Oklahoma introduces violent videogames bill

The latest in the seemingly relentless political attacks on the videogames industry comes in the shape of a new violent videogames bill from the State of Oklahoma, which has successfully passed a Senate hearing.

Echoing the "games as porn" bill put forward by Utah Representative David L. Hogue, which sailed through the House of Representatives by a vote of 56-8 before being canned when the State Senate failed to vote on the bill, The Oklahoma legislation would make it a felony to knowingly exhibit or sell violent video games to minors.

Seeking an amendment to existing laws that are intended to regulate the distribution of pornographic and sadomasochistic material, the new bill proposed by Senator Glen Coffee once again encompasses as broad and vague a definition of what constitutes a violent videogame as possible, ensuring all the bases are covered, but opening the bill up to scrutiny and dismissal on First Amendment grounds.

According to GamePolitics.com, the bill was unanimously approved by the House in March, and was approved by the Senate on Monday with a vote of 47-0. However, due to an amendment by the Senate, the bill, which defines "inappropriate violence" to mean when "video game or computer software which is patently offensive to prevailing standards in the adult community with respect to what is suitable for minors," will need to go back to the House for further approval.

If the House approves the amended bill, it will then pass to Governor Brad Henry for consideration. Henry will then have five days to sign the bill into law, and if he does, it will become a law on November 1st. This doesn't take into account intervention by the ESA, and the newly merged IEMA/VSA trade bodies, which have successfully secured both temporary and permanent injunctions against similar bills in California, Illinois and Michigan, in addition to protesting against the failed Utah bill.

http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=16360

I am so tired of hearing about this stuff. I am a U.S. citizen and the constant ridiculous laws being created is starting to make the U.S.A. less and less FREE. How soon before I get fined or jailed for visiting certain web sites or writing on certain subjects in a forum much like this? Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against the E.S.R.B. rating system and stores not selling Rated M for mature games to 9 year old's. I could see a fine but to make it a felony is insane.

I would like to hear from members of this forum from other countries if this kind of stuff goes on in your countries as well or if it is mostly prevalent within the U.S.A.

It is the parents job to monitor their children and their video games. If something as simple as that is too much of a task for parents then they should not have kids in the 1st place.

The Senate and the "House" should worry about the much more serious problems of our world today. Putting more people in jail and/or creating a criminal record for such a thing is ahhh anger inducing.

Of course they're not running this buy the people... i mean it wasnt created for the people by the people or anything..

So no more mario, you have to jump on poor mushrooms... VIOLENT!!!

The ESRB was created to help parents choose games for their children... Wonder why the government is... hmm...

So no more mario, you have to jump on poor mushrooms... VIOLENT!!!

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Oklahoma... where is that? :p

Trying for 'freedom' upon others while taking it away from their own people, it's a weird country at the other side of the Atlantic :(

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Originally Posted by Voltron

I am so tired of hearing about this stuff... and the constant ridiculous laws being created

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dont worry man, it is good for international relations... we all have a laugh at your laws. ;)

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Originally Posted by Voltron

...is starting to make the U.S.A. less and less FREE.

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that is a whole 'nother debate

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Originally Posted by Voltron

I would like to hear from members of this forum from other countries if this kind of stuff goes on in your countries as well or if it is mostly prevalent within the U.S.A.

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No you are pretty much way 'ahead' of the rest of the world when it comes to stupid ass laws.

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Originally Posted by Voltron

It is the parents job to monitor their children and their video games. If something as simple as that is too much of a task for parents then they should not have kids in the 1st place.

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agree 100%. unlike stupid laws, crap parents who shouldnt have children are not specific to the US - they exist throughout the world. as do government measures to try and do their job for them. in the UK we have lots of this too.

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Originally Posted by Voltron

The Senate and the "House" should worry about the much more serious problems of our world today.

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can you say "Guantanamo Bay" or what about "kyoto treaty" :rolleyes:

in conclusion, i know loads of US people who are very intelligent, charming, wise people. unfortunately, you often find that people like that very very rarely enter politics (as i mentioned they were wise). so what you end up with is a bunch of egotistical, small-penis mofo's running the country. this is another universal issue... although George Bush is pretty hard to top for stupid leaders. :p ... i would say France and Italy come very close. :D

Wait A bloody minute!
These same wankers that start bloody wars, are stating video games might create wars?
This is the biggest load of hogfeces I've ever heard.
What is the word I'm looking for?
Is it Hypo, Hypo, Hypocrite, yeah thats it!
What a bunch of hypocrites.
Thats it for real. I'm gonna be sick.
Stupid Stupid Bloody Stupid Twats.
:(

This shit would never pass in Canada, we don't have the religious/conservative southerners here.

heh. i think im the only american mod in this forum. All im going ot say is... its silly... and dont call all of us twats... not all of us are honky ass bible hugging rednecks... just most of the people we vote in seem to be.

Dont mind me just passin through:eek:
Why is it when a small group of people manage to do somthing big, to get a law passed,Does it reflect poorly on more people then it should?

So what some rednecks out in the boondocks managed to pass a law buy buying enough votes?

Cause lets be honest here? how many people are goona turn out at the elections booths to vote for somthing this stupid?

All this is, is an example of , yet another crumble in modern society.

And thats happening all over the world, not just in the united states.


*hisses from the background, BOO THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED!!!*

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Originally Posted by shadowprophet

Dont mind me just passin through:eek:
Why is it when a small group of people manage to do somthing big, to get a law passed,Does it reflect poorly on more people then it should?

So what some rednecks out in the boondocks managed to pass a law buy buying enough votes?

Cause lets be honest here? how many people are goona turn out at the elections booths to vote for somthing this stupid?

All this is, is an example of , yet another crumble in modern society.

And thats happening all over the world, not just in the united states.


*hisses from the background, BOO THE ELECTION WAS RIGGED!!!*

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I'm sure the every country has its share of moron politicians. Just seems more of them are in power in U.S then any other place. I think it has something to do with America's self-induced isolationism.

But back on the topic of this new violent video games bill...

I think this has to do more with a generation gap. Your typical American politician grew-up quite a few years before video games were widely available or even mainstream, therefore its safe to assume they just don't get "it". They view it the same way the motion picture industry was viewed at the beginning of the 20th century by their predecessors. They think of video games as a window to degenerate behaviour and nothing more then that, while we (the true gamers) understand the greatness behind the medium we know as virtual entertainment.

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Originally Posted by 1timeuser

heh. i think im the only american mod in this forum. All im going ot say is... its silly... and dont call all of us twats... not all of us are honky ass bible hugging rednecks... just most of the people we vote in seem to be.

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lol. see my earlier post.
it would also be interesting to see how many of these senators kids own a copy of GTA. all of em i bet. unless they are under 14 and then they own the that 50cent game too.
:p

on one hand,
In one corner we have hardened criminals, locked up in correctional instututions all over the world.

Deemed unfit by society to ever weild any political power.

People that have seen voilance, Commited acts of voilance, That the most of us will be lucky enough to never have to experience not even once in our entire lifetimes.

And in the other corner.
We have mamby pamby aristocratic politicians who where brought up in envoriments so isolated from true reality that there preceptions of whats acceptible while more tame and less offencive, Are just as generaly warped.

Life, real life, the reality we live and work in each and every day, Is more chaotic and unpredictable than any video game representation ever could be.

Censorship Is just a crude form of oppression.
And the trick is people would have you believe its for your protection.

While the even sader truth is censorship has been proven to be an effective means of controll for a very very long time.

Some things Should be allowed to be.
On the other hand some things that exisist maybe shouldnt be allowed to be.

But before we can have merritt to censor somthing like somones work of art.

Maybe we should concider. Gee that meth lab down the block sure has been getting a lot of buisness lately.

Maybe we should focus on our real problems for a little while?

And my advice to the polititions, Well..
If you can assume a position of power and not use it for somthing beneficial to your republic.
well then. Your a worthless Shell of a human that needs your senior citizens discount card revoked..

oklahoma is a myth... there is no such thing as you can clearly see on this map of the united states..

you know what bugs me most about this is that in the usa at age 18 you can buy porn smoke and be killed at war for your country but at 17 you can buy gta and all m rated games 17-18 there is no real difference so this law is only for people 16 and under in my mind and thats what parents are for. this is such a waste of time and tax money how about feeding the poor getting people work important things like that oh my god a 15 year old is playing gta bfd if they have been raised right and know right from wrong there is no problem. plus games have ratings on them already idiots

What does the law mean about EXHIBITING the game to minors?

Could game companies be sued for airing GTA commercials? What about stores that have copies of the game in glass display cases?

The word, "exhibit" is far too loose, and I hope that it was just Wraggster's wording and not the wording of the law itself.


P.S: 1TimeUser, your map of Oklahoma is slightly flawed. There is a little island named "Tulsa" situated in its northern half. Very pretty place. Elsewise, your map is near-perfect.

This is soooo stupid! When are ppl going to learn video games are not the reason for violence in the world? Video games are a scapegoat for parents who raised their children poorly; a way for them to avoid taking the blame for the way they neglected their children. You can't go on blaming video game violence for everything. this is ridiculous!

You know "the do not remove under penalty of law" tags on mattresses? I cut one off because of grand theft auto.

I'm from Oklahoma and I am outraged by this bill
I am tired and sick of this "videogames are horrible and can destroy an entire generation of our children"speech. I wish that something else in the media could pop up, so the folks in the Senate could blame something else for destroying the economy, from their 4 story houses and 16 park garages. HYPOCRITES
Before you ask I am 16, but my age has nothing to do with this!
Tulsa is a pretty place (sometimes)

oh... welcome to the forums then! :)

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Originally Posted by 1timeuser

You know "the do not remove under penalty of law" tags on mattresses? I cut one off because of grand theft auto.

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I've just bought a new mattress, I nearly pissed myself reading that!.