Court Strikes Down Ill. Video Game Law

[MorganGrayson]

I put a few important - to me, anyway - passages in bold for commentary.

By CHRISTOPHER WILLS

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - A federal judge ruled Friday that Illinois' restrictions on the sale of violent and sexually explicit video games to minors are unconstitutional and barred the state from enforcing the law.


State officials "have come nowhere near" demonstrating that the law passes constitutional muster, said U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kennelly.

Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and other supporters of the measure argued that children were being harmed by exposure to games in which characters go on killing sprees or sexual escapades.

Opponents declared the law a restriction on free speech and pointed out that similar laws had been struck down in other states.

"It's unfortunate that the state of Illinois spent taxpayer money defending this statute. This is precisely what we told them would happen," said David Vite, president of the Illinois Retail Merchants Association, one of the groups that sued over the law.

Blagojevich said Friday he will appeal the ruling.

"Parents should be able to expect that their kids will not have access to excessively violent and sexually explicit video games without their permission," he said. *1

Other states this year approved similar legislation after hidden sex scenes were discovered in a popular game, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." California's version, set to go into effect Jan. 1, is among those being challenged in court.

The Illinois law, which also was to go into effect Jan. 1, would have barred stores from selling or renting extremely violent or sexual games to minors and allowed $1,000 fines for violators.

The judge said that it would interfere with the First Amendment and that there wasn't a compelling enough reason, such as preventing imminent violence, to allow that.
"In this country, the state lacks the authority to ban protected speech on the ground that it affects the listener's or observer's thoughts and attitudes," Kennelly wrote. *2

*1 Raise your damned kids. Monitor your children's activities. Don't depend on the government to raise them for you. This is a recording.

*2 A US District Court Judge just stated there that the state lacks the authority to ban protected speech on the grounds that it affects the listeners/observers thoughts and attitudes. I wonder what that will do to all the anti-pornography advocates who determinedly state that "pornography" results in sex crimes, etc.? Judge Kennelly did not state "actions," but those "actions" would arise as a result of "thoughts and attitudes.

I wonder what, if any, effect this ruling will have on material aimed at adults?

[Evil Chris]

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Unless it involves porn.

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by Evil Chris

What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Unless it involves porn.

"Sexual escapades" and "sexually explicit" were specifically mentioned, and this for products aimed at teenagers.

You're most likely correct, though. "They'll" find some way around what is quite obviously a precedent...which used to mean something.

[TheEnforcer]

Ugh.. this is another area where I could really go off on cause it makes my blood boil....

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

Ugh.. this is another area where I could really go off on cause it makes my blood boil....

G'head. Let loose. Keeping this sort of thing inside is decidedly unhealthy.

Besides...I do so love it when you rant, TE.

[RyanLanane]

I heard about that a while back... Was wondering what happened to the legislation...

"Play it in Peoria" - Still Stands Today I Guess

[Bhelliom]

First of all... Hello everyone.. I know I haven't been around much but i've been busy with school and whatnot... takes precedence...

Secondly... Morgan covered most of my thoughts on this article quite well. Bloody legislators that think they can control every aspect of a person's lives should be shot. In the north america we live in, this should not every happen. However, it does every day. For the past several years (say around the time ultra christian GW was elected) there seems to be a huge upswing in the power of Christian extremists. These people seem to think that they can control the world and make everyone believe the same things they do. However, they're doing it wrong. They're trying to force their beliefs on us through legal means instead of trying to get us to adopt their beliefs fully and willingly. Fortunately, there are still people (like this federal judge) out there that are willing to call them on it. The people that are trying to control our lives and our families through legislation are ignoring the most basic christian principle.. family first... instead of nit picking and telling us what we can and can't do... try helping people make their own correct decisions instead of forcing them on us.

I'm not sure where i was going with that and I hope it makes a little bit of sense... I hate it when people think they can control us and tell us what we can and can't watch or play because the content doesn't agree with their beliefs.

so.... I'm back

[TheEnforcer]

Originally Posted by MorganGrayson

G'head. Let loose. Keeping this sort of thing inside is decidedly unhealthy.

Besides...I do so love it when you rant, TE.

Ok.. here goes. Politicans and parents have a fucking tizzy when games like Grand Theft Auto come out about how it's so horrible and causes violence in kids.. blah.. blah.. blah... but yet these very same people are too fucking lazy to learn about and use the ratings sytem that is on all games and make sure their kids aren't playing them.

It's the same thing with TV. There are ratings for every tv show and all the cable and satellite providers have locks and limits you can use oin your tv. Don't be so fucking lazy and learn how to use them.

[MorganGrayson]

*full body contact hug and smooche*

DEREK!!!!!

I've missed you so much. I know that school has to come first, and I'm so glad that you're doing well, but I do selfishly miss your posts.

You made your point well. However, many religions have *never* relied on "freedom of choice" in the first place. They depend on fear to keep their followers in line. They draw a portrait of an angry, vengeful god who will punish them for every thing they consider a sin. Then they declare just about everything a sin. *sigh* How these people get their followers is beyond me, especially since the world is overflowing with choices they could make. A lot of those choices also have little white buildings with crosses on them, so it's not like they have to go winging it into the "alternative" worships. I've come to the conclusion that they get their followers because most people are stupid sheep.

OT: I read the most wonderful article in a christian (small "c" on purpose) publication. A young woman had suffered a spinal cord injury by diving into a pond that was too shallow for a dive. She wondered "how could God let this happen to me?" She went on to ask herself what she had expected God to do? Repeal the law of gravity just for her? Perhaps it wasn't the will of God that she got injured, it just happened because she herself chose to do something stupid. She then went on to say that her belief in God was there to make her stronger so that she could cope with what had happened. I loved reading the article and wished that there were more christians like her who believed in personal responsibility. Well, in all fairness, there probably are...they just don't get a lot of press.

I'm so glad you're back, Derek.

[MorganGrayson]

Originally Posted by TheEnforcer

Ok.. here goes. Politicans and parents have a fucking tizzy when games like Grand Theft Auto come out about how it's so horrible and causes violence in kids.. blah.. blah.. blah... but yet these very same people are too fucking lazy to learn about and use the ratings sytem that is on all games and make sure their kids aren't playing them.

It's the same thing with TV. There are ratings for every tv show and all the cable and satellite providers have locks and limits you can use oin your tv. Don't be so fucking lazy and learn how to use them.

You will shortly get points for this.

I could say "ditto" and leave it at that...but I so rarely do.

Granted, I'm old and my memory may be faulty, but I don't remember my children having their own driver's licenses, cars, and most importantly, credit cards when they were teens. So...the one purchasing the games, CDs, DVDs, etc., etc. was either my husband or myself. And since we were doing the purchasing, at some point, we were holding said objects IN OUR HANDS. (Caps for emphases, although I do feel like screaming.) It wasn't all that difficult to actually look at the damned things and read the labels. It also wasn't at all difficult to turn to said child and ask about the items. I listened to the CDs I bought for them. My kids were cool that way. They loved sharing their music with their parents. (I found a *lot* of bands I wanted to own, and so did my husband. I don't think my youngest ever got her No Doubt CD back from him.) Same with everything, including video games, which I heartily despise. However, the game system and television were in the living room. Walking into the room would let me know what they were playing. So was the cable hookup. Monitoring what they watched was no big deal. Same with the computers.

The thing that causes inappropriate behavior in kids, especially teens, is having parents that are either never around or who don't give a damn.

It isn't a new phenomenon, either. When I was in high school, back in the stone age, a bunch of us were talking about making plans to do something. We all said "we'll ask our parents and let you all know." All except for one girl. Cheryl. A lovely girl, very nice, very smart. She said sadly "I can go. I don't have to ask. My parents don't care what I do." We just sat there and stared at her, open mouthed and in shock. We couldn't even get our teenaged heads around the concept of "parents don't care what I do." Not too suprisingly, Cheryl was the only one under psychiatric care and medication.

A bunch of hippies (yes, Timon, and proud of it, you missed a helluva decade) sat around trying to figure out a way to get away with putting out a hit on her parents but couldn't come up with one.