Supreme Court Debates Violent Video Game Ban

Bilge_Rat · 11-02-10, 01:55 PM

Quote:

WASHINGTON — In a lively and sometimes testy Supreme Court argument on Tuesday over a law banning the sale of violent video games to minors, the justices struggled to define how the First Amendment should apply to a new medium.

They tried analogies — to books, films, cartoons, comic books, fairy tales and rap lyrics. They argued about what the drafters of the Bill of Rights would have made of an extremely violent game like Postal 2.

Quote:

“What’s a deviant violent video game?” asked Justice Antonin Scalia, who was the law’s most vocal opponent on Tuesday. “As opposed to what? A normal violent video game?”

“Some of the Grimm’s fairy tales are quite grim,” he added. “Are you going to ban them, too?”

Quote:

But Justice Scalia said there was nothing in the tradition of American free speech that would allow the government to ban depictions of violence. The thought, he said, would have been foreign to the drafters of the First Amendment, drawing a needling comment from Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., the lone dissenter in the Stevens case.

“What Justice Scalia wants to know,” Justice Alito said, “is what James Madision thought about video games.”

“No,” Justice Scalia responded, “I want to know what James Madison thought about violence.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/us/03scotus.html?hp

I rarely agree with Justice Scalia, but I do on this, Government has no business regulating the content of video games.

GoldenRivet · 11-02-10, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bilge_Rat

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/03/us/03scotus.html?hp

I rarely agree with Justice Scalia, but I do on this, Government has no business regulating the content of video games.

agreed.

its just more BS from the big brother getting their hands on every damn thing we do.

its ridiculous.

AVGWarhawk · 11-02-10, 02:51 PM

There is so much more to exam why do they bother with video games? Come on...is there not something more pressing to rule on?

the_tyrant · 11-02-10, 02:57 PM

Compared to video games, "nasties" from the 70s are much worse
don't believe me? get yourself a copy of Ilsa, she wolf of the SS
they didn't ban those movies, why ban video games?

Dowly · 11-02-10, 03:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the_tyrant

Compared to video games, "nasties" from the 70s are much worse
don't believe me? get yourself a copy of Ilsa, she wolf of the SS
they didn't ban those movies, why ban video games?

Slasher/gore/exploitation movies are much harder to get your hands to than games.

Besides, why they'd ban them, they're awesome flicks.

Ducimus · 11-02-10, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AVGWarhawk

There is so much more to exam why do they bother with video games?

Why? Two words.

Precious Snowflakes.

These legislators forget that Kids are not always the target audience. Many Gen X'ers are avid game players, and their all in their 30's or early 40's now. Their adults, i think they can handle it.

11-02-10, 03:09 PM

I'm pretty sure that crappy farmville game causes more violence then violent video games from housewives neglecting their children cause of their "crops"

the_tyrant · 11-02-10, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dowly

Slasher/gore/exploitation movies are much harder to get your hands to than games.

Besides, why they'd ban them, they're awesome flicks.

Not with the internet though
Anyways, I agree with you 200%

Task Force · 11-02-10, 03:25 PM

Hmm, banning violent vediogames... yea, that will really help.

Why dont they go ahead and ban violent books, and the news (theres violence in those storys). Dosent the government have anything better to do.

Raptor1 · 11-02-10, 03:29 PM

I'd like them to ban the news, it could achieve so much...

Anyway, I thought we were mostly through with this stuff when they disbarred Jack Thompson, guess not...

Task Force · 11-02-10, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor1

I'd like them to ban the news, it could achieve so much...

Anyway, I thought we were mostly through with this stuff when they disbarred Jack Thompson, guess not...

I agree... They cant even get their storys right.

AVGWarhawk · 11-02-10, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rilder

I'm pretty sure that crappy farmville game causes more violence then violent video games from housewives neglecting their children cause of their "crops"

Takeda Shingen · 11-02-10, 03:38 PM

Gah, I would hate for this to go the way of censorship in Austrailia.

gimpy117 · 11-02-10, 03:44 PM

by what i have heard, there is also little to no correlation to violent video games and violence.

Penguin · 11-02-10, 03:44 PM

They don't intend to ban video games, but restrict the sale to minors. The intention of the law is not censorship, it is for the protection of the kids.
How would this law differ from laws which prohibit minors to buy liquor, smokes or a Playboy magazine?

yes, someone has to play devil's advocate

11-02-10, 02:51 PM	#3
AVGWarhawk Lucky Jack Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: In a 1954 Buick. Posts: 28,253 Downloads: 90 Uploads: 0	There is so much more to exam why do they bother with video games? Come on...is there not something more pressing to rule on? __________________ “You're painfully alive in a drugged and dying culture.” ― Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road

11-02-10, 03:25 PM	#9
Task Force Rear Admiral Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: SPACE!!!! Posts: 10,142 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Hmm, banning violent vediogames... yea, that will really help. Why dont they go ahead and ban violent books, and the news (theres violence in those storys). Dosent the government have anything better to do. __________________ Task Force industries "Taking control of the world, one mind at a time"

11-02-10, 03:29 PM	#10
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	I'd like them to ban the news, it could achieve so much... Anyway, I thought we were mostly through with this stuff when they disbarred Jack Thompson, guess not... __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

11-02-10, 03:44 PM	#14
gimpy117 Ocean Warrior Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Kalamazoo, MI Posts: 3,243 Downloads: 108 Uploads: 0	by what i have heard, there is also little to no correlation to violent video games and violence. __________________ Member of the Subsim Zombie Army

11-02-10, 02:57 PM	#4
the_tyrant Admiral Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 2,272 Downloads: 58 Uploads: 0	Compared to video games, "nasties" from the 70s are much worse don't believe me? get yourself a copy of Ilsa, she wolf of the SS they didn't ban those movies, why ban video games?

11-02-10, 03:09 PM	#7
Rilder Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	I'm pretty sure that crappy farmville game causes more violence then violent video games from housewives neglecting their children cause of their "crops"

11-02-10, 03:38 PM	#13
Takeda Shingen Navy Seal Join Date: Mar 2000 Posts: 8,643 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	Gah, I would hate for this to go the way of censorship in Austrailia.

11-02-10, 03:44 PM	#15
Penguin Ocean Warrior Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Rheinische Republik Posts: 3,322 Downloads: 92 Uploads: 0	They don't intend to ban video games, but restrict the sale to minors. The intention of the law is not censorship, it is for the protection of the kids. How would this law differ from laws which prohibit minors to buy liquor, smokes or a Playboy magazine? yes, someone has to play devil's advocate