Bavarian Minister Says Games as Bad as Child Porn

[dnadns]

"In regards to their harmful effects, [violent video games] are on the same level as child pornography and illegal drugs, the ban on which rightly is unquestioned."

Not like all those lovely legal drugs then - because alcohol, for instance, has never been involved in any shootings ever.

...and I may add, where this guy comes from, beer is supposed to be a (not sure of the exact translation) basic need. So it is not even considered as a drug like scotch or other stuff.

 

[theSovietConnection]

Hmm, well, given what these bandwagons assume

Person who acted out violently played video games, therefore video games create violent people

I'll make a few other ridiculous assumptions that, according to their train of thought, are valid:

Violent dictators are all members of a government, therefore all members of government must be violent dictators.

All serial killers breathed, therefore breathing will turn you into a serial killer.

And my personal favorite:

Pirates drank rum, therefore anyone who drinks rum must be a pirate.

Just because there is a link between A and B, it doesn't necessarily mean that A is the cause of B. Perhaps B is what draws them to A, possibly, given that these people are unstable enough they killed people, A pushed the person over to B. However, I doubt politicians will want to listen to any of us gamers just yet, even if people who play video games might be in the majority of voters. Well, if you need me I'll be off rounding up my pirate crew.

 

[Skizle]

Jack Thompson made a similar comparison and got thrown out of court for it

 

[RollForInitiative]

The irony is going to be at its finest on the day that somebody finally gets so sick of the violent-games-make-violent-youths movement that they go out and kill a bunch of people.

All the more so if that person doesn't play violent games.

 

[Socken]

I am going to play the prick card and blame it all on the fact that he was raised in the nazi nation. Wanton violence and insanity is a way of life for them! <.<

Thank you for that utterly reasonable assumption.

Twat.

 

[Tekrae]

I hate the term "unquestioned". Who says the ban on drugs and child porn is unquestioned? I think addicts and pedophiles would disagree.

But if he said that a ban on violent video games is unquestioned, then gamers would disagree.
You kinda implied that we're as bad as druggies and pedos.

 

[KDR_11k]

Bavaria: Texas with Lederhosen.

 

[Avatar Roku]

Wooohooo go Bavaria! Woo, Wooo, makes me proud to be German!

Nah seriously; Bavaria, in terms of culture and attitude, is pretty old-school and these comments are just ridiculous. All the people that compare Bavaria to the whole of Germany are a little of, but the biggest problem is definetly the media right now, spilling tons of BS that would embarrass Fox-News.

Time again and again...this is just an age problem. The elderly just have to accept that Timmy's 360 or PS3 is more dear to him than his grandparents . One day the generational difference will be overcome, in maybe 20 years, until then I'll just let good ol' Dylan speak my sentiments on the matter:

"Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is
Rapidly agin'.
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'."

Ah, whenever I'm angry over this sort of thing, I remember this verse. Dylan certainly had some insight.

 

[sirdanrhodes]

I'm going to say... No. No they are not, and please remove your head from your rear you misinformed preachy sack of uselessness.

I wonder how he would react if you told him that face to face.

He'd probably say something about how Bully: Scholarship Edition is responsible for this kind of behavior.

To quote Metallica.

"Sad but true".

"YOU KNOW IT'S SAD BUT TRUE!"

 

[Gerazzi]

Oh, I guess I'm going to hell then,

want a postcard?

 

[Hunde Des Krieg]

No because it wasn't the violent sociopath that liked violent games, no it was the violent games that turned the sweet gentle boy into a violent sociopath...
[facepalm]

 

[Pumpkin_Eater]

Germany would actually be a pretty cool place to live if not for this kind of crap. They actually forced Valve to tone L4D way down before it could be sold in Germany (ie the hand has a thumb added to the German version).

 

[Sergeant M. Fudgey]

If you're going to make a point, figure out what it is you're attempting to talk about.

 

[Novania]

I hate how they ALWAYS bring video games into these sorts of things.

 

[Almost Famous]

I don't think any right minded individual would buy into this crap, but people as a whole may latch onto the idea that some how games have become the sole reason for everything bad in the world.

 

[karmapolizei]

Germany would actually be a pretty cool place to live if not for this kind of crap. They actually forced Valve to tone L4D way down before it could be sold in Germany (ie the hand has a thumb added to the German version).

You get used to it, actually. Especially when you realize that Steam's geolocation doesn't work all that fine...
By the way, it CAN be sold, it's just that the German version (which also has some gore removed) must not be advertised for and can only be sold in shops 'from under the counter', and it's next to impossible to buy it from a German webshop. Thankfully, there's a lot of countries around from where you can buy games without paying customs Thank you, Internet.

...He's the minister of what, exactly? "Bavaria?" Okay, I could blame not having heard of it on the poor American education system or on the fact that it's a completely unimportant place with a self-important minister.
I'm going with "C, all of the above, and also shut up."

You're dead on, mister

Not like all those lovely legal drugs then - because alcohol, for instance, has never been involved in any shootings ever.

It's funny you say that, because about a year ago, then-officials of the very same state government and party claimed that it was perfectly safe to drive a car after having drunken a liter of beer. Yeah, right.

 

[Twilight_guy]

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former." -Albert Einstein

This quote sums up my thoughts quiet nicely.

 

[TheBluesader]

...He's the minister of what, exactly? "Bavaria?" Okay, I could blame not having heard of it on the poor American education system or on the fact that it's a completely unimportant place with a self-important minister.
I'm going with "C, all of the above, and also shut up."

All I know about Bavaria is...NAZIS ARE FROM THERE!!

I think that's pretty much /thread.