Jack Thompson's Game Bill Moves Forward

[Cynical]

Everyday when I boot up my computer I check the latest stories from various sites via my Google homepage, and today Slashdot featured an article on GameStop.com concerning a bill that in being considered regarding the content of today's video games.

Summary of the bill (reasons that a video game would be considered "illegal"):

(1) The average person, applying contemporary community standards, would find that the video or computer game, taken as a whole, appeals to the minor's morbid interest in violence.
(2) The game depicts violence in a manner patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community with respect to what is suitable for minors.
(3) The game, taken as a whole, lacks serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.

The article can be read here: http://www.gamespot.com/news/2006/05...l?subj=6152090 (here is the Slashdot post that features GameStop's article).

Opinions regarding this bill? Also, what are your personal opinions regarding the content of today's video games, and what should be done about it (if anything)?

I'll post my thoughts later.

[Spartan Erik]

they mean well, but video games are used to ESCAPE learning
its the equivalent of TV, but better

we need a break from life; pointless violence is great!

people say that video games turn people into criminals; very true, but if they just enforced stricter death penalties in the first place, people wouldnt commit crimes!

i say we guillotine people on death row in public.

maybe then politicians will back off of our video games

[Conor]

Exactly Erik. A break from life is exactly what everyone needs. I wish more people would stop looking at the negatives of video games and start looking at the positives. Did you know video games are oftened used for recovering heart attack/stroke patients? It calms the nerves and also improves reactions.

Boo Jack Thompson.

[The_Magistrate]

There are all kinds of medical purposes that video games can serve. Hell! How much longer would it have taken engineers to develop joystick-controlled robotic sugery! Besides... without video games, I would probably be sitting on my ass watching TV; and the brain activity of a TV viewer is less than that of a coma victim. Jack Thompson is an ass.