Absolutely agreed. We have similar problems here in the U.S., just not on the same scale. Every time this issue has come up with some government official or other uppity individual (for example, Jack Thompson), we've somehow managed to quash it. Congressmen and other busybodies refuse to acknowledge that it is the parents' job to police the hobbies and goings-on of their own children. I can see why, given most parents around here seem to think it the responsibility of the government to do their job for them.Glefistus said:Honestly, why do governments care SO much about snot nosed minors. If the parent is a shitty parent and cannot control what their child sees then that is THEIR problem, not every adult in the nation, whose liberties are infringed thanks to concerned religious mothers.
I used to work at a game store, and even though we had large posters outlining the meaning behind each ESRB rating, parents STILL didn't get that buying an M-rated game was going to expose their offspring to. . .well, not-so-kid-friendly stuff. I would point out the rating and the contents of the game to a parent at checkout, and, sometimes, I would get through to them exactly what they were about to buy for their kid. On those occasions, the parent would look at their child, and you could see from the child's face that they had hoodwinked good 'ol Mom or Dad into purchasing a game they really shouldn't be playing until long after puberty. Other times, though, I'd get screamed at for trying to tell a parent how to raise their little hellion. Is it any wonder why I no longer work in retail?
Bottom line: Parents, do your damn job. You've got to be at least a little better at it than the government. I mean, look at their track record. Do you REALLY want those idiots raising your kid?