Menino: Ban violent vid games for kids
Mike Underwood
Boston Herald
March 17, 2008
Fed up with violent video games in the hands of
children, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino wants to outlaw
sales of the bloody games to minors, a controversial
crackdown plan that’s already drawing the ire of teen
players and the gaming industry.
“Children aged 17 and under should not be sold this
stuff, so they are not getting into the hands of 9- and
10-year-olds,” said Larry Mayes, Menino’s chief of human
services.
“Is it going to be an uphill battle? Sure. But it’s
absolutely a battle that the mayor feels he should take
on.”
Gaming advocates are ready to fight back, blasting
Menino’s move as “unconstitutional” and citing nine
federal court decisions that have rejected similar bids
in recent years.
“Every time states have tried to restrict access to
First Amendment-protected material, it has been
considered unconstitutional,” said Dan Hewitt, spokesman
for the Entertainment Software Association , which
represents the U.S. computer and video gaming industry.
Menino’s bold move comes as Boston and Brockton are
dealing with much bloodshed on city streets, with the
Hub recording 13 murders so far this year. Brockton has
seen four killings and scores of shootings. Most of the
victims in both cities are teenagers.
“I think this legislation is a good idea. I don’t want
this constant barrage of violence on young minds and for
them to think it is all right,” said state Rep.
Christine E. Canavan (D-Brockton), a co-sponsor of the
petition that will be heard at the Joint Committee on
Judiciary tomorrow at the State House.
Louisiana’s attempt to ban the sale of violent video
games to minors was stopped in November 2006, when
District Court Judge James Brady ordered a permanent
injunction to block implementation of the statute.
In his judgment, Brady said video games are “as much
entitled to the protection of free speech as the best of
literature.”
Although it is illegal for retailers to sell or rent any
pornographic or obscene material to minors, there is no
law that bans the sale to minors of movies, books or
music with violent content.
Dennis McCauley, editor of GamePolitics.com, a blog for
the gamer advocate Entertainment Consumers’ Association,
also criticized Menino’s proposal.
“There is no other form of media that is restricted in
this way,” he said.
“We don’t believe that a 10-year-old should be playing
Grand Theft Auto, but it really is the parent’s
responsibility to decide what the child should and
shouldn’t play.”
Young gamer Robert Connelly, 11, of Scituate, said video
games are hugely popular among his friends, but not all
the kids play the gory games.
Restricting their right to make that choice would enrage
teens, he said.
“I would be very frustrated,” Connelly said.
“A lot of people under 18, 16- and 17-year-olds, would
be really angry.”