California Legislature Passes Violent Game Bill

404Ender writes "In a move similar to the passage of a law designed to restrict the sale of violent video games to children in Illinois, California is now awaiting only the signature of Governor Schwarzenegger before a similar bill becomes a law. Does this action signal the start of a disturbing trend of the restriction of First Amendment rights? How can we as gamers fight back against this type of government action?"

Restrict the sale to children?

[Rayonic]

So only children can buy violent games in Illinois? Neat.

Well, this will be an obvious success

[Ieshan]

I mean, Schwartennegger has never made any violent media in his days.

Even Those from his last movie. [amazon.com]

Re:California?

[Schemat1c]

Wow, not what I'd expect from California... it will be interesting to see how that goes now that the gay marriage bill has been vetoed in the name of public opinion. The populace continues to surprise.

That's because all of the intelligent people in California have sold their homes to people stupid enough to pay obscene prices and have moved the hell out of there before the whole state implodes upon itself.

Re:1st Admendment Rights lost?

[Anonymous Coward]

But this law doesn't allow adults to "protect" their children from violent games.

Their children would just go round to the houses of whichever of their friends had the most enlightened parents, and play violent games there. So we need a new criminal offence of "aiding and abetting the playing of EVIL GAMES by a minor without parental permission."

So then the kids would get their grown-up siblings to buy games for them, keep them hidden, and play them when the clueless parents were out. We'd need a new criminal offence of "procuring EVIL GAMES for a minor."

So then the siblings wouldn't buy games for the kids any more, but they'd buy them for themselves, and maybe the kids would sneak into their rooms when the siblings were out too and play the games then. So we'd actually have to create a criminal offence of "failing to keep EVIL GAMES under lock and key to prevent minors stealing them."

For fuck's sake. Even guns don't have that kind of restriction placed on them, and you can kill someone with a gun.

Pointless...

[tktk]

When my (future) children want to play violent video games, they'll have to wait until it's their damn turn.

I'm first.

The Governator

[PhotoBoy]

The Governator: As the duly appointed representative to California I feel it is my duty to ban the sale of violent videogames to minors. Now if you will excuse me I'll be back. I have to go and make another movie where I kill lots of people and sexually harass the women on the set.

Someone with a brain: Isn't that being hypocritical Mr Schwarzenegger?

The Governator: Don't insult me, I have never even looked at another man.

Re:Restrict the sale to children?

[neuroxmurf]

Don't be stupid. The post is very clear.

It says that only Illinois children can buy violent video games.

...unless we're 12...

[FacePlant]

In other words, stop being so damned critical, just because the big, bad government made a new law that doesn't actually affect any of us, unless we're 12.

This is Slashdot, right?