judge particular types of media and that their judgements are legally enforcable.
The BBFC already takes numerous steps to inform parents, they have a separate website for parents (www.pbbfc.co.uk) as well as their other duties of ratings explanation and proper notices of ratings in retailers.
The BBFC is quite happy working away without having to get involved in this debate. It is a public body in place to serve the public, it doesnt HAVE a political agenda, getting involved in politics will only serve to undermine its own position, there is nothing to gain from it.
Also I should point out, the comment from the MP that he had checked with the BBFC about the existence of such a game took place in closed Parliamentary discussion. You can't just barge in and announce your piece. If the BBFC wanted to make a public statement they could, but as I already stated, getting involved in politics is a slimy business, and nobody ever comes out clean.
Well, whatever they are called"
I stopped right about there.
When you can't be bothered to learn the proper name of your paper monster, then your argument is invalid.
I'm sure I'm not the only one that stopped here.
Clearly we're dealing with an expert here, folks!