Delta Kappa Gamma Society Leader Encourages B.C. Video Game Ban

An open letter by Mrs. O. Babiuk of New Westminster, British Columbia - written on behalf of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International - urges (with dramatic flair) Premier Christy Clark to "keep sexually explicit video games away from kids." The letter appeared this week in the Royal City Record newspaper. The group she represents is a professional honorary Society devoted to women educators in British Columbia. In her letter Babiuk asks Clark to take steps to limit the availability of violent and sexually explicit video games as part of the premier's "caring for children and families initiatives."

"As summer vacation has started, children are particularly at risk for increased exposure to the violence celebrated in many of the video games which are commonly available for sale in local stores, and at video arcades. Significant research has been conducted to determine the effects of violence in video games and many of the results indicate short-term and even long-term behavioral and attitudinal changes in those who play these games."

Babiuk goes on to compare video games with second-hand smoke, and ask that the premier work on banning video games to keep them out of the reach of children.

At no point during her opinion piece does she mention "parents" as part of this special formula that includes teachers and government intervention. Maybe it's just me, but I think parents in British Columbia are quite capable of making decisions for their children and don't need the government holding their hands.

You can read the whole thing here.