This law demonstrates the "ex post facto" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ex_post_facto) restriction in the Constitution. It is a law that could suddenly make all past media subject to penalties and punishments. That restriction is against Congress, but I'm pretty sure it would be crushed in Federal court along with the First Amendment abuses.

[...] Link [...]

wow this iwll effect every industry just about.
i feel bad for rap and R&B and rock music.

Why is the blame never put on the PARENTS!!!! It it too much to ask that a partent actualy raises thier child, or is it up to the media to instill values.

And they use the term "Think of the children" as a means of passing these bills? Oy Vey

Does anyone else have a feeling like "it's just all falling apart"?

I don't know what I mean by that, but it's a feeling I have..

Damn, I was hoping this stuff wouldn’t hit my state. I guess that was a little too much to ask for.

@Pinworm

What is the it?

If you mean the law makers, then yes I'm inclined to agree, it seems they are getting desperate and the courts are having none of it.

If you mean the game makers, then please explain.

Isn't this a straight violation of the first amendment ?

Nazi material, religious material, heck any written material can't be held responsible for the actions of others.

The only effect that this idiotic piece of legislation will have is that AZ tax payers will once again end up paying the industries legal bill.

There is no chance that this would pass constitutional muster. The federal courts have been brutal in striking down laws and lawsuits that try to hold content providers for that actions of individuals.

This clown Perkins needs his head examined.

I suggest a ruling which forces everyone to smile while they're at it.

Wow, i thought the other video game laws were bad, but this has to go down as one of the most stupendously stupid laws i've ever seen... and it WON a vote? i don't know whether to laugh or cry

If Arizona passes this they'll also have to make gun manufacturers liable for firearm-related incidents, car companies responsible for car crashes, and alcohol brewers responsible for anything people do when drunk.

These legislators need a reality check. Anything can be used responsibly or abused; it's the responsibility of the user--or the user's guardian if s/he's a minor--to make sure the item is used in a proper way.

People need to be responsible for their own actions; passing the blame will only make things worse in the long run.

[...] wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptA piece of legislation under consideration today by the Arizona State Senate has video game industry representatives concerned. HB 2660, which was passed by a 36-23 vote in the Arizona House of Representatives last month, would make content producers, publishers and distributors liable for monetary damages if any written, audio, visual or digital material from which they profited was judged to have been “dangerous” or obscene and motivated someone to commit a felony or an act of terrorism. The Arizona Daily Star reports that Keith Perkins, an attorney who runs the victims advocacy group Never Again Foundation, said that those who profit from such material should be held responsible. Perkins wrote the measure, which is sponsored by Republican Warde Nichols (left). Representatives for content creators, however, say the measure goes too far: A representative for the Motion Picture Association of America, Wendy Briggs, said House Bill 2660 is overly broad. She said the legislation… could result in lawsuits against people involved […] [...]

If more people were politically aware in the country, I bet there would have been a riot if this were actually put into law, oy. And also for other political fouls(You all know).

I'd like to see this apply to The Wizard of Oz, just so all the old people in Arizona will get pissed off and demand the bill's repeal. There are lots of them, and we all know how much old people vote.

This bill will never fly in court.

If this, by some unforeseen nightmare ot judicial incompetence did stand, it would be a disaster, not only for the media, but for other industries as well.

If we don't currently hold GM & Smith&Wesson accountable for the things people do with their products, how can we hold EA and Warner Brothers responsible for things people saw in their products?

The whole idea just doesn't make sense.

It reminds me of the same people who were terrified of comic books in the 50's and 60's. "They're rotting children's brains!" "They're violent!" "They're full of smut!".

Fast forward to now, and they're the basis of more summer blockbusters than anything else in the last 10 years.

Personally, I think the interactivity scares people more than anything else, and gives them the ability to persuade otherwise intelligent people into thinking that games have some sort of negative impact. Given enough time, or the next big thing, common sense 'should' prevail. One can hope, at least.

That means a movie depicting mail fraud could be sued for promoting mail fraud. A film or book with teen pregnancy can be sued for causing the same. This bill could pretty much destroy ALL media...which is why it will fail.

This crap is why people hate lawyers.

*SIGH* This country need a political enema on all levels so badly that it just isn't funny anymore....

Add another failure bill to the pile...

Once again, the First Ammendment is to be the Industries Shield against Congress.

I'd personally like it to be an Axe too, but one step at a time.

Ya know, I really hope this passes.

Monkeythumbs had it right.

Have a shooting, or even just a beating up of someone, like the recent shooting at an Oxnard school, over an apparently homosexual student.

Search the criminal's home for religious text.

Blame the religious text and religion.

Multi-million dollar lawsuits against the publisher of the religious text.

And, if their religion organizes, such as a church, discover if the religion preaches bigotry and hate against homosexuals.

Multi-million dollar lawsuits against the church.

And, hey, if the church claims immunity or demands that they are protected by the First Amendment...

SHOVE "PROTECT THE CHILDREN" DOWN THEIR THROATS (FIGUREATIVELY SPEAKING OF COURSE)!

Nightwng2000
NW2K Software

Let the law stand and refuse to distribute media to the state. Watch as a significant number of politicians lose their next election.

Then challenge the law in court or let the state fix its own problems.

To the subhuman pieces of trash that passed this bill. - FUCK YOU! YOU VILE COMMUNIST FASCIST DICTATOR ASSHOLES!!!!

Where the hell do they grown these pod like humans? I can't believe this passed in America. This country ios going straight down the shitter I swear.

To any sane Judge out there in the world - Please over turn the absolute backwards piece of shit thinking insanity.

@ Dark Sovereign

Actually, if I'm not mistaken about the wording:

"3. The person knew, should have known or recklessly disregarded a significant risk that the material would substantially assist, encourage or result in another person committing terrorism or a felony offense."

It's not simply "inspiring" the person to commit the crime, it could be providing the means to commit it. Which again brings us back to events like suing an automaker because a loved one was killed in a hit and run.

The manufacturer provided the "assist" to the crime, and a car is a dangerous object, and the manufacturers do know that.

So, it seems that this bill is trying to open up the way to pretty much sue everything in existence. Not that it will stand up to scrutiny as it is so f****** vague that it makes me ill. Go solve a real problem, guys.

Let me preface this by stating that I don't advocate real-world violence at all. This is purely hypothetical.

Now then, suppose this ridiculous law passes, and it so enrages some nutjob that he decides to commit acts of violence against the Arizona legislature or some of its members. Could the AZ legislature then be sued for creating "written material" (the law itself) which "motivated someone to commit a felony?"

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that they haven't really thought it through, but you'd think they'd at least be aware of the abject failure of all similar laws in otehr states.

Anybody remember that Charles Manson was inspired by seemingly harmless Beatles lyrics?

Among many many other things, including philosophies he learned through studying Scientology (which would explain a lot IMO but I digress).

Murders and Terrorism caused by Video Games - 0
Murders and Terrorism caused by the Bible - 10,000,000 +

Actually, if this applies to all, than the most dangerous piece of media has to be none other than the Bible.

Millions upon millions....upon millions have killed, assaulted and have committed suicide over it.

This is more ridiculous then the bill that Jack Thompson wrote. Even if the bill is passed, it must be "clear and present danger" which hasn't happened in video games.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clear_and_present_danger

@Tyler Baumbarger

Good story. Sad but too true these days. Personal responsibility is out the window and means all most nothing now to most Americans from what I can see. What a sad state of affairs.

Due to 9/11 I'd like to sue Mohammed. Because of the war in Iraq/Afghanistan I'd like to sue Jesus.

But April 1st was a week ago...

Oh no.

what about the gun manufacturers? they stand to profit from somebody who buys a gun and uses it to kill a ton of people. hell, just seeing the gun could inspire somebody to do it. but no, gun lobbyists have been around forever, and so nobody thinks of going after THEM.

I hate living in a Christian country. :(

@Cheater87

All fundamentalist groups suck. Not just Christians. Extremists of any color or stripe are just illogical and lame. That is the nature of the world. There will always be some group of asshats that think they know what is best for everyone.

BTW, I am a spiritual anarchist. ;) (I am not a political anarchist.)

This thing's gonna get it's ass kicked right? Right?

@ vinniethewop - Right on brotha. My shrink kept telling me that everything that happened bad to me was the fault of my depression. Turns out if I just get off my ass and fix the problem, the problem goes away. Incidentally, paying for the shrink was one of those problems that went away too :)

Odds for this law passing constitutional muster: NOT A CHANCE IN HELL!

That is what I am hoping Dark Sovereign. That is what I am hoping, that some Judge out there will see and laugh him/her self right off their bench.

Note to all you saying "This bill will never pass"

Remember when people said "this lawsuit will never win" back when that fellow sued McDonalds because 'his coffee was hot' making millions? Obviously this is different in context, but there are similiarities:

All it takes is one.

All it takes is one of these anti-videogame laws to pass, and then there is more, and more, and more, until the USA is destroyed.

I'm not saying this one will pass.. but one day, god forbid, one might. And that's all it takes.

It's also against the Arizona State Constitution Article II, section 25:

25. Bills of attainder; ex post facto laws; impairment of contract obligations
"Section 25. No bill of attainder, ex-post-facto law, or law impairing the obligation of a contract, shall ever be enacted."

Pinworm, laws have passed before and they got overturned as being Unconstitutional. Any Judge in her/his right mind will see the insanity of this Bill and over turn it immediately. Who/what I really feel sorry for is voters in Arizona whose tax money is being wasted.

@Thefremen

Blaming the Christian doctrine is different than blaming certain Christians. And while some of the Christians are making the laws, other Christians are fighting it. The difference is, the defenders don't make as big a stink about their Christianity. Frankly, it's not good to bring up "Christians" as a negative at all, since without clarification it paints all of us in the bad light.

So I could beat money changers and they could sue every movie about Jesus then?

Who are these politicians? Where are their heads?

This is scary stuff. Not because this bill stands a snowball's chance in hell of surviving a First Amendment challenge, but because 36 members of the Arizona House of Representatives felt it was worthwhile legislation.

It's frightening to me how inept our elected officials are.

I refer back to Yuki's comment to summarize my position; enough is enough. The industry needs to stop being concerned about these bills and go on the offensive. Go start some shit. Educate these morons on those rights they're supposedly sworn to protect.

And as Yuki suggests, maybe end a few careers while you're at it.

I think the one guy made a great point using the Flight Simulator game as an example.

Did Microsoft Flight Simulator inspire 9-11? You could make the argument...and as such Flight Simulator, FLIGHT SIMULATOR for crying out loud would be banned under this law.

Also, to those arguing for using the 1st Amendment as an "axe" or suing on the 1st Amendment, you can't really do that.

You have no private right of action under the First Amendment. You cannot sue because a law is passed that you think violates your rights.

The video game industry could only sue if they were actually harmed. So if this law passed and a game was banned or say EA fined. THEN EA could sue, but they can't sue until the law is actually used against them.

If they try to sue earlier than that the case will be dismissed for lack of "ripeness." It's this idea that the courts will not issue "advisory opinions." They won't issue decisions on laws until those laws are actually employed against someone so that the legislature doesn't slam the courts with hypothetical laws just to see if they'll pass.

It would do two things:
1) Gum up the court system even more than it already is
2) Make the courts the lawmakers, not the legislatures, since no law would pass without first being run by the courts for an "o.k."

I think that all media written, audio, visual or digital material that they feel will make someone kill should not besold in AZ for a bit and let their economy suffer, i bet there state will go to hell with no movies for poeple to watch or tv shows like 24 ya know the media industry should not sell or air any thing over their and lets see how the people take befor they storm up and demand that trash they call a bill to be removed
to think out tax dollars go into this non sence im glad in not there and I feel bad for people who have to deal with them ok for now on im voting so we can cut this shit out for good!!!1

Yea, the Bible is definitely the most dangerous thing listed there.

I love the fact that there are some folk on here who adamantly believe that video games have no harmful effects at all, but will happily attribute millions of atrocities on religion.

Repeat after me:

Guns don't kill people, people do.
Video games don't kill people, people do.
Religion doesn't kill people, people do.
Books don't kill people, people do.
don't / doesn't kill people, people do.

@ Steve

I whole-heartedly agree with you. Saying games aren't the general problem and then going on to blame something else (guns, the bible, etc.) is hypocritical. I refuse to stoop to that level.

@Pinworm:

That lawsuit was justified. A reasonable person expects to get burned spilling coffee on themselves. A reasonable person does *NOT* expect third degree burns that require skin grafts, especially when McD's was warned over it before. She originally requested simply medical bills. The award phrased as "millions of dollars" does sound like a lot, doesn't it? That's not what it was though. It was "one day of revenue from coffee sales".

@ Loudspeaker: I'm referring to religion as a belief system, not the followers. People have been misdirected by bad people for centuries - religion is just an excuse used by these bad people to get what they want.

Fellas lets chill with this whole "Bible" nonsense when we should be going after the real bad guy here, the lawyers.

This Bill has the saliva of a thousands trail lawyers all over it, drooling at the financial prospect that it entails.

So lets drop the the whole religion angle and get back to hating on the lawyers, surely we can all agree to that?

Well, hate is a strong term, but you just have to feel sorry for people who are unable to see the "other side's" point ... Sorry and just a little irritated, but hey - no-one's perfect :)

Did they run out of water in Arizona and start tapping the payote reserves? I'd really like to know how this bill was proposed I'm picturing a room filled with about 83 seats, and 36 of them empty. "Who here doesn't think this bill should move on?" *23 people raise their hands* "Alright this passes, 36 to 23..."

As many have said, this thing leaves way too much open to interpretation. Dangerous can be very subjective to many view points. To some Harry Potter is dangerous because they think it entices children to magic and devil worship. To others organized religion is dangerous because they think it brainwashes and dumbs down the masses. The simple fact of the matter is that a blanket law like this is too broad, too general and can literally be used against every bit of mass media on the market, no matter how innoculus it is.

This will die under scrutiny simply because it opens those who would pass it under too much scrutiny about legality and creating an excuse for baseless and frivilous litigation.

I can't beleive I live in Arizona and never even saw this brought before the public.

I'm disgusted that people would again try to blame a medium ( be it books, wow, dark ages again?, music, 1980's much?, movies, etc.), instead of the parents not acting as parents.

As far as teaching kids things, could pac - man be sued for teaching kids to eat white pellets, which morons might interpret as pills? I'm making it public here to my friends, family, fellow employees. This law is just another way for lobbying parents to act like they give a crap, but they're really just there so they have less work to do.

I vote we form our own political party to bring an ounce of intelligence and sense into the government.

*writes on voter registration*
Pixelante (with an illustration of the sprite Donkey Kong from the 8-bit days)

Ok.. Bolding not added by me, but you can see where it was supposed to be...

In all honesty I'd be floored if this thing passes and doubly surprised if it sticks without someone challenging it and overturning it. Generally speaking stuff like this is only in place until someone with enough money gets ticked about it. Besides, imagine the burden of proof in a court. How on earth are you going to prove that any given piece of entertainment "motivated" someone to commit a felony or a terrorist act?

Honestly, this sort of thing is why you will never see me be a diplomat or senator. Somebody tried to get me to vote for something like this, I'd probably laugh at his butt. (Just wreaks of someone trying to find a way to cash in on tragic acts.)

The lawyers behind this are called "Ambulance Chasers". Always looking for a tragedy to cash in on. But then what is new?

Considering I can think of two cases of the top of my head where mothers killed their own children because 'God told them to', I think this is an incredibly dangerous law.

Oddly enough, 'God told me to do it' seems to be a ticket to an instant insanity plea.....

We don't need bills like this, WE NEED BILLS THAT STOP PEOPLE FROM EXPLOITING THE LEGAL SYSTEM FOR THEIR OWN ENDS!

@Parallax Abstraction

There's one passage that is always used by gay-hater groups (I hate those kind of cliques). Find it for a cookie.

This bill is really ridiculous. It goes against all democracy is about, this is just bringing us in the books 1984 or Fahrenheit 451. Seriously, there's no chance that this bill will be accepted.

Again, whjo voted for the asshats who pased this bill? What kind of people live in Arizona that would vote for them? Did they know that these kinds of people were running? if they did not know and they officials pulled a fast one then the voters cannot be faulted. If they did know then I blame the voters for voting for asshats like these. DO NOT VOTE FOR ASSHATS LIKE THESE ANYMORE! :(

Hopefully the burden of proof will be too hard to reach, but we need to be on guard against cases where someone nuts says "GTA made me do it". So when there is a 'professional' saying the nuts person might possibly be telling the 'truth' by their own warped perceptions, their NEEDS to be a professional saying that games don't = crime. So I agree with T5- who gains? Lawyers and self appointed experts - Look at Jack T as a perfect example.

First time commenting.......yay!

I'm absolutely disgusted by this.I'm abhorred by the sheer audacity of the stupidity presented here.If this gets passed,well,it'll make me more thankful I don't live in Arizona for one,but another,if that bill gets passed,it could get passed here in Alabama,because all it takes is for just one success to spur on another.

This could be a blessing. I say we all move to Arizona and sue Uwe Bowl for the offensive material in all his movies.

The "problem with the world" is illustrated perfectly through this bill. Instead of people just taking responsibility for their actions and wrong-doings they are searching for a scapegoat. It's been going on since history has been recorded. It's happening now, and it will happen in the future.

I don't suppose it to be fair that if I write a fictional novel about flying planes between the buildings of a major metropolitan area and I included details about how the pilot learned to maneuver through the tight spaces that I could be held responsible for someone that decides that would be a acceptable thing to do in real life.

Instead of looking at the sociopaths who don't seem to understand the difference between reality and fiction, these officials and activists look to cut everyone off at the "source". They believe that video games, novels, movie or any kind of media are to blame instead of it just being a simple "human condition." Is it really so far fetched to believe that some people are just born lacking the ability to differentiate between right vs. wrong, acceptable vs. unacceptable and real vs. fake.

I use the terms "right" and "wrong" loosely because I don't think that there is an actual Right or Wrong. There are things that the majority of society believes or labels to be wrong and since this is the reality we live in we are required to abide by these guidelines. In some other society maybe it's not a faux pas to run into a school blazing guns and shooing innocent people. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad I live in a society that doesn't allocate that behavior into the "acceptable" column, but I hope you get my point. Now I'm rambling.

Point is, society seems to be pushing further and further towards trying to find a source to blame for these acts of violence that seem to be happening across the world. I don't know if it is in attempt to justify the deaths of the innocent (as if you could) or to set our minds at ease but I can guarantee that when they find the "source" and out-law it, there will be no change in the events happening.

There have been studies to prove that people do not have any increase in rage/anger/aggression after playing violent video games. The problem with studies or tests is that you can manipulate the data to reflect whatever it is that you want. The scientists doing the studies that are being quoted by the media have released articles stating that there is no correlation between violence in media (books, games, movies, music) and an increase in emotions such as rage or anger.

I think I'm done now...yes, yes, I know. Finally.

Great! Now they'll pass a law to find gun companies liable when guns are used in murder, yes? And laws finding water treatment plants liable when people drown in swimming pools?

@ Woodey

Well said sir.

I agree Solarman, reeks of Stalinist Russia

@Thefremen
That's pretty much what this is, paving the way for insane lawsuits. You can sue someone if you get hit by their car, it's a concrete object doing physical harm, but when you replace "physical" with "supposed" and an object with a form of media, lawyers will be in a feeding frenzy.

ugh.. People make me sick. I don't understand why people are so against video games? Have they even tried them themselves?? Or are they just going by what some extreme conservative had told them?? Acting like sheep doing this by not doing their homework and going by "statistics" as Cliffnotes. Why are they so inclined to stop certain media from being produced? Do they not realize that this not only takes away from our freedom of speech but also stifles the creative mind. Cultures cannot exist without their artists. People REALLY have to learn to take responsibility for their own actions and monitor what their children do! The world isn't raising their child and parents should not act like we should! maybe they ought not to have procreate if they plan to control everyone around them. Jeez..

I wish they posted their roll calls online; I like to think my Rep had the good sense to be one of the "nay" votes.

Bear in mind it still has to pass the Senate, and even then I give pretty good odds of Governor Napolitano having the good sense to veto it.

Failing that? Well, it sure is great to live in a state full of "fiscal conservatives" who want to blow millions of our tax dollars defending things that are clearly unconstitutional. (See also: Arpaio, Sheriff Joe.)

@Bob

1. The buisinesses are leaving the United Kingdom for Canada, not the US to Canada.
2. I don't think video game companies bring Arizona any. I don't know of a single company based there.
3. While the dollar is weakening and money is tight, we are not in a recession, but a slowdown. A recession needs two consecutive quarters of negative growth. We have had none.

Side note: does anyone know of any company that has moved from the United States to elsewhere? I don't.
Also, I would like to point this out: WE DON'T HAVE THIS IN TEXAS! HAHAHAHAHAHA!

@nightstalker160

I had completely forgotten about outsourcing. I didn't think that that affected the video games industry though. I also do not deny that the economy is in a bad way, I merely point out (or tried to) that in order for a recession to occur, the economy must recede.

@ccruler

The US is a free country, but whether or not a state is is another matter entirely. The US government that the outside world knows and loves is only supposed to regulate activities between the states adn between the states and the outside world. The states are larely left to determine their own policies.

[...] I could go on forever about this shit, but I’m going to wrap things up here. I’d like to say that I think it’s great to see prominent figures like Stephen King speak out about things like this. Unless you bring the idiocy of these kinds of things to the forefront, states like: Massachusetts, Arizona, Louisiana, Minnesota, New York, Utah, Kansas and California, are just going to slip them into law without true opposition. And since no one really takes the gaming community seriously, it’s even better to have a non-gamer speak up and say “Hey - I think this is bullshit too”. [...]

I will say right now, DESPITE, Being canadian. I am outraged myself. Mainly because if this does pass by some miracle. Who knows how many other countries (Hopefully not canada) will look at this and say "Yeah, Lets do that"

NO!!! NO!!! No!!! BAD Law Makers!!!! THIS is not them striking out to Protect anyone, This is them wanting more money while getting on the good side of parents who need to give thier heads a shake.

I mean They get tv and Video games to BABYSIT thier kids. To become the parent for thier kids. And they seek to shield thier kids, turning them fragile. Oh no, no no. A kid has fun But *gasp* heaven-forbid he should actually fall down, scrap, hurt, or accidentally injure themselves. This stinks of parents who want us to live in a world of butterflies and rainbows, Where everyone joins hands and sings song while shooting any form of violence or anything of the like into the sun. These seem like the type of parents who send thier kid to the emergency ward for a paper cut, or make sure to wrap thier kids in bubble-wrap before allowing them outdoors.

What I am saying is..These type of parents need to PULL THIER HEAD OUT OF THIER F**Kin ass. I mean Kids are going to get cuts and scrapes its a part of nature. It toughens them up. Makes skin more durable. It is NOT YOUR PLACE to Decide what is good for the rest of the world. You want to make your kid fragile, fine. But Dont play the victim card, forcing lawmakers and lawyers to pull this kind of BS. THere is ALWAYS a risk of some brain-dead official Bending to the will of these whining parents who think it is thier duty to "protect" other people's kids while leaving tv and games to babysit thier own.

And that is my piece! As A fellow gamer, I do not want to see garbage like this again, Even if I am not from arizona.

thanks for the news

Personally, i would love some (slightly educated sensible) teens, young adults, and even gaming-adults to step up to the plate, and i would love to join them. I didnt even know this bill was passed until i read this article, however i am glad i stumbled on it. Firstly, the reason i say slightly educated and sensible, is because honestly, acting rashly would only hurt the success of any 'retaliation' campaign. As has been said, parents should be held accountable, and the only reason they agree with this is 'Hey, look, i have an excuse not to raise my kids like i should and blame something else to clear my own conscience (sp?)!'

<sarcasm>The gaming industry provides the most futuristic technology available to mankind, rightly dubbed 'rating system' which tells parents what the average (and sensible) age group should be for anyone who makes the purchase of said game. </endsarcasm

Now, if the parents really sought that their kids not to be influenced by a violent game, then maybe they shouldn't be buying their kids games with violence, that, with the help of thousands of scientific minds, over the last five hundred millenia to deduce that a game involving violence should be rated M for mature, meaning only people of age to discern between reality and fantasy should own and play this game, then perhaps the parents shouldnt be buying such 'media' for their kids in the first place? perhaps taking the fifteen seconds it takes to look at the rating, and then read the back of the case which tells exactly what the game contains within, and a small backstory? oh, wait, that requires too much logic and common sense to be plausible! oops.. i must have messed up on my /endsarcasm... oh, forgot the last > !

Now to the issue at hand. As has been stated, this is simply sterotyping (blanket term) that a game induces the inspiration to cause criminal acts? last i checked, it was the persons personal interperetation of any given media outlet, + their mental condition, level of logic/commin sense, divided by the 2nd power to = the final outcome. This law simply allows anyone to blame anyine/anything be it media, or otherwise that caused their own actions. the 'Devil made me do it' excuse. and thats just what it is, an excuse.

for those claiming religion is cause for such things, youre wrong too. the people being prosecuted for a crime, are just like the very lawyers/politicians who made the topic at hand, theyre using an outlet for a scapegoat to blame for 'why' they did what they did so that they dont take the responsibility themselves.

for those that dont understand what i just said, here's a picture

Lawyer ----- Games/media inspire people to do bad things!

Person ----- God/Devil made me do it!

point? theyre both just looking for an excuse to escape personal responsibility by blaming somehting else. Its like a post-apacalyptic thing, people will accept any excuse, and blame anyone that someone else tells them to, simply to have something to blame, so they feel secure inside, and dont have to take personal responsibility.

This bill is just like the preacher in a post-apacalyptic earth, where the lawyer is the prophet, claiming the video games, and other media outlets caused the earth to become the way it has. Why do the masses (aka parents, etc) believe it? because it allows them to point the finger at something other than themselves, so that they can have somehting, other than themselves to hate and blame, without taking the time to consider 'is this a false prophet trying to take advantage of a weakened community to become rich and powerful?' anyways, im rambling and going way off topic, but i hope you get the points im trying to make.