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"Master of Horror" horrified by Massachusetts bill proposal

Stephen King – a name synonymous with horror fiction – has written in his latest Entertainment Weekly pop-culture column his thoughts on the recent proposal of House Bill 1423 in Massachusetts to restrict the sale of violent videogames from minors.

King, who makes it clear that he is no fan of videogames, said that word of HB 1423 made him “hit the roof,” pointing out the nonsensical standard that the bill would restrict a 17-year old from playing Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, but not from watching Hostel: Part II.

“According to the proposed bill, violent videogames are pornographic and have no redeeming social merit. The vid-critics claim they exist for one reason and one reason only, so kids can experience the vicarious thrill of killing,” King wrote regarding HB 1423. “Now, what does and doesn't have social merit is always an interesting question, one I can discuss for hours. But what makes me crazy is when politicians take it upon themselves to play surrogate parents. The results of that are usually disastrous. Not to mention undemocratic.”

As for the real parents themselves, King believes the responsibility is ultimately up to them. “And if there's violence to be had, the kids are gonna find a way to get it, just as they'll find a way to get all-day shooters like No Country for Old Men from cable if they want. Or Girls Gone Wild, for that matter. Can parents block that stuff? You bet. But most never do.... Parents need to have the guts to forbid material they find objectionable...and then explain why it's being forbidden. They also need to monitor their children's lives in the pop culture — which means a lot more than seeing what games they're renting down the street.”

Although the famed author said he is far removed from videogames, he appears to be keenly aware of several high-profile titles. On the popular shooter and its scapegoat status in the mainstream media: “It was too easy for critics to claim — falsely, it turned out — that Cho Seung-Hui (the Virginia Tech killer) was a fan of Counter-Strike; I just wish to God that legislators were as eager to point out that this nutball had no problem obtaining a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. Cho used it in a rampage that resulted in the murder of 32 people. If he'd been stuck with nothing but a plastic videogame gun, he wouldn't even have been able to kill himself.”

Even better perhaps, is the article image with the caption, “Could Massachusetts legislators find better ways to watch out for the kiddies? Man, I sure hope so, because there's a lot more to America's culture of violence than Resident Evil 4.”

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He's on the money
By jhinoz on 4/7/2008 7:43:06 AM , Rating: 5
Take my younger brother for instance. All violent video games did to him was instill a need to type things like l337, pwnd and buy a better graphics card.

In the process he went out and got a job to pay for the graphics card.

What's the harm in that?




RE: He's on the money
By 306maxi on 4/7/2008 8:01:35 AM , Rating: 5
That made me spit my drink out all over my keyboard! That's where the harm is in that!


RE: He's on the money
By tastyratz on 4/7/2008 8:15:03 AM , Rating: 2
awesome
if someone didn't overnight spam vote down all my previous posts last week (dropping my dt rating by 1.5 points in 12 hrs)I would so vote you up for that.


RE: He's on the money
By EvixKeth on 4/7/2008 2:47:45 PM , Rating: 3
Nice, that helped yourself right there. :P


RE: He's on the money
By omnicronx on 4/7/2008 5:00:48 PM , Rating: 1
Are you saying theres a DT rating that allows/disallows you to rate other posts? I thought you rating was merely on a article basis. And just so you know, you are automatically rated down for swearing in a post.


RE: He's on the money
By mindless1 on 4/11/2008 6:30:40 PM , Rating: 2
Apparently there's more that will get a post rated down automatically, several people have noticed that their PG rated post was already a "1" the moment it was posted on the site. Either it's a glitch in the rating system or we're having artifically tainted ratings in some cases.


RE: He's on the money
By onelittleindian on 4/7/08, Rating: 0
RE: He's on the money
By tastyratz on 4/8/2008 8:13:25 AM , Rating: 3
and someone rated you down for rating me up lol
yea I know if I swear I get rated down, I seldom do.
When you get a low DT rating you cant vote on anyone elses posts, and I have to fill out this stupid captcha thing every time I make a comment now. I couldn't figure out what was going on when I went to post a comment earlier and that happened. I looked at my history and it showed me with a .5 average rating!!! Almost all my posts from the other month went to prettymuch -1 and the night before they were mixed with a couple fives and mostly 2's. Aparently 1 in there made someone unhappy.


RE: He's on the money
By Visual on 4/14/2008 8:18:04 AM , Rating: 2
No, I guess he got rated down because he posted nonsense after giving a rating, thus removing the rating he had given...


RE: He's on the money
By MrBlastman on 4/7/2008 10:25:36 AM , Rating: 2
We've received quite a bit of quality humor from FPS's over the years.

I mean... without them, where would BOOM! Headshot! be?

Shooting some kids online is far better than beating them up and taking their lunch money on the playground.


RE: He's on the money
By jhinoz on 4/7/2008 10:45:03 AM , Rating: 2
I'd say it's far more likely that the kid who just got beat up and had his lunch money taken is going to go home and pwn some n00bs. I'm not 100% up on the terminology.


RE: He's on the money
By MrBlastman on 4/7/2008 10:48:46 AM , Rating: 2
That is still better than shooting someone with a real gun.


RE: He's on the money
By jhinoz on 4/7/2008 11:48:21 AM , Rating: 3
absolutely no arguement from me.

Why the heck can you even get guns so easily I don't understand.


RE: He's on the money
By aebiv on 4/8/2008 5:42:35 PM , Rating: 3
It really isn't that easy... Why can these idiotic kids get a drivers license so easily?


RE: He's on the money
By Nik00117 on 4/8/2008 7:25:40 PM , Rating: 1
Getting a gun involves knowing the right people.


RE: He's on the money
By Ryanman on 4/10/08, Rating: 0
RE: He's on the money
By callmeroy on 4/9/2008 10:11:15 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
It really isn't that easy... Why can these idiotic kids get a drivers license so easily?


Sure it is easy to an extent -- like most things in life its all perception. What is simple and easy to me , may be considered an pain to you and vice versa. Of course it also matters which state you live in some states make the process a lot more of a pain than others do.

Here's the thing though -- most folks who wind up on the headlines for murder and even worse -- mass murder, chances are great they didn't get the gun legally anyway and that's the main thing society should remember more.

The "process" for gun ownership only works if you are an honest person, like a deadbolt lock on your door at home -- that's only to keep honest folks out, criminals don't care about the process anymore than your dead bolt lock. ;)


RE: He's on the money
By aebiv on 4/16/2008 6:15:55 PM , Rating: 2
Amen.


RE: He's on the money
By rdeegvainl on 4/7/2008 10:49:36 AM , Rating: 2
actually from what I know, you got the terminology perfect. Guess some are just naturals.


Resident Evil 4
By Flunk on 4/7/2008 12:56:15 PM , Rating: 2
Resident Evil 4 is Japanese, why is it ok for them but the cause of all of America's problems?




RE: Resident Evil 4
By 325hhee on 4/7/2008 1:27:03 PM , Rating: 5
quote:
Resident Evil 4 is Japanese, why is it ok for them but the cause of all of America's problems?


Mainly because America has too many stupid groups, religious, activists, parents, etc. And they all like to band together and stir up some kind of BS controversy.

Here's another for example. I think it was in the game Castlevainia, on the over seas version, you'll see crucifixes all strewn out the game, but in the American version, it was replaced with a symbol that kinda looks like a cross, but it wasn't.

There are too many groups out there that wants to censor things, and it has gotten way out of hand, political correctness has gone beyond the extreme, it's stupid.

For crying out loud, all old Bugs Bunny cartoons have been censored, because groups are afraid some kid is going to take a shot gun out and point it in the ground. Two questions, why would there be a shotgun in some parents house, and secondly why isn't it locked away if there's a child present.

Everyone wants to blame someone else, except their own BAD parent skills. I've seen so many lazy parents these days, it's sickening. I know I would not be a good parent, so I don't have any children. But why do people want to have kids if they want TV to babysit for them. What happen to the good ol days where parents were involved with what their kids are doing? What happen to going outside and play catch. Hell even online I play with some parents on MMoRPGs, and what do they do, pay more attention to the game than their own children.

I had to kick someone out of my guild, because I was just so disgusted hearing, OMG, my stupid kid is hungry, and I have to go feed him, brb. By the time that person came back, I had to have a chat, and ask, why are you getting pissed you have to feed your child. You did plan your pregnancy and having a child, there's no need for that kind of talk. If you want to play games instead of having a child, put them up for adoption or don't have any. Of course the fight was, I don't have any children I don't know what I'm talking about, this and that, etc. My reply was, I know I'd be a horrible parent, hence "My" choice, not to have any children. Things got way out of hand, and I was forced to eject her. But there is absolutely no reason a parent should put a game before their own flesh and blood.


RE: Resident Evil 4
By geddarkstorm on 4/7/2008 2:48:58 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
And they all like to band together and stir up some kind of BS controversy.


They have to find something to do as a hobby after all.


RE: Resident Evil 4
By afkrotch on 4/7/2008 3:21:40 PM , Rating: 5
They have to do something with their free time, as the TV and games are doing the babysitting of their children.


RE: Resident Evil 4
By onwisconsin on 4/8/2008 10:56:53 AM , Rating: 2
Well put!


Running for office?
By rdeegvainl on 4/7/2008 10:46:33 AM , Rating: 3
Is he running for some sort of office, cause it seems like he is trying to get me to vote for him with all this intelligence he's using.




RE: Running for office?
By Sulphademus on 4/7/2008 1:02:16 PM , Rating: 5
Intelligence and reason have no place in politics and social policy.


RE: Running for office?
By jhinoz on 4/7/2008 3:29:53 PM , Rating: 2
You sir, speak the truth. But also, unfortunately, will never get hired on the campagin trail.

(i would have voted you up instead but have already posted)


RE: Running for office?
By Sulphademus on 4/8/2008 8:15:52 AM , Rating: 2
I would seriously run for office at some level if I thought these were things people wanted (Logic, Reason, laws made out of common sense). I've met plenty of people from all different political viewpoints who seemed plenty logical and withwhom I could agree on many things.

And then I look at the reality of politics...


Blame the parents
By 325hhee on 4/7/2008 12:20:02 PM , Rating: 5
I personally am not a fan of any GTA title, but I like other FPS games, and you know what, not once have I ever said to myself I'm gonna buy a gun, or guns, and blow up people. I get frustrated at work, from all the corporate BS around me, and I need a release.

As I get older, I can't paintball as much anymore for two reasons, one, my body doesn't heal as fast, two, my financial priorities have changed, so I can't afford to paintball as much. Why do I play FPS games and Paintball, answer, to virtually get my frustrations and anger out, from my daily RL BS.

I by no means whatsoever intend to buy a real fire arm and kill people. I like to enjoy virtual killing, I have a conscience and know that killing is wrong. Although killing pixelated graphics is ok, hitting someone with a paintball is ok, because there is no real casualty.

It's up to the parents to teach their children what is right and wrong, be it good teaching or bad teaching. And it's up to the parent to guide their kids, not freaking Elmo or TV. Good parents would not let their children rot their brains by only playing video games and watching TV. Good parents would let their children play outside, get some exercise, meet real people. And yes there are times for video games, but it shouldn't be the majority of their time.

Before video games people complained about TV/Movies, before that was comic books, before that was books. There will always be a medium that some group would attribute violence to. I complain about the news, and how when there's a live event they'll air it without prejudice. Last thing I want to see on the 10 O'clock news is someone filming a crime scene and a shoot out occurs and the victim has his head blown off on live television. No one ever scrutinize the news for violence.




RE: Blame the parents
By dluther on 4/7/2008 12:50:54 PM , Rating: 4
quote:
Last thing I want to see on the 10 O'clock news is someone filming a crime scene and a shoot out occurs and the victim has his head blown off on live television. No one ever scrutinize the news for violence.

One thing the Vietnam War gave the world was an unfiltered look at what war really is, beaming unmentionable violence into our houses at six and ten o'clock in living color.

Violence is a fact of life. A sad fact to be sure, but a fact nonetheless; violence, like most problems, will not go away if it is ignored.

Now, having said that, we must also acknowledge that popular culture thrives on shock value, and constantly seeks to expand the ill-defined boundaries of what is and is not acceptable. For example, "Gone With The Wind" created a stir when it was the first Oscar winning motion picture to use a curse word ("Quite frankly my dear, I don't give a damn."). In 1961, Lenny Bruce was arrested on obscenity charges for using the word "cocksucker" in his stand-up act, and this was quite the scandalous offense. Fast-forward to 2004, when Vice President Dick Cheney, on the Senate Floor, told Senator Patrick Leahy to "go fuck yourself" with not so much as a second glance from the religious right that would be the most offended by such an utterance.

It does fall to the parents to properly raise their children, and instill within them a system of values that precludes them from committing violent acts. Having said that, perhaps there are more important issues that are more in need of our attention besides morally objectionable video games.

I'm just sayin'...


RE: Blame the parents
By afkrotch on 4/7/2008 3:25:27 PM , Rating: 3
The news doesn't always have to have violence.

Hey, did you hear? Britney Spears might be pregnant.


Guns dont kill people
By meepstone on 4/7/2008 3:29:03 PM , Rating: 2
People kill people.

Videogames don't kill people, people kill people.

You can make anything you want a scapegoat, the weapon, a game, a movie, etc.

Face the facts, if someone wants to kill another person, there are a million ways to do it. The problem is in the person, not the way he came about it.

DO something things make it easier to kill another person? Yes but in the end if someone has the will power to kill another it wont matter if its a bat, knife, gun, or a fist.

Politicians making dumb laws won't help anyone.




RE: Guns dont kill people
By Alpha4 on 4/7/2008 6:25:55 PM , Rating: 2
You make a very valid point, but that doesn't negate the need for some semblance of control to be put in place.
For instance, I cuold not see Cho Seung-Hui being capable of killing 32 with a bat, knife or fists, so lax gun restrictions are still partially to blame.


RE: Guns dont kill people
By nstott on 4/7/2008 8:19:34 PM , Rating: 2
Not lax gun restrictions. Lax enforcement of existing restrictions.


RE: Guns dont kill people
By Aquila76 on 4/8/2008 8:00:36 AM , Rating: 2
Don't forget corruption at all levels: from the cop selling confiscated firearms on the side to politicians getting bribes, er, "campaign funds" from arms merchants.


excellent
By TomCorelis (blog) on 4/8/2008 2:55:31 AM , Rating: 2
I cannot tell you how awesome that icon is. Cheers for the creepy eyes!




RE: excellent
By nofranchise on 4/8/2008 3:33:59 AM , Rating: 1
Just wondering - how many of you American DT friends support gun control and how many are opposed?

I am a European, and we have our share of violent crime. But I've spent a lot of time in the US, and the sheer amount of gun-related violence/killing is staggering over there.

Here - in my country - you can get a hunting license and buy - at most - a hunting rifle. You have to be in the national guard(not quite the same as in the US) to get an extremely old semi-automatic rifle. And that is getting harder as we speak(new laws in motion because of gun-crimes committed by national guardsmen).

We play a lot of computer games in my country, we have no censorship on national television - I mean nudity, swearing, "blasphemy" etc. is all allowed - and yet almost no hard crime occur.

There is a difference somewhere... Could it be at least somewhat related to our gun control policies?


By marsbound2024 on 4/8/2008 6:54:22 PM , Rating: 3
I am almost twenty years old and I've been playing plenty of violent video games. I've played the entire Doom series, most of the Grand Theft Auto series, most of the Resident Evils, Duke Nukem, and countless other games. I haven't played Manhunt or Condemned, but I've had enough of a taste of violence, gore and sexual content in video games. I guess those in favor of this bill would think I am on track for being a criminal. One that enjoys taking a Gatling gun and slaughtering demons from hell, stealing cars and taking joyrides while mowing down pedestrians and stopping for the occasional ho, enjoying cannibalistic practices while being a bit of a germophobe, disintegrating aliens after my daily intake of steroids and porn flicks, and oh so much more.

They may be surprised to learn that instead I have been a volunteer for various community projects, signed up for the Free Hugs Campaign (I hope to actually take part in that in the future), was involved in an International Diplomacy Summit in Washington and New York back in 2005 (People to People thing), donate my computing resources to Folding@Home (I consider that hi-tech humanitarian), and generally try to make people around me smile and laugh. Like everyone else, I have my flaws, but they don't entail putting me on track for consecutive life sentences.




By Hakuryu on 4/8/2008 2:16:35 PM , Rating: 2
Is a community, or team in the literal sense. I've been playing shooters since basically PC's arrived on the scene, and have competed in two games - Tribes and Enemy Territory.

We had practices, strategy talks, competed in ladder tournaments, and even had a yearly lan party in MI where most of our memebers would attend.

The face of the world is changing, and so is the idea of teamplay and what is exactly a sport. Just because some whackjob goes on a killing spree does not mean a game is responsible, like so many people with common sense have said. I think being on a team and playing a shooter is this generations equivalent of playing on a football team in the 'real world'... and funny enough there isn't the hazing versus 'nerds', or the date raping of cheerleaders, or beating up other kids to get you a spot on the team. All in all I'd say playing a shooter on a team is much less violent than playing on a real world game team.




good
By BAFrayd on 4/10/2008 11:42:24 PM , Rating: 2
"But what makes me crazy is when politicians take it upon themselves to play surrogate parents. The results of that are usually disastrous. Not to mention undemocratic."

Let me also add: Unconstitutional.

The main problem with politics, in my opinion, is that we really don't need any more laws. However, every once in a while a major new issue comes along that requires some regulation, but in general, we have regulated ourselves to death in the country.
From a politician's standpoint this is not an acceptable paradigm, of course, because it cuts their egos and sociopathic tendencies out of the mix, so to speak.
I'm quite convinced that this country would be much better off if we cut our legislative sessions in half. This would constrain our "elected" officials to deal with just the important issues, and eliminate silly time and tax-payer-money-wasting legislation like video game laws.




"The whole principle [of censorship] is wrong. It's like demanding that grown men live on skim milk because the baby can't have steak." -- Robert Heinlein













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