California Senator Wants Fewer Guns in Games

[StewShearerOld]

California Senator Wants Fewer Guns in Games

Senator Dianne Feinstein has suggested the government should pass in-game gun restrictions if the game industry doesn't self-regulate.

Late last year, the <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122752-Cop-Blames-Videogames-For-Sandy-Hook-Massacre>tragic massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Connecticut shook the country to its core. It's an event that spurred new debates on the issues of guns and violence in the United States, and will likely continue to ignite passions for years to come. As often happens in the wake of such events, videogames have fallen back under the scowling gaze of those who believe them to be an instigator of violence in our society.

Speaking to a crowd of five hundred in San Fransisco on the subject of gun control, California Senator Dianne Feinstein leveled criticism at the game industry, suggesting that the government should consider taking action to reduce the presence of guns in videogames. According to Feinsten videogames play "a very negative role for young people, and the industry ought to note that. If Sandy Hook doesn't do it, if the knowledge of these videogames this young man played doesn't, then maybe we have to proceed, but that is in the future."

Feinstein is not the first government official following the events in Newton to push for new restrictions on videogames. In early February of 2013, State Representative Debralee Hovey introduced a bill to the state legislature that would have levied <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/121926-Connecticut-Considers-Violent-Videogame-Tax>special taxes on violent videogames in the state of Connecticut. That same month, again in Connecticut, state senator Toni Harp pushed a motion to make it illegal for minors to <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/122253-Connecticut-State-Senator-Proposes-Arcade-Game-Ban>play arcade games involving fake guns.

It's important to remember, of course, that videogames, thanks to the Supreme Court's decision in the 2011 <a href=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/111300-Supreme-Court-Rules-in-Favor-of-Videogames>Brown vs. EMA case, now enjoy the same first amendment protections as books, music and film. Even if a measure were passed by the government in an attempt to restrict the content of games, there would be tremendous legal precedent to help opponents strike it down.

Source: CBS 5 KPIX via <a href=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2013/04/05/senator-feinstein-warns-that-congress-might-intervene-to-reduce-guns-in-video-games.aspx>Game Informer

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[Canadamus Prime]

But we don't want fewer real guns in the hands of people now do we?

 

[Quaxar]

You can take my virtual guns over my virtual dead body!

So if the first amendment now includes games as well... shouldn't that make the second apply too?

 

[HanFyren]

While her suggestion is ridiculous. I do wish some game developers would scale back the focus on guns a bit.
Tomb Raider for instance would in my opinion be an even better game if it wasn't so war focused.

 

[StriderShinryu]

As long as the same restrictions are imposed on every other form of entertainment media, sure. I'm sure Hollywood would like that and, hey, Hollywood just happens to be in California.

 

[FloodOne]

Hey California, how about you focus on fixing your busted economy instead of wasting money pursuing legislation that will be over turned?

 

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

Wait, LESS guns?! But...but...MY BORDERLANDS!! MY BAZILLIONS OF GUNS!!! :O NOOOOOO!

Also, I find it depressingly hilarious that some people are more aggressive about regulating FAKE DIGITAL GUNS than about regulating the REAL guns, that ACTUALLY kill people.

Jeez...Priorities!

 

[danon]

And i would like senators to know what they're talking about but hey we can't all get what we wish for.

 

[frobalt]

If this doesn't prove just how backwards American politics is, nothing can.

A country should NOT be run by corporations. Biggest reason gun control is so hard to do is because gun manufacturers are leaning so hard on senators. So much that they think they can use video games as scapegoats. Capitalism FTW(!)

 

[zerragonoss]

Aside form the obvious she know nothing about games knee jerk reaction, I might approve of this depending on how its done. If it only applies to firearms that mimic those found in real life game designer will have to be creative with all their weapons by law. Still a horrible idea but I might take it to end the rule of the realistic shooter.

 

[FEichinger]

Dear, America ...

your obsession with guns has caused this. You allow children to touch real guns, teach them how to shoot them and glorify it with your insane defense of the 2nd Ammendment.

Fake guns are not the problem. They are a safe way to live your gun obsession, without harming anyone. This does not teach anyone how to shoot a real gun. It does not make them violent sociopaths. It does not give them access to guns. It is just fiction.

If you want to reduce gun violence, don't do it by removing a harmless alternative. Think about why people get guns to begin with. Think about what causes people to be paranoid enough to want guns to begin with. I can tell you, it's not arcade boxes and video games.

It's a state full of idiots. A state with legislators focused on personal gain. A state with a justice system that is flawed from start to finish. A state that refuses to act in favor of its population in fear of "socialism" and "oppression". It's a state full of parents who act without thinking and hand their children items they should not have at all.

I don't disagree that you have taken far too long to fix this. It may well be impossible now. But don't stomp your feet like a child and pretend there is something else that is responsible, other than your own faults.

Best Regards,
Europe.

 

[Broken Blade]

What an idiot. And she's MY f*cking senator. Why do people keep voting for her?

 

[1337mokro]

Take away the fake guns that should work! Instead let's give people more close combat weaponry so they can savagely beat each others skulls in. Why take away the real guns when you can pretend to do something by take away fake ones.

Now I don't think I have to point this out to Californian Clueless Corrupt Senator #302, but most countries with the same games have no guns or very strict gun laws. The same games that are released in America with the same guns are played here to by the same people.

In total we have had TWO, read again TOTAL and TWO, school shootings. The last being in 2004 and the other in 1999. I think that if we apply basic logic here and look at the variations between our two countries the answer is quite clear. Also maybe interesting to note any study into violence has concluded only one thing. That the availability of fire arms is a WORSE contributor to aggressive behaviour than videogames.

 

[PoolCleaningRobot]

Dear, America ...

your obsession with guns has caused this. You allow children to touch real guns, teach them how to shoot them and glorify it with your insane defense of the 2nd Ammendment.

Fake guns are not the problem. They are a safe way to live your gun obsession, without harming anyone. This does not teach anyone how to shoot a real gun. It does not make them violent sociopaths. It does not give them access to guns. It is just fiction.

If you want to reduce gun violence, don't do it by removing a harmless alternative. Think about why people get guns to begin with. Think about what causes people to be paranoid enough to want guns to begin with. I can tell you, it's not arcade boxes and video games.

It's a state full of idiots. A state with legislators focused on personal gain. A state with a justice system that is flawed from start to finish. A state that refuses to act in favor of its population in fear of "socialism" and "oppression". It's a state full of parents who act without thinking and hand their children items they should not have at all.

I don't disagree that you have taken far too long to fix this. It may well be impossible now. But don't stomp your feet like a child and pretend there is something else that is responsible, other than your own faults.

Best Regards,
Europe.

Well thanks for that because obviously all Americans share that opinion on guns. You would obviously know seeking as you live in Europe. Most people I know think the way we regulate guns is bullshit but in some places like the south guns are a big part of their culture. Its pretty big country Mr "Europe"

 

[luvd1]

How ridiculous. If the public want virtual guns, then left them have virtual guns. That's capitalism, you can't tell the public what it wants. That's what the market is there for. You some kind of communist?

 

[Hagi]

Is there some sort of conspiracy going on to make the states look as horrendously idiotic as possible?

Because seriously, this sort of thing seems to be a special case of stupid not found anywhere else...

 

[FEichinger]

//

Jeez, cut down the hostility. I was generalizing. Neither the entirety of Europe, nor the entirety of the US fits what I described there. But if it wasn't the majority of people respectively, the world would look differently.

 

[Lazy Kitty]

So they're saying we should shoot less people in videogames and more in real life?

That's all I hear whenever they're saying something like that.

Obviously a plot of weapons manufacturers to sell more real guns by killing off the competition provided by virtual guns.
[sup]Now excuse me, I've gotta go look for my tin foil hat...[/sup]