Penn Jillette has weighed in on the controversy over Japanese PC game RapeLay in a YouTube video.
The comedian argues against banning such games:
Prosecuting thought crimes is wrong...
[Critics'] complaint is that this game normalizes sexual violence. I think that blaming a video game for rape is normalizing violent sexual behavior. What that says is that we are all rapists and that rape is just under the surface of us and all we need is a video game to just push us a little way.
What blaming the video game does is it shows compassion for the rapist. It shows understanding. At some level, in some small amount, it says, "It's not really the rapist's fault; it's society's fault for putting this stuff out here." And I think that the rapist deserves no understanding and no compassion whatsoever.
GP: Thanks to GamePolitics reader Thomas McKenna for alerting us to the video...
Comments
Re: Penn Jillette Argues Against RapeLay Ban
Actually it's not that.
He's right that this game shouldn't be banned. I've said time and again I don't think the game should be banned either or thought-crimes should be banned, that's not the problem I'm having.
The problem I'm having with all of this everyone is thinking that this game is under some kind of threat of worldwide ban when that was never the case. I'm tired of people acting like there's some victim him when there's been none. All this talk of "banning" is just a bunch of politicians trying to win over some votes. I have seen no one question the fact on why someone would make a big deal ove a game that's been released for years. NO ONE. Why is that? What possible motive could any politician have to bring up an old game OTHER than to get votes? Perhaps I'm just a bit too cynical, but I doubt they're looking out for the children.
Maybe it's not that I'm worried about--it's the fact that thanks to these selfish asshats more and more "enlightened gamers" are going to have more "ammo" to throw around the "onoes teh politikal kkorretcness police!!!!1" card whenever someone brings up an actual legimate criticism over games like these. It's bad enough that you can't bring up the fact that certain games may be sexist without being accused of censorship. This is only going to make things worse, and honestly, the only way gaming is going to go forward is if we bring up uncomfortable topics like sexism, racism, and other things and actually discuss them instead of bringing up the same old replies that I've seen thrown around repeatedly over the years by gamers.
No, the game should not be banned. We know that already. And quite honestly, I seriously doubt other "rape games" [believe or not it's a horribly vague term] will be banned in Japan. Now let's actually discuss how this particular game can have an impact socially, and that does not mean whether we can safely say this game is offensive or not like some kind of checkbox. I was hoping that someone like Penn would notice that but I guess not.
Re: Penn Jillette Argues Against RapeLay Ban
The fact that some politician might've dug it up from the grave to grab votes doesn't change the fact that certain activist groups who are just becoming aware of it may start clamoring for a ban, or for some kind of censorship. It doesn't even matter that, since it's not being released commercially in NA, they couldn't ban it.
What matters is the precedent it can set. If a loud activist group can jump on the politician's vote-train and start demonizing it, claiming that it should not be, and that argument isn't addressed, it becomes a precedent for future situations where it may very well matter.
Saying that he believes it shouldn't be banned isn't as important as saying he believes that the alleged justification that some people would use to ban this game or others like it is invalid. That's the true value of his words - they defend future games that may need such support by invalidating the attack happening now.
Re: Penn Jillette Argues Against RapeLay Ban
lumi
Bingo he’s saying that if these mental morns can blame something for making people supposedly worse than anything can be banned if there is enough controversy just because of mob mentality…
I am a criminal because I purchase media,I am a criminal because I use media, I am a criminal because I chose to own media..We shall remain criminals until Corporate stay's outside our bedrooms..
http://zippydsmlee.wordpress.com
Copyright infringement is nothing more than civil disobedience to a bad set of laws. Let's renegotiate them.
---
http://zippydsm.deviantart.com/
Re: Penn Jillette Argues Against RapeLay Ban
"Who could ever support this game? I thought for a while and said me."
What's the key word in that statment he made? Right, he THOUGHT. That's why I love Penn, he was raised to look at something and form an opinion. Not just the opinion one side or the other throws at him, but his own.
Re: Penn Jillette Argues Against RapeLay Ban
Well He came out swinging against the ban, anyone expect that to happen, he's a total libertarian that supports our views
Watching JT on GP is just like watching an episode of Jerry springer only as funny as the fights
America has just became its own version of the Jerry Springer Show after a bizarre moment in Florida involving a carnival worker.