May 6, 2008
Video game legislation proposed by Boston Mayor Thomas Menino - and authored by Jack Thompson - has stalled in the Massachusetts legislature.In March legislators heard testimony on HB1423, a bill which would equate violent video games with pornography.
However the Boston Business Journal now reports that the measure has been "sent into study," which essentially means it is on life support. From the Business Journal story:
Menino's proposal, which would make it illegal for minors to buy video games with graphic content, was sent into study in March -- a big win for the state's burgeoning video game industry...
But the mayor, seeing a link between violent content and violent behavior, still is in favor of the proposal, and plans to continue to push for it on a grass-roots level, said Larry Mayes, chief of human services for the city of Boston. "To get this through, we're really going to have to do a statewide push. We want to go to the communities, particularly to the parents and sit with them and show them the material."
Mayes said members of the mayor's office plan to hold community meetings starting this summer to educate parents about such violent video games.
The hope is those parents will then advocate for the ban.
Comments
I wonder how much they would support it then.
At least I have an excuse (my 6-month old just finished eating).
That's crazy.
"So crazy... THAT IT JUST MIGHT WORK!!!" -Pistachio Disguisey (The Master Of Disguise)
man are they insane i mean repeating the same thing over and over and expecting the same resaults they shoul have a law against politicans you know something like a 3 strikes rule they can try the same thing twice but on the third try if it fails again they pay for it from their own pocket
WTF? Where did someone get this smart? I LIKE IT!!!
I agree. These politicians should be paying for these failed unconstitutional, pro-censorship laws out of their own pockets.
Hey, they forgot this part of the quote "And to further aid our cause we are only going to show the most violent and disturbing parts shown completely out of context with no connection to the narrative at all so it will seem like the only thing you do in these videos is run around brutalizing random, innocent people and scare the parents into thinking our way for support, even though this is blatantly unconstitutional, and morally suspect, to willingly deceive parents and the voting public like this."
Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if they actually pulled something like this.
This guy is the windbag that steers the failboat directly in to the iceberg.
thats exactly what will happen ... gta/manhunt/cod4 etc showing the most violent games then asking "IS THIS WHAT YOUR CHILDREN SHOULD PLAY" not saying none of those games are for children in the first place
If I was in Mass. I'd sue this guy's face off for wasting my taxpayer money on this shit.
How about your use your grassroots advocacy to get parents to "pay attention to their kids" instead of flipping out about something kids shouldn't be playing anyway.
Find out about these meetings and demand to have a say. Tell these people the truth about video games. How less than 12% of games reated by the ESRB are M and AO. Tell them about the 58% success rate in keeping these games out of children's hands. Tell them about the 71% failure rates that movies have.
Tell these people the truth. Don't let liars have the only voice.
A grass root movement eh? That works when you have a good cause you need support for because those in power benefit from the law not being inacted.
@ EZK
Agreed. Some ESRB pamphlets would be awesome! Show how meaningless a law like this would be and educate them on how EXPENSIVE it is to try and push one through.
@ Anyone in Boston, MA
Is this guy up for re-election this year? If so, do yourselves a HUGE favor and vote him out. He really is making your area look bad.
I'm British so this doesn't affect me, but I get the feeling if it gets through in MA, it'll only be a matter of time until it spreads. And I know you guys love your first amendment ^^
that was a joke about the "on life support" assosciation
Besides, every other one of these has failed and only ended up costing the States that try hundreds of thousands of dollars.
But no, this is all one big perswaysive language tecnique to get people into a moral panic, this is what these people in politics want just so if they lose in the court, the moral panic is there and they would want the government to make all the rules based on sensasionalism and lies.
If she does, I'll personally lead the call to impeach her for.
Not because of Jack. But because she climbed into bed with ANOTHER scumbag. You'd think she would have learned when her former boss, Gov. Rowland, got tossed in jail.
And then ask then if they are fascists and believe in violating their childrens free speech, or if they believe in a free society where they are not swayed by the medias opinionated BS.
THOMAS MENINO HUNNNGGRRYYY!