Atkinson Says You Don't Need to Impale People

[Aesir23]

"Most blessed of women be Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, most blessed of tent-dwelling women. He asked for water, and she gave him milk; in a bowl fit for nobles she brought him curdled milk. Her hand reached for the tent peg, her right hand for the workman's hammer. She struck Sisera, she crushed his head, she shattered and pierced his temple. At her feet he sank, he fell; there he lay. At her feet he sank, he fell; where he sank, there he fell--dead.

Judges 5:24-27. No you didn't read it wrong, she just lulled him into a false sense of security and drove a tent peg through his head!

Ummmm, holy shit. O_O I read the bible, but not well enough apparently if I missed something like that. (I'm agnostic but I was REALLY bored in the hospital and that was all that was in the nightstand next to my bed.)

 

[BlueberryFalacy]

When are people like him going to realise even the doctorine is enough to cause people to kill (I'll quote The Crusades and The Inquisiton as proof of that). In fact I belive that I've heard of a lot more religious killings (along the lines of "god made me do it") than music/television/books/movies/games ("I was compelled by [insert random non violent and violent object here] to kill/maim/harm in any way" or "I was just reneacting [insert literature, film or game reference here]")

Well vote him out on the next election if your able.

Why is it that people keep voting people into office who treat the general public like they are too ignorant to run their own lives?

He does live in the state with "The City of Churches" as it's capitol so that may be part of it. But hopefully the "Gamers For Croydon" candidate is able to take his seat next year. To all those in S.A. whom feel strongly towards having an R18+ I suggest you vote for them or anyone else but Atkinson on that ballot.

Just so everyone knows

The ABC is the government run news station, this shows that even a government funded news channel wants to support an R18+ video game rating

Very very true. That and has anyone noticed that only the extremists actually care if it goes ahead?

 

[Woodsey]

"I accept that 98%, 99% of gamers will tell the difference between fantasy and reality, but the 1% to 2% could go on to be motivated by these games to commit horrible acts of violence."

That could easily be argued for books and films, and it's also something that's been examined and has remained unproven several times (by NON-BIASED researchers I might add).

You can tell from his comments he's just an old prick who doesn't like the fact that the "kids" have something he can't understand.

I bet he used to play stuff like Cowboys and Indians or whatever when he was younger - how's that any worse or better?

 

[IckleMissMayhem]

This is a question of a small number of very zealous gamers trying to impose their will on society.

"Mr Kettle, I'd like you to meet my very good friend Mr Pot. I'm sure you two will get on just famously"

Also, yeah, sometimes you just gotta impale shit.

Well, if someone would just impale a certain Australan AG on summat, I'm sure the problem will be resolved most satisfactorily.

 

[Tears of Blood]

1 billion gamers.

1 - 2% could be influenced by violent games.

So we have between 10 to 20 million psycopaths going around shooting up schools and post offices right now because of video games, according to Mr. Atkinson

Bit of a stretch, don't you think!?

I would be willing to believe a more reasonable number, like .01 - .02%, and that's hardly even worth it at that point, ain't it? I mean, it sounds terrible, but even if people are dying because of video games, at least most of us are able to be free and enjoy adult entertainment. Why do some impressionable people with mental problems and abusive parents have to ruin it for the rest of us? -_-;

 

[SonicKoala]

Wow, this guy just won't quit. You really have to question this logic - is there NOTHING else in Australia that presents a bigger threat than video games? I have a really good feeling that there are countless other social issues facing the Australian people, and yet this douchebag feels the need to focus on video games, a medium which scientific studies have proved, over and over again, does NOT have any significant impact on the people who play them. It's pathetic.

 

[Desert Tiger]

I think this small group of gamers should lynch him.

 

[Noone From Nowhere]

Atkinson is right on one thing: we don't have to impale people in the games that we play, but
that's our choice as free peoples. No matter what the old adage says, the world is not a madhouse!

People really should learn to respect other adults' right to choose, whatever they happen to choose so long as it doesn't actually harm anyone. It's never a good idea to try to legislate morality or taste. If one tries to prevent triggering violence or other 'anti-social misbehavior' in the mentally ill or weak minded, everyone else has to give up their rights and priveleges. One has only to look to the fundamentalist regimes in the Middle East to see how well that works out.

At the very least, these types of moral guardians should stop hiding behind children as an excuse to do away with or otherwise obstruct whatever they personally do not approve of. That's not the way to keep them safe.

 

[Proliference]

Unfortunately in the Australian system for an R18+ rating to be introduced all of the Attorney Generals must agree, thankfully however an election for his seat is upcoming and a gaming party is running against him.Im not to sure on the specifics but the election is probably some time next year so hopefully we will be rid of this bigot/fascist soon

 

[Eruanno]

Good part is that Michael Atkinson is so old, chances is he will die soon. Or break his hip and not be able to work anymore.

Or fall off a cliff... or be pushed off of it... whatever.

 

[BlueberryFalacy]

Good part is that Michael Atkinson is so old, chances is he will die soon. Or break his hip and not be able to work anymore.

Or fall off a cliff... or be pushed off of it... whatever.

How about magically develop a nice little tunnel from the front of his skull to the back?

 

[Sibbo]

Spoiler: All I can do right now is this

God this is exactly how I feel about this whole issue, I have long given up any hope of a R18 category.

Also, when these stories of Michael Atkinson come out there are people who ask why doesn't someone run against him, found this the other day: http://www.gamers4croydon.org/

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

You Australians have to vote him out in the next election. Maybe then he'll see people don't like him trying to impose his will on gamers and thinking they're all a bunch of kids, and then finally shut the fuck up.

 

[Doug]

Spoiler: All I can do right now is this

God this is exactly how I feel about this whole issue, I have long given up any hope of a R18 category.

Also, when these stories of Michael Atkinson come out there are people who ask why doesn't someone run against him, found this the other day: http://www.gamers4croydon.org/

Nice site; however, I'm a Brit, and as we are no longer overlords of your prison colony, I'm afraid I can't vote in your election .

Fortunately in the UK, we only have Keith Vaz against voilence in games...

And he's not exactly what you call 'effective' [http://www.electricpig.co.uk/2009/11/10/mp-fight-tom-watson-slams-modern-warfare-critic-keith-vaz/] given other MPs are willing to call him out on his shit [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8351037.stm] (Transcript for the deaf/audio impaired [http://gamepolitics.com/2009/11/10/mp-showdown-transcript-and-video]).

 

[Floppertje]

You Australians have to vote him out in the next election. Maybe then he'll see people don't like him trying to impose his will on gamers and thinking they're all a bunch of kids, and then finally shut the fuck up.

they can't, it's not an elected office.

Under the Constitution he or she is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serves at the Governor-General's pleasure. In practice the Attorney-General is a party politician and his or her tenure is determined by political factors.

that's from wikipedia, the source of all truth. It also says there's no fixed limit to how long he can be in office. so they're pretty much fucked.

 

[BaldursBananaSoap]

You Australians have to vote him out in the next election. Maybe then he'll see people don't like him trying to impose his will on gamers and thinking they're all a bunch of kids, and then finally shut the fuck up.

they can't, it's not an elected office.

Under the Constitution he or she is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serves at the Governor-General's pleasure. In practice the Attorney-General is a party politician and his or her tenure is determined by political factors.

that's from wikipedia, the source of all truth. It also says there's no fixed limit to how long he can be in office. so they're pretty much fucked.

Gross! Maybe he's targeting games just to keep our attention away from that?

Anyway, he's going to die one way or another.

 

[Floppertje]

You Australians have to vote him out in the next election. Maybe then he'll see people don't like him trying to impose his will on gamers and thinking they're all a bunch of kids, and then finally shut the fuck up.

they can't, it's not an elected office.

Under the Constitution he or she is appointed by the Governor-General on the advice of the Prime Minister, and serves at the Governor-General's pleasure. In practice the Attorney-General is a party politician and his or her tenure is determined by political factors.

that's from wikipedia, the source of all truth. It also says there's no fixed limit to how long he can be in office. so they're pretty much fucked.

Gross! Maybe he's targeting games just to keep our attention away from that?

Anyway, he's going to die one way or another.

I don't think he's all THAT old. so... anybody wanna give him a hand with it?

 

[Ushario]

Australian's deserve to have their freedom in entertainment, the majority has spoken, Atkinson needs to be challenged with a vote of no confidence.