Podcast 2- High Court OKs Sales of Violent Video Games To Kids

High Court OKs Sales Of Violent Video Games To Kids

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/28/137461841/high-court-oks-sales-of-violent-video-game-to-kids

• US Supreme Court decided that the first amendment was in violation when California, under a new law, tried to ban the sale of violent video games to minors.
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• California’s current law imposes 1000 dollar fine to anyone who sells video games to minors.
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• As justification the state has shown studies that violent video games desensitize our kids and make them more aggressive towards their fellow human beings.
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• The Supreme Court voted 7-2 against this law and it was stricken down almost immediately.
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• Traditional ideologies as well as parenthood cannot be subdued from these proceedings
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• A part of the Court, who is also a father, wrote for 5 of those members from the supreme court that:
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• The Government has no power to restrict freedom of expression and that just like books and movies are an opening for children, so are video games.
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• He also argues that books and movies that are for kids have no shortage of violence (ex. Hansel and Gretel who bake the witch)
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• For teenagers, he points out to high school given books, such as the Odyssey, where the Cyclops eye gets grinded out of its socket.

I definitely agree with the judge that this is just a new form of people trying to moderate violence out of a medium of entertainment ( Just like they did with video when it first came out, or with superman who u were considered a delinquent for liking.) I think it is important to also point out that people against the results want to specifically moderate video games to minors but don't mention TV or Radio or even novels.