Democrats target free speech.... again.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

Illinois Governor Blah-whatever his name is doing what other Democrats have suggested around the country, trying to ban popular video games.  I just hope you Dems realize that attacking personal liberty isn't just a Republican phenomenon.  At least most Republicans feel shame when members of our own party do it.

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041216/NEWS0109/41216013

[John Dibble]

Governor wants ban on sale of violent video games to minors. I see no problem with this. Current age is 17, which is acceptable, don't see much reason to go to 18, but so long as parents can legally give their kids these games, it's fine. It's no different than restrictions on porn or rated R movies for minors.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

So now the kids will just steal them online.   So what if teenagers see violence or sex in a stupid video game? 

This is completely impractical and is but one more infringement on liberty.  People have got to stop blaming (insert straw man here) and start taking personal responsibility for their own actions.

Keep in mind that Democrats in other states have actually suggested banning games that they in all their wisdom deem violent, regardless of the age of the purchaser.

[John Dibble]

So now the kids will just steal them online.   So what if teenagers see violence or sex in a stupid video game? 

This is completely impractical and is but one more infringement on liberty.  People have got to stop blaming (insert straw man here) and start taking personal responsibility for their own actions.

Keep in mind that Democrats in other states have actually suggested banning games that they in all their wisdom deem violent, regardless of the age of the purchaser.

Minors don't have the same rights that adults do, so it's easier to infringe their liberty. And the parents might care. If you are so insistent on this, where is your outcry regarding rated R movies and porn being restricted to adults or parental permission? Be consistent. If the parent want to allow their kid to have a game, they can go buy it for them.

Yes, as I said, if games are banned regardless of age, then it's wrong and a definite infringement on liberty. Adults have the right to make their own decisions in such matters. Kids don't.

[Redefeatbush04]

Well I believe that no video game should be banned, but I support the governors decision to keep minors from playing a game where the objective is to kill ex-president Kennedy.

[Akno21]

I am opposed to this, I do not think that we should censor video games in any way. This is why I was against Joe Lieberman for President.

While the Kill-JFK game may be sick and offensive, it shouldn't be banned, nor should the sale of it to minors be prohibited.

I condemn the Governor.

[Rob]

I'm sick of politicians always trying to ban certain video games (and yes, Democrats have been the chief offenders in this regard). They need to realize that these games aren't meant for kids in the first place. And why is a violent video game worse than a violent movie? It doesn't make any sense.

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

I certainly see your point and concur from a legal standpoint, but let's look at the practicality of it.  Is there a teenage male alive who doesn't have access to R-rated moves or porn?  Does it make any sense at all to expend resources and add another hassle to business owners at a faux attempt at trying to keep kids from getting their hands on the games they want?

I'm not for opening all of these things up here... but government needs to get out of the regulation business and spend more of their time worrying about how to protect our individual rights from threats at home and abroad.

Governor wants ban on sale of violent video games to minors. I see no problem with this. Current age is 17, which is acceptable, don't see much reason to go to 18, but so long as parents can legally give their kids these games, it's fine. It's no different than restrictions on porn or rated R movies for minors.

[John Dibble]

I certainly see your point and concur from a legal standpoint, but let's look at the practicality of it.  Is there a teenage male alive who doesn't have access to R-rated moves or porn?  Does it make any sense at all to expend resources and add another hassle to business owners at a faux attempt at trying to keep kids from getting their hands on the games they want?

Well, really I'm fine with this being a law we don't bother enforcing. I do realize there are better things for law enforcement to do. I know many stores are starting to enforce ID checks as part of company policy anyways. Actually, this isn't well known, but in most parts R movies are only restricted by theaters policy(I used to work in one, so I was privy to all the little secrets - btw, you can bring your own snacks into AMC theaters, they don't advertise this since concession is the moneymaker, just as long as it doesn't have a strong odor, and if you ever hear the words 'patron show' on the radio, that means there's people doing the nasty in the back of a theater).

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No argument there. Why are you a Republican again?

[Bleeding heart conservative, HTMLdon]

No argument there. Why are you a Republican again?

Because I enjoy electing people to office other than the Tanoma County Water Board, Position 3, Seat A and the Eagleton County Sanatation Oversight Committee,  District 8,  Position 5 alternate.

That and most big-L Libertarians HATE moderates for whatever reason regardless of agreements.  Principle doesn't win elections, good candidates do.

[Nym90]

Illinois Governor Blah-whatever his name is doing what other Democrats have suggested around the country, trying to ban popular video games. I just hope you Dems realize that attacking personal liberty isn't just a Republican phenomenon. At least most Republicans feel shame when members of our own party do it.

http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041216/NEWS0109/41216013

I realize that some Democrats do go overboard on this stuff, and I oppose it just as vociferously then as I do with Republicans. However, if you are suggesting that the Democrats are the Morality Police more often than the Republicans are, I think you'd be wrong. The Religious Right is the most ardent opponent of violence and sex in the media.

However, I would agree that making such games illegal for minors is completely different than making them illegal for adults. Parents have the right to have a degree of control over what their children see. Children don't have the full rights of adults. As has been said, the parents can buy it for the child if they want the child to have it.

Personally I'd say that games that are given a "Mature" rating (essentially the equivalent of an R rated movie) shouldn't be legal for children under 16 to purchase. Parents need to take responsibility for their children's actions, certainly, but at the same time video game manufacturers have a responsibility to not market games like this to kids directly. If you want to make an adult game, fine, but target it to adults only. Corporations should feel some sense of responsibility to not exploit children. I agree that seeing violence or sex isn't going to be new for most teenagers, and it isn't going to damage them for life, but I do feel that parental rights entails that they have some degree of control over it. Kids don't have any right to see porn and violence.

I also don't see why it's overly burdensome for the business. They have to check IDs, it takes what, 10 seconds tops to do that? That's for someone who is probably only making $5.15/hour to begin with...I don't think paying them for an extra 10 seconds of work is going to break the bank.

My position on alcohol and tobacco is the same. It shouldn't be legal to purchase either under age 18, but it should be legal for parents to give either to their kids if they so choose. Same with video games; I would definitely not support making it illegal for kids to play them, but parents do have the right to control what their kids see.

[bgwah]

Hah!!! Yeah right.

Give me a ing break. "Most" Republicans want to government to ban this and ban that, just because they're bad parents and can't control their kids.

Democrats can control their kids--not the "HERES A CAR AND A 500 DOLLARS, SURE WEVE CAUGHT YOU SMOKING POT 10 TIMES AND WE KNOW YOU'RE FAILING SCHOOL, BUT MAYBE GIVING YOU MONEY TO BUY DRUGS WILL HELP" Republican attitude.

[John Dibble]

No argument there. Why are you a Republican again?

Because I enjoy electing people to office other than the Tanoma County Water Board, Position 3, Seat A and the Eagleton County Sanatation Oversight Committee,  District 8,  Position 5 alternate.

Change doesn't happen if you aren't willing to work for it. I find the Libertarian cause worthy, and I will do everything in my power to make it possible in the hopes that my hard work now will pay off in the future, and it will take more than mere hardship to deter me. I shall not give up because of the prospect of failure, for if I do failure is gauranteed. You can take the shorter, easier path if you like, but I can tell you that that's the path where you're more likely to take a wrong turn.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." - Teddy Roosevelt

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That attitude has declined in recent years. I haven't seen much of it. And 'good' candidates is a stretch when you talk about most Republican candidates. They're generally as mediocre as the Democratic candidates.

And by the way, principle is what makes a good candidate - electability gets you John Kerry.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

I used to care about this stuff a lot, but I haven't ever since I turned 18. I disagree with it and think there should be no restrictions on the sale of video games to minors, but since in less than 11 hours I'll be able to buy whatever I want including alcohol age restrictions don't bother me enough to change my vote.