Ted Price of Insomniac Games Stands Up To Louisiana Gaming Law |
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Despite their battle cries of "Smaller Government!", neo-conservative legislators are stepping up attempts to regulate the behavior of private citizens while removing all restrictions on corporate behavior. This is almost comic in a way, because, inevitably, these two issues collide. Take, for example, the recent crusade against "violent" video games. A recent law in Louisiana would have prohibited the sale of such games in the state, but was temporarily blocked by U.S. District Judge James Brady.
A 21 page amicus brief was filed with Baday by the website GamePolitics, on behalf of developer Ted Price of Insomniac Games. Price, who has worked extensively with the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, argues that games are "a means of expression," no less than literature, film and other arts, and therefore is protected speech under the First Amendment of the Constitution. In the brief, Price criticizes the use of the word "violence" in the Louisiana statute. He writes, " ...'violence' is an incredibly broad term... Does the 'violence' referenced in the Act include... a boxing game, a football game, a World War II game, a game featuring contact between cartoon characters... game creators (are) given the impossible task of guessing the intent of the Act's creators."
His fear is that many - if not most - games could be criminalized under this law's "definition" of "violence" - even his own topselling Ratchet and Crank, in which the "violence" takes the form cartoon-style slapstick. "The main characters in Ratchet & Clank are not human and resemble cartoon characters. The characters 'kill' each other, are 'killed' by the main character and occasional 'dismembered' in comedic ways... a retailer fearing possible fines, imprisonment and/or hard labor... may refuse to sell this game to minors."
Given the current political climate of unrestrained, no-holds-barred capitalism, it might also be appropriate to point out that Insomniac Games is indeed a Corporation, with not only the right, but the responsibility to make profits. The Louisiana law would clearly interfere with the Corporation's ability to do so - and it should be pointed out that, under the terms of the PATRIOT Act, interference with commerce is considered an act of terrorism...
At this point, I cannot help but remember a quote by the great philosopher cowboy humorist Will Rogers: "Congress! Every time they make a joke, it's a law...and every time they make a law, it's a joke."
Via GamePolitics
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Comments [refresh]
1st Bareserk
cuz they're stupid
it still wont convince those government state official basterds
like the article states, they hide their true intentions of Big Government under the claims of them being FOR Small Government... I really hope that the people that are trying to limit commerce and mechandising through this STUPID EXCUSE of a bill will be fully tried as a terrorist in the courts of law.
***** the law and people - BURN everything!
- Hmh, so who cares that there are few morons who go crazy when they play GTA or something?
Most of people will live theyr lives happily after playng CS or smiliar, nobody cares.
If there was no violence in video games they wouldnt exist.. Even The sims would be dead... damn you twisters who kill the towns people
I still don't understand why the US is against limiting access of unsuitable games to children? I really don't think any game should be banned, but there are definetly games that 10 year olds shouldn't be getting.
The film industry have set up a voluntary system(as far as I know it's not a legislative decision.) The gaming industry needs to get their heads screwed on straight.
In Ireland it is illegal to GTA3 to a minor, which to me makes perfect sense. Adults can still play them, and if parents decide to buy it for their child, that's their decision. All the while it protects gaming companies and puts the emphasis on proper parenting and consumer responsibility.
"***** the law and people - BURN everything!
- Hmh, so who cares that there are few morons who go crazy when they play GTA or something?
Most of people will live theyr lives happily after playng CS or smiliar, nobody cares."
You are an idiot, your the reason why they do this type of thing. And I think the familys who got their son murdered by some guy who 'said' he got if from a game. And, I just think rockstar games should be sued for this, instead of the whole gaming industry. I mean rockstars games totaly suck, I mean manhunt, GTA, they really suck.
These endless political rants disguised as news from KJM are getting old.
Go take your politics where someone cares.
I hate grown ups that are dumb or make up lies.
I mean like ya got scar movies... and what are they rated? (R) and that means 18 and up.
And for games they got M and now A for adults (18 and up). It ppl moms and dads that buy there kids games... so they are they ones that are doing it and need to make sure the game is right for there kid like rated e or t and not m.
Unless they allow m. Then ya got moms and dads so dumb that buy rated m games for there kids then go oh my God that have to much blood this is not good for my kids.
Yeah well it your fought ya dumba$$e$, lol.
So I wish all this ifghting about games would stop becasue it the same with movies and no one really fights with movies but just games.
And ppl that makes the games/movies/rateings is perfect and it not there fought but is the moms and dads fought.
Suggesting that MNCs HAVE A RIGHT to sell violent games to kids (aka minors) is retarded.
By that measure why not let companies setup cigarette, porn, and alcohol vending machines on playgrounds?
The FACT of the matter is that parents (aka tax-paying voting citizens) through their elected representatives have the final say when it comes to what is or isn't acceptable for child consumption NOT A CORPORATION or an INTEREST GROUP.
This is coming from a non-parent avid gamer btw.
This is really starting to piss me off. Pretty soon video games are going to be illegal.
Who says it's ONLY the ultra conservative right-wingers who are trying to take our games away? There's a very healthy helping of Dems who are lobbying against video game content, as well:
Rod Blagojevich (Illinois)
Brad Henry (Oklahoma)
Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (Louisiana)*
Roy Burrell (Louisiana)*
Justin Ross (Maryland)
Hillary Clinton (New York)
Joe Lieberman (Connecticut)
*The two Democratic congressmen from Louisiana signed the anti-violent games bill that recently passed there. HB1381 was drafted for Rep. Burrell by controversial attorney and anti-game activist JACK THOMPSON.
Yup, Dems stand up for the rights of 'the little guy' alright...
Don't be ignorant to the simple fact that ALL of our elected officials are to blame for our rights being taken away.
So remember, kiddies (and ESPECILLY the guy who wrote this article):
"While funnier than hell, John Stuart is NOT the news..."
A few sources to play with:
http://gamepolitics.livejournal.com/tag/democrats
http://biz.gamedaily.com/industry/feature/?id=12874
http://washingtontimes.com/op-ed/20060604-092820-2500r.htm
Or just do a Google search on 'congress' and 'video games'. It's scary.
It's funny how out of so many comments here, about two of them basically say "take your politics where someone cares".
It seems like a couple of people do care, huh?
If you don't care about politicians screwing with your right to choose what games to buy in order to "protect" the children of irresponsible parents who vote, then don't be surprised when your local Gamestop won't sell a popular game because your congressman has decided what's good for you.
Politics affect us all and not everyone who comes to this site likes to be in a bubble ALL OF THE TIME. If you don't like politics in game news, blame the politicians - not the site that reports it. And don't try to stiffle OUR interest in the subject either.
I generally agree with Annony about the Democrats who are playing along with this BS but those happen to be Democrats who have been largely criticized for trying to "win elections" by imitating the opposing party. Lieberman is the greatest example of a DINO (Democrat In Name Only). So the problem stems from Neoconservative s and the jackass Democrats who act like them.
Yes, we should vote them all out and have a fresh start. I'm tired of politicians trying to win elections by restricting our freedoms and the idiots who vote our liberties away.
Hellooooooooooo ooooo. It the moms and dads that do this dumbshi* then blame the games. Lmfao it so fin funny. The fact is rateings are needed for bloody games killing games and so on.
It's up to the moms and dads who allow it or dont allow it so there sould be totally 0 fighting becasue the same with with movies and lots of other life things, lol.
#16
" 'And as I stand there, watching them (my children) play these violent games, helpless to do anything about it, I can't help but wonder where the system has failed'... Seriously, the House of Representative is filled with insane jackasses." - John Stewart
That was classic.
I love the show, but I don’t count anything as ‘news’ if there’s a blatant political bias (Ex: 4/5 of the 'Player Haters' were (R) affiliated). The author of the article was also being politically biased by not mentioning that the Louisiana bill was passed by DINOs as well as NEO-CONS.
But here’s the main difference between ‘The Daily Show’ and this article:
John Stewart is ENTITLED to be political because the basis of his show is political satire. A video game news snippet should either omit personal political views (because they have no reason to be there in the first place), or demonize both sides when both are clearly to blame.
Oh, and we really should kick everyone out of office and start brand new… maybe even wipe a lot of that red ink off the Constitution and Bill of Rights, IMHO
The issue is that there are non-government organisations in all countries that govern the ability to purchase games. They give out the fines, they give out the ratings, they do all that. This bill is saying that any game which can be viewed as being violent, rigardless of it it has G or PG or R on the front, cannot be sold to a minor. This restricts the sale of almost all games, which is the restriction of commerce, which in america, is terrorism.
Neo-conservatives have nothing to do with smaller government; they are in fact ex-liberals who became conservative mostly because they are in favor of more direct intervention to export democracy.
See the wikipedia article on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoconservatism
I've heard this ex-liberal thing before but in practice, neoconservative s are nothing but Corporate America's new and improved government puppet.
Exporting democracy? Seriously? I'm surprised anyone believed that crap at all - ever. It's all about money, power - and keeping it. If they cared at all about these people, they wouldn't be bombing the living hell out of them (100,000 dead civilians and still counting).
Is there any trace of there former liberal selves then? Where's the Universal Health Care? Where are the Environmental Protections? The efforts to protect Free Speech and Equality?
Oh, and since this is a videogame news site, I'll try to bring this back to the subject - If we applied this crap to all forms of entertainment, we'd be watching Teletubbies on the big screen and listening to Barney on our iPods (sorry PSP).
Annony, as smart as you seem i would think a reasonable guy like yourself would know deep down that the Republicans and Democrats are boths full of BS.
SO full of it, it's time for a new party.
But hey you just might know that.
Eh, I have every single Rachet and Clank game. So far I've never had the urge to go out and shoot a chicken out of a cannon or turn people into sheep:P...LMAO. I don't see my child ,or neices, or nephews doing so either
I gotta tell ya though, I LMAO off every single time I see them heat seeking chickens go after them hovering robots!!
P.S. Trust me, they'd find something wrong with Barney...LMAO. So many others have
USA is *****ed just like the people who run it