Sunday, November 7, 2010

Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?

The Supreme Court is currently debating this question and trying to determine “what the drafters of the Bill of Rights would have made of an extremely violent game like Postal 2.”

In “Justices Debate Video Game Ban,” Adam Liptak writes in The Times:

 In a lively and sometimes testy Supreme Court argument on Tuesday over a law banning the sale of violent video games to minors, the justices struggled to define how the First Amendment should apply to a new medium.
… The law would impose $1,000 fines on stores that sell violent video games to people under 18. It defined violent games as those “in which the range of options available to a player includes killing, maiming, dismembering or sexually assaulting an image of a human being” in a way that is “patently offensive,” appeals to minors’ “deviant or morbid interests” and lacks “serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.”
“What’s a deviant violent video game?” asked Justice Antonin Scalia, who was the law’s most vocal opponent on Tuesday. “As opposed to what? A normal violent video game?”
“Some of the Grimm’s fairy tales are quite grim,” he added. “Are you going to ban them, too?”
Justice Stephen G. Breyer took the other side. He said common sense should allow the government to help parents protect children from games that include depictions of “gratuitous, painful, excruciating, torturing violence upon small children and women.”
What do you think about this? How violent, “deviant,” “offensive,” or “morbid” should a game have to be to make it unsuitable for people under 18? How would you draw the line? And how do you think violent video games affect young people in general? Why?

P.S. New videos at the top of the screen!  Check them out.  They are great discussion points!

(This week's blog post is courtesy of The New York Times Learning Network.)

52 comments:

  1. I think that it doesn't matter because I think you should just follow the Ratings like:
    EARLY CHILDHOOD
    Titles rated EC (Early Childhood) have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older. Contains no material that parents would find inappropriate.



    EVERYONE
    Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.



    EVERYONE 10+
    Titles rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) have content that may be suitable for ages 10 and older. Titles in this category may contain more cartoon, fantasy or mild violence, mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.



    TEEN
    Titles rated T (Teen) have content that may be suitable for ages 13 and older. Titles in this category may contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.



    MATURE
    Titles rated M (Mature) have content that may be suitable for persons ages 17 and older. Titles in this category may contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content and/or strong language.



    ADULTS ONLY
    Titles rated AO (Adults Only) have content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category may include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.



    RATING PENDING
    Titles listed as RP (Rating Pending) have been submitted to the ESRB and are awaiting final rating. (This symbol appears only in advertising prior to a game's release.)
    thse words are not mine they are from http://www.esrb.org/ratings/ratings_guide.jsp#rating_symbols.

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  2. Dear Tr. Lacey,
    I think banning and finning stores for minors under 18 is stupid. EVERY video game is violent, but are they going to fine stores for selling them too. Sure some games are to violent for under age minors, but thats the parents fault. If you get rid of video games, you should also get rid of every thing else thats violent. I think violent video games can really affect such young minds, but once again thats the parents, or older siblings fault for not taking action or responsibility. People should deffinetly keep making "cool" (violent games.) Because I think the best games are violent. I said all games are violent, but I mean the really violent games.

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  3. I think that we already have to much violence in our community. So just to add video games into our young children's lives is not stupid. But i can understand the point of view that Daniel has. I don't mind teenagers but when they are in like 2nd grade and playing these games daily, that is letting too much violence into their young mindsIt affects them because then they will grow up "practicing" violence. I agree with what Ryan said, just follow the ratings. Yes but then what if you have a younger sibling that watches you play? That is also giving them the idea that violence is ok. But the rule that they are making that is just a little stupid because if a parent of a minor(child under 18) comes in and buys a video game that is really violent then they can just take it home and give it to the minor to play. That is what I think about violent video games.

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  4. personally i think that video games rot the brain and give people stupid ideas. for example my little brother was talking to his freind about game cheats on grant theft auto and he said that he had figured out a new way to sexually asult anyone,and my little brother found it funny. it was a bad influence on my younger brother and could've given him worse ideas than just thinking it was humorus. also i found quite funny actually that a person put in the debate well th grimm tales are quite grimm. are you going to band them to? he grimm tales was reasearch and trut of stories that were told in midevil times and the grimm brothers had reaserched all about these kinds of tails. also these were told and written and read. and i heard a quote from tr. lacey ell i and it was resited her and said by albert einstein ( ever heard of him?) if you want you want your children to be smart read them fairy tails if you want them to be smarter read more fairy tails. and what does a violent video game do? does it increas your vocabulary? does it increas your knoledge on anyhting important whatsoever/ and no smart allek commnents please. grant theft auto litterally makes you dumber. but banning violent video games from minors wont so anyhting. can kids under 18 get alchohal? can they get there hands on illegal drugs? a yes. yes they can. so i understand that its an attempt to be responssible but it wot do anything but ake our irresponsible brethren angry.

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  5. Dear Tr.Lacey
    I think they should sell video games to teenagers because they are older and more mature than younger children, but I also think that they should sell the really bad violent video games to people 18 or older because some people might think that this child shouldn't be playing this game because its very inappropriate and it can also give them bad ideas.

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  6. I think youshould be able to show your child what you want. I think as the parent it's your decision. I think for them to do something like that it should have to be something that shows you or allow you to violitently heart someone and or violate them and i think they should draw the line where it becomes something that looks or seams real.When you are yough you don't always know when to draw the line so when you are playin a video game it might not always come naturaly that it might not always be a good idea to do in real life. So some kids might think thatit's a good idea since they saw it on a video game it might be a good idea to do so they go out and do it and end up getting in trouble and or hurting themselves or someone else.

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  7. I have two opinions about this debate.

    First, I do not see the problem with playing a violent video game. It is not like you are really killing/hurting anyone while playing the game. I could see if everything in the game was really happening, but it is not.

    Second, I know that most T (for teen) video games have violence in them, and I think that at least one E/E+10 (for everyone/everyone ten and up) game has some sort of violence. If stores stop selling violent video games to kids then they will have limited, boring games. That is why I think about this debate

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  8. I think violent video games should only be played by minors that are mature, and know the game is not real. Many people think it's O.K. to go out and do something bad after playing the game, and I don't think that's right. Parents should be more aware of this, and if they are, they should do something about it. Minors are still young, and graphic images can influence their mind at their early age, and change the way they think when they're older. Also, I don't agree with Soledad when she said: "Grand Theft Auto literally makes you dumber," I think it's impossible to make one dumber (unless you abuse drugs, alchohol, etc.) by playing violent video games; I think it actually makes you "smarter" (not more intelligent) of things you're probably not supposed to know when you're a minor. Examples: sexual assault, graphic images of people being shot with a virtual gun.
    I bet a lot of people would think it's funny to see how somebody in a video game would get shot repetitively, and would think the same in real life - so, what would they do? Well, they would go out and try it in the real world. Although, this may not be true in all cases, it can happen.
    So, I stand true to my case, Minors should not be aloud to play violent video games unless proved mature.

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  9. Dontae said

    if you have a little sister or brother hide the games so they cant see anything violent and i think you should play the games if you are mature

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  10. I think this is right because no a days you see violence on the street and then you put that violence in a game and expect little kids to play it. They're going to think its ok to do those things and start violence. Yes it they should make a game rated 18 and over because like I said if little kids see the violence they will grow up thinking that thats ok and create more violence elsewhere. I would draw the line by every game that has guns or killing in it is over 18 only. I think it influences young people to think violence is ok because they think games are ok in real life. So i do agree that violence in games should be over 18 year old.

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  11. that was jeffer who posted up there ok.

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  12. Dear Tr.Lacey,
    Well it's just my opinon but I think that videco games that are morbid and or any other thing that they are saying things shouldnt be on a video its apropraite for young children because when they get older the might think that these games are what real life peop;e do in this situation and might lead to other violent behavior and to draw the line there should be a law stating that children under 16 shouldnt be able to play these kinds of games

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  13. Dear Tr.Lacey,
    I really do not like video games at all. Because they take away time from your education.But games like "Grand Theft Auto" is a very violent game and should only be played by people 18 years of age or older. But for children under that age maybe something like "Mario" or something like that. Especially now a days children are playing video games about sex, drugs, guns, killing people, etc...; and that's probably another reason there is so much violence in Philadelphia and other places around the world, because children see things at young age and they begin to think it is okay for them to do those kind of things. A lot of video games that children play can be offensive to a certain religion, a certain sex, or age.

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  14. kadija sierra koita smiley aka dijaNovember 9, 2010 at 9:55 AM

    Dear Tr.Lacey,I think that it shouldn`t have profanaty or things that involve things without saying viewer discretion is advised. Also you should not band the store because all they`re trying to do is get the money the buyer should be awre of what they are doing and not omly have shown i.d. for the buyer but a different type of signature for those types of games. The line that shouldn`t be crossed is the amount of sexual assult that you should put in a game and the amount of lesson that should be inside the game determining on the amount of descretion. It really should`nt be the store who should be getting into trouble it should be the manufactuers.They affect other people because they can put this sense of earge to yearn and be like the people they once saw on the tv screen that they thinks ok. Like a little 5 year old can be like "hey,let`s go rob some body and cut them with a pen buddy!" and they would think that would be ok with everybody. The parents would say oh there just playing when they`re actually downstairs finding a way to steal their teachers favorite stack of toys. They can put this disease in their mind either in a child`s mind or a teenager.
    sinceraly,kadija koita

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  15. What I think about this that I agree with the supreme court b/c I think gamer employees should not let the kids by a mature game even if their parents are there.It should be 17&up.I think it should be very very violent,deivant,& offensive to be unsuitable for people under 18.I would draw the line by putting camras on the table that they give games to.Violent kids will start thinking that all that's happing in the game is real & they will do it in the real world.

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  16. Dear teacher lacey I agree with the supreme cort because employess should not let even let kids buy gamesin that nature.Because games now adays are so violant kids should not even be hearung about htese types of games.I thik that only kids 18& up should be able to purchace these types of viedo games.these types of games will inflounce kids to do that type of stuff in real life

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  17. I would agree with the supreme court. Video game stores should not be able to sell violint video games to kids under 18 yrs of age. It's not very smart. A game can change a whole persons perspective of life in one click. For example,change of behavior, bad grades and negative inpact.

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  18. Dear Tr Lacey,
    I agree with the supreme court thought that they should not sell violent vidoes because cildren do what they see their parents and other people they look up to do and they want to be like them but. I dont just think its the game it comon sence in vidoe games you no you cant jump off a 7 story buildingin real life so you should now you cant go around shooting people like you are crazy. Also parents also have a part in this if they let their kids play that type of games.

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  19. i agree with dillion point of veiw because children under 18 shouldn't have to see such violents videos. I also think that children shouldn't play them kind of games because children might grow up to be a bad person. But then again i think its okay if children 13 and up should play violent vidoes because they understand not to do that in the real life.Thats why i think children under 18 should play them type of games.

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  20. Dear Tr. Lacey

    I think that it really dosent matter because if you tell children that these games are only animated they won't believe they are real and wont take thegames in a serious way where they think they can do these things in real life.....

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  21. Dear:Tr Lacey
    I think violent video games can Actually help children’s frustration because they play the game so much their anger becomes happiness because they either got to a high level or finished the game.Like you no it’s better than coming to school angry and taking your anger out on people and your teachers.

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  22. Dr.Tr.Lacey
    I think minors shouldn't be able to but violent video games because it might cause them to bad things later on in life. I think that everything shouldn't always be how old you are but the level of maturity that the person has. Sometimes kids follow what other kids are doing. I don't think its any point in making the rule because for real like all they gotta do is get their parents to buy the violent video game for them and here they are playing the game. So I really think that nothing can stop minors from playing violent video games.

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  23. I think if a parent wants to buy their child a violent video game, then let them. It's up to the parents what kind/ levels of violence they want their child to handle. It shouldn't be the store's decision...

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  24. i think they doing to much drama.the people that sells the violent game should sell it to the ratings. they should ask how old are they or the child if there over 18 they should sell it to them. they violent game to them. one time i went to buy a game that had violent .they asked how old iam . i said "12 ser". he said iams sorry u to young.so i think they sould selled it to mature looking people

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  25. Honestly, I think that just about every video game is violent. What? Are you going to ban MarioKart just because they bomb each other? or Pacman because those weird ghost-things are chasing after you trying to kill you? In my opinion, people are being too dramatic about this. Like Gabe said, it should be up to the parents what video games their kids play, not the store's. The point of games? They're supposed to be FUN. Not monitored by stores. ESPECIALLY the stores shouldn't be telling you what to play and what not to. Some kids are more mature than others. Age has absolutely nothing to do with this.

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  26. Personally I think that video games are fun. They are not supposed to be absolutely boring like doing homework every night. They have to have something ok, or bad. Stores should not be fined for selling them they do not moniter what we like to play they just want the business. If they do the fine for selling the video games it will be very bad because, I bet there will be a lot of protests from workers for loosing money and from kids for not getting the new and cool video games that come out. I agree with the kids that said the parents decide because they can either let there child me succeful or a failure, thats up to them. There are alot of bad video games but a games have that kick in them. They are not just going to stop sonic tennis because they hit hard or barbie games because there is a kiss at the end. They should not stop the grimms because there tales are what tales are supposed to have, a bad part and then hopefully a good part at the end. Justice Stephen G. Breyer is right in a way but what about the games that the kids still have at home they can still play them, you are not going to go in somebodys house and ask if your children are old enough for the game. I think that everything should stay the same and let the parents mess up the kids lives. I am on the keep the games the same side.

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  27. Dear Tr. Lacey,
    I have to say I think that banning violent videos for kids under 18 is very wrong. To tell you the truth even kids who aren't violent even play 1 violent video game every now and then. If you ban it it will just make more problems. Most video games stores deppend on kids to buy there games. If they ban it parents will have to buy the games for the kids, and knowing parents they will not buy a violent video game for there kids. Think about it every video game is violent in a small or big way On top of that Grimms fairy tales are violent so you're going to ban books to from kids just because they're a little violent.
    I have to say to much video games can mess up your brain. For example my little cousin he was always playing a video game and he was always talking about the stuff he did. He would do his homework to fast to play games some more then he would get alot of the questions wrong. with me I have to say banning violent video games is a very stupid rule

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  28. Dear Tr. Lacey
    I think that stores should not let children under 18 buy viedo game out of there rating. I think that because they will hurt themselves trying to be like the people in the games. Children have people that buy these games for them without looking at the rating.But what are ratings for? Even games for 10-year-olds have mild violence and mild laungage. Also i think that 1,000 dollars is a bit much to charge for selling a video game. People all over the world buy video games so that won't really change any thing.How are they even going to catch these people selling these games? So what they going to do watch people sell video games all day? I just think that this is just a phase and soon they will look for something new to try to band.

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  29. I personally think that its up to the parents if they want to buy video games that are violent for there child as long as the child is mature and wont go out and do what they saw on the video game .(stupid things)

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  30. I don't agree because in the viedo games. When you kill someone its not like you're really killing someone some one in real life.Besides if you're parents buy it for you and you did'nt ask them to then it's really nothing you can do.I only disagree if it is very violent and rated "m" for mature.Also I think if the parents buy it for you then its up to you whether you do what you saw or not.

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  31. I think violent video games for children not that good, because something that I know is children are easily influenced by what they see. so, anything they saw was interesting. And at the end they imitate what they see. Because they do not understand anything, they are not thinking about the adverse effect of the video games they have seen. But if the parents have been taught to not be affected and told what would happen if they emulate these scenes, and they can understand all that, I think it is fine, and I think as long as they do not often play the game and as long as their parents can supervise their children, I think it's even better.

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  32. I think they should but then they shouldn't because if we could we would just be buying games randomly. If we couldn't like we already can't we would be asking parents to buy us it.

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  33. I think it depeands. If you think that sex and vilance is like those videogames in a good way thats wrong and not the real world. But if you know that is not real and it's not good for you your fine.It's got to have blood out of the persons guts and blood on the walls.The vilance in are country is so over the top it does not realy matter.The real problem is that they find new ways to make it more viloant.If you play the games on a school night and your playing it for like 4 hours. And if you throw something just because you lost a level.It makes the young kids confoused. Because when kids are 9 or 10 they will belive anything that they think is cool. They beleve that the vilance is good and the sex is what it's like when their older. Thats what I think on vilant video games.

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  34. Dear tr lacey i think thtat violent video games should not be permitted for anyone beacuse it sets a bad influence for anybody in america but why would they make violent video games and children cant play them and or know thtat children will play them why is it a problem now and wasnt a problem then and theese people decided to make them and i would like to push back on a little about what jonae said if your angry you shouldnt use more violence to get rid of that anger wouldnt it just make you more angry? why cant you just think about positive games instead of negative maybe thats whats causing all the poverty and violence in our world and thats my opinion

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  35. i am anonymous asiah but i dont know why it saved as anonymous

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  36. Dear Tr.Lacey,

    I think it matters if the game store sell violent games to minors.But the kids are might going to get the violent games if their parent approves it .I think that it is weird that now they decide to fine game stores for selling mature games to minors.Even if you don't buy the game but your parent buy the game for you they can't do anything about that.A lot of people say that violent video games can be bad for kids and set bad examples and actions and i agree.

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  37. I think its a good idea to do this because kids might start to act out things that they see on video games.I think games should be not that violent but if it is violent,the stores shouldn't let kids buy them with out a parent and if a parent approves of it.I would draw the line if it had a lot of cursing in it and if it had gangs in it because some kids might influence that and become that.I think violent video games affect young people in general because it effects what kids believe in and they might think its cool and might start to try what they see in video games

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  38. Dear Tr.Lacy,
    I think the law should be in forced. I think some video games are too violent. For example the game like "Modern War Fair" is a game with a lot of guns and blood. In the game you have to kill people and beat them to death.There is also a game call "Grand def auto"where you have beat,shoot and kill people.Some games are way too violent, therefore that would be a reasonable law.

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  39. Dear Tr.Lacey,
    I think its wrong for kids to play games that are too,too violent.Thats why you must have a adult with you to make sure from the guardian's permission to buy & play the game.Plus you can't Fined the stores that are selling violent games to kids,Its their job to sell items.Thats why they hav ratings on them so the guardian can read the print on the back.Duhh!!

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  40. I think it is ok b/c kids will see things on video games and they would hear things and do it and say it real life.And i dont think it is a good idea b/c we seem to injoy playing these game and they do keep us satisfied.I think the game would have to be over the top violent for them to make that law.No b/c i like those type of game and i injoy them and lots of us do.
    They affect them by making them become somthing like drug dealer or something when they get older. I do think kids do play those games too much b/c as soon as they get home the first thing they do is play those type of games.



    FROM:D0NT@

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  41. dear tr.lacey,
    I would like to agree with kadija;because people our age like to copy or try to act the way that characters in the games.Younger kids may think that killig people,and other violent things are ool,funny etc.;but its really not.We alreaady got enough problems in the world.
    The violence of the game should depend on the age of the person.Its kinda like the age of a person that can drink,also all grown ups should know what their kids are watching and playing so tha problems like his wont happen.

    I would draw the line at the age 13 because y that time your old enough to responceable for your actions and should know etter than anyboddy really from right from wrong,noo matter what.I think it cause more violence in the commumnity and starts more crimes by eve youner childern also even moren are beging killed.

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  42. Dear Tr. Lacey,
    Personally, I am not one for gory video games. But I do enjoy Grimm’s fairy tales very much. And they are very violent. So if people want to outlaw violent video games, then they’ll have to outlaw Grimm’s as well.
    Also, the law is hard to control because kids will find a way to get the violent video games if they really want them.
    My older brother has a lot of violent video games and when I watch him play them, I encourage him not to kill people but he doesn't listen. But my point is, he just got into a good high school and gets good grades and his NOT dumb. Nor does he try to kill people in real life. All that is to say, although video games can be bad encouragement and a waste of time, they shouldn’t be against the law.

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  43. Dear tr. Lacey

    I think banning voilent video games is wrong because thats how some people escape from the world and let off some steam.I would draw the line at the age of 13. I think all the violence starts in neighborhoods first. I think the games have nothing to do with it. I know people that get excellent grades in high school and stay out of trouble that Have violent games. All in all they should not be banned.

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  44. i think is ok to be sealing violent games to kids under 18,kids like violent games because is better then the golf or cars game they dont wanna hear tiga goods saying i made it nooo,they wanna see how they kill the person ,they wanna hear the shot and they dont wanna play boring games they like action games!!
    but the adam liptak doesnt wanna stores to seale violent games because is givin to the kids to much imformation about the real life,because is showing to the kids stuff thats happenig this days.(ADAM you just jelous because when you were joung you didint have video games)but stop trying to cover the real life,sto tryinng to stop the events that are happening

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  45. Dear Tr.Lacey,
    I think that a violent video game is sometimes ok, because people may get bored with games thet are not really action packed, i dont think the band is right. I think a game a game has to be extremly violent for it not to be sold for people under 18. Games are ment to be fun and people "don't want long and slow, we want short and fast." I would draw the line at all the killing and all the sex,drugs, and cursing that vidoe games have. The way these video games are today is not to good but very fun. Games are affecting young people i a very bad manner, people are doing what they see in the games and think it is ok and it is not. Some people see video games as vurtual life and they want it to be reality. but all that is in video games is not ok.

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  46. dear tr.lacey
    my opione about the deabate about kids under 18 should not be able to play R rated games is stupid. the reason why i think it is stipid b/c if it the goveroment say it is not opropit for kids to play games that have fighting, violinces,sexially content, and other things that you think it is not good then why are thier football, soccer, ufc, and other games allowd. i mean like football has injurys in real life mostly ever single game. UFC has no type of sex content either, and ever single game alive has killing in it like the nices things like morio he kills anmials.
    by sied ali-young

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  47. Dear Tr. Lacey

    I think the parent should decide what thier child can play. If a child's parent goes to the store and gets them a game, that's their choice. But I don't think a child should be able to get a game that's unfit for them by theirself. A child should be able to get a game with the appropriate rating.

    For a video game to be unsuitable for people under eighteen years old the game would have to be VERY unappropriate and maybe have alot of drug use.

    I think certain video games affect young people by them doing what the game does and they might also get adicted to games and never want to get off. Not wanting to get off the game might start trouble in their family and it will affect their school work.

    From,
    Aaliyah Henry

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  48. i think kid should be able to play violent video games because you cant stop stores from selling violent video games to miners or can you but i think it should not be band from selling violent games to kids

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  49. Dear Tr. Lacey,

    I don't think it's really a big deal but certain games matter little minors could think that it's okay to shoot people or say i'm going to kill you.EXAMPLE: my little cousin is 4 yrs. old and he told me he was going to shooy me and thats why i think certain games should not be aloud.

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  50. Dear Tr. Lacey,

    I think that video games should not be valid to kids under the age of 18 because then the violence that is on a game console slowly goes inside there mind and they think it will be okay to use violence for reliving there anger. It will only cause a bigger population for violence in the world. And plus violence video games keep you in the whole day because you try to finish the missions that they have when children that our around our age or younger should either be playing sports, or just having fresh air.

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  51. No, if the video game has that M for Mature marking then the kid should have to be with an older friend or parent to buy the game. This is because of the blood, shooting and cursing. I like the T for Teen games like Wrestling games and wild journey games.

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  52. FYI Postal 2 (Portal 2) was not violent in any sense. There was no blood in portal 2 as opposed to portal 1.

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