Rumor: Kerry & Edwards Want to Ban SEIV

rdouglass · #1 July 8th, 2004, 03:09 PM

Censorship in almost any degree is IMO a bad thing. If we don't want our kids to play violent video games or see objectionable content on TV, both of these things (as well as most other media)have an ON/OFF switch. Consenting adults should be able to view anything that doesn't violate the personal rights of others (kiddie porn, etc.).

Now whether that stuff should be sold to minors, well that's quite a different thing entirely.

AMF · #2 July 8th, 2004, 03:28 PM

SO, into this discussion let's inject the Patriot Act. It is the other side of the coin, no?

That is, on the one hand it is alleged (falsely, I think) that Kerry is going to censor games - which would be one type of restriction of personal liberty. But the Patriot Act is one of the greatest invasions of privacy/liberty the US has ever known.

Discuss. [grin]

Aiken · #3 July 8th, 2004, 03:39 PM

Computer games industry is a business that worth a billions. Assume 30-50% of games contain violence etc, and it's still billions of $$$. Banning them is equal to banning cigarettes containing nicotine(sp?). This law won't be supported by industry leaders and it means it has no chances.

Gandalf Parker · #4 July 8th, 2004, 04:15 PM

The worth of the indistry is probably a worthy point.
"Daddy, are we a Repubcracy or a Democblic?
"Neither son, we are a Capitalism"
Sometimes I think that drives the decisions of my government alittle too much.

On the other hand, the times that battles have won against the wishes of big business, it has almost always been parents fighting for the protection of their children.

The powerful nemesis of Big Business is United Parents.

[ July 08, 2004, 15:16: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Atrocities · #5 July 8th, 2004, 04:37 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Raging Deadstar:
Sometimes i am incredibly thankful about living in england, although even our government is taking things a bit far in some measures it's now taking. The whole debate on a Ban on Smacking children and numerous other issues is getting quite worrying...

Here in the states 20 years it was ok to ride in the back of dads pickup truck, do that today and they will take your kids, take your truck, and send you to jail.

What have we come to?

20 years ago a person could ride his law mower over to the neighbors yard to talk. Now a days if you riding lawn mower so much as touches the street with you on it, your sited, arrested, and fined.

20 years ago you could spank your child when they got out of hand, now a days if you so much as look crossed eyed at them, the state takes them, arrests you, sends you to jail, and you never see your kids again unless you have mega $$$$$ to fight the GD FU system.

20 years ago you could watch what you wanted without government interferance, now a days we have the V-chip.

WTF is the GD world coming to?

20 years ago you spit a peace of gum out the car window, do that today and its a CRIME punishable by a manadory $500.00 fine, and up to 1 year in jail. WTF????? (Am fighting this one right now.)

20 years ago you could take a bath, water your lawn, and drink from the foset, do that today and your labeled anti-environmental. You can only take a three minute shower once a week, water your lawn only on the third monday of the month and only if you have permit, and because of chemicals used by the Chinese in the production of watering hoses, you cannot drink from them.

20 year ago most of the cops new your name, today, they only want to know how much your worth.

Raging Deadstar · #6 July 8th, 2004, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by aiken:
Banning them is equal to banning cigarettes containing nicotine(sp?). This law won't be supported by industry leaders and it means it has no chances.

Actually there's a good chance it might go through. The Government in england is calling for a ban on smoking in public places. It's not a total ban on smoking but to put it bluntly it's certainly going to stop a lot of people smoking from the sheer Inconveniece of not being able to smoke in many areas.

AMF · #7 July 8th, 2004, 04:50 PM

I think almost all of those things, aside from being quite exaggerated (for effect?), are based on local ordinances or are actualyl voluntary. That is, these generally are laws that the locals in your community passed.

Some are voluntary. The "V-Chip" never really caught on, and it's up to parents to implement. Last I heard, the numbers of parents who had opted for the V-chip TVs were extremely small in number.

Some of these are egregious exaggerations. The "nowadays if you so much as look crossed eyed at [your kids] them, the state takes them..." and the "You can only take a three minute shower once a week..." are clearly not the case. And, frankly, would never pass in this country.

But, hey, you can go ahead and blame me for all the country's problems. I'm a former libertarian and now one of those Liberals ...and damn proud of it. You know them, those folks who stand for liberty, freedom from tyranny, civil rights, and opportunity for all and all that?

Having thrown my bomb, I'll just duck the inevitable flames that are about to erupt...

Alarik