"The Court wonders why nobody objected to the enactment of this statute. In this court's view the taxpayers deserve more from their elected officials."
We've heard some harsh criticism of video game legislation before, but this holds just a bit more weight than the others. It's not just that it was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge James Brady (represented here by the lovable [yet honorable] Judge Harry Stone). No, this criticism is special thanks to the price tag of $92,000 attached to it that the state of Louisiana must pay to cover the Electronic Software Association's legal fees. It's the latest shockwave from House Bill 1381, which would've banned the sale of "violent" video games to minors. Surprising no one, the bill at the heart of the controversy was written by fear-mongering superstar, Jack Thompson, attorney-at-lawl. Also of no surprise: It was ruled unconstitutional.
But don't get excited just yet, as bill sponsor Rep. Roy Burrell (D) says he might try again with a similar bill. Well, why wouldn't he? When a bump in your approval rating among frightened parents (read: voters) is on the line, is $92,000 in taxpayer dollars really such a high price to pay?
Reader Comments (20)
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 2:58PM (Unverified) said
Night Court....sweet. Where's Bull?
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 2:59PM (Unverified) said
I think anti-video game legislation is the only topic on which our Congress Critters are truly bi-partisan.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:01PM (Unverified) said
Dan Fielding made me the sex-craved maniac I am today. Thanks, Dan!
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:03PM Zertoss said
"is $92,000 in taxpayer dollars really such a high price to pay?"
When the taxpayers find out your just going to do the same exact thing again, that $92k will suddenly turn into a skydiving walrus approval rating.
When the taxpayers find out your just going to do the same exact thing again, that $92k will suddenly turn into a skydiving walrus approval rating.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:04PM (Unverified) said
Not me, man. Dick-girls made me into a sex crazed maniac.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:15PM (Unverified) said
Isn't the definition of insanity trying to do the same thing over and over again expecting different results.....I guess that proves most politicans are insane.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:16PM chrisgrant said
Zertoss, haha.
www.joystiq.com/media/2007/04/walrus-and-parachute.jpg
www.joystiq.com/media/2007/04/walrus-and-parachute.jpg
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:28PM werk said
Ironically, ol' Harry Stone was a Louisianian for a while. Had a magic shop in the Quarter. Up until Katrina, that is.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:23PM (Unverified) said
Jack was just on Fox news, spouting his anti-video gaming agenda again.
Fox even went so far as to call him a "school shooting specialist".
This man is a specialist for nothing, and has got to go.
Fox even went so far as to call him a "school shooting specialist".
This man is a specialist for nothing, and has got to go.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:35PM (Unverified) said
Maybe they should just start billing Thompson directly.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:35PM (Unverified) said
The honorable Judge Harold P. Stone, presiding!
Night Court represent!
Night Court represent!
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:46PM (Unverified) said
Don't tell me Fox was interviewing JT about the Virgina Tech shooting.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 3:56PM (Unverified) said
Yeah, so we got a mess in Iraq and all these fuckers waste time and taxpayer money on bills that allow parents to stop doing their jobs even more?
IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO RAISE CHILDREN!
IT IS NOT THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB TO RAISE CHILDREN!
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 4:01PM WiNGSPANTT from TopTierTacticsco said
I wonder how many of these have to fail before the novelty wears off
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 4:06PM DonaldMick said
Hudson922: They did.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/virginia-tech/breaking-idiot-thompson-blames-va-shooting-on-games-252702.php
Also Mass, this is YOUR future.
http://kotaku.com/gaming/virginia-tech/breaking-idiot-thompson-blames-va-shooting-on-games-252702.php
Also Mass, this is YOUR future.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 4:17PM (Unverified) said
First off. the VA shootings was about a girl or so I heard, unless that girl's name is DOOM? and two, I live in MA, and its run by a bunch of idiots I hope the ESA sh!ts all over them.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 4:31PM (Unverified) said
Jack Thompson never ceases to amaze me. I'm used to politians wasting taxpayer money (and, in some cases, lives) for their own polital gains. That doesn't suprise me. But Thompson ...
... How he continues to manipulate lawmakers in to passing his unconstitutional bills REPEATEDLY is amazing. Vanderbuilt must have an outstanding school of law.
I don't hate Jack Thompson. I think his heart is in the right place. I just think he's misguided ...
Jack: Give our best to Patricia.
... How he continues to manipulate lawmakers in to passing his unconstitutional bills REPEATEDLY is amazing. Vanderbuilt must have an outstanding school of law.
I don't hate Jack Thompson. I think his heart is in the right place. I just think he's misguided ...
Jack: Give our best to Patricia.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 4:31PM hotpuck6 said
Jack Thompson is a specialist on whatever he wants to be, ESPECIALLY when it's the hot topic of the moment.
High Cholesterol issue? He's a dietitian, and games made people eat too many Cheetos.
Terrorism? He's a Terror expert(but then again, that terms been used so loosely these days, anyone could) and the terrorists used video games to train.
African killer bees? you got it, he's a zoologist, and due to long exposure from the video games wireless controllers have made the bees crazed to attack everyone.
He's now playing with fire, calling a college campus a school shooting, because while it is, it's not your "13-18 year olds hopped up on hormones and hating life" situation. I'm hoping the assessment of this is SO HORRIBLY INACCURATE he finally loses his credibility to those 10 or so people in the mass media who still call him.
High Cholesterol issue? He's a dietitian, and games made people eat too many Cheetos.
Terrorism? He's a Terror expert(but then again, that terms been used so loosely these days, anyone could) and the terrorists used video games to train.
African killer bees? you got it, he's a zoologist, and due to long exposure from the video games wireless controllers have made the bees crazed to attack everyone.
He's now playing with fire, calling a college campus a school shooting, because while it is, it's not your "13-18 year olds hopped up on hormones and hating life" situation. I'm hoping the assessment of this is SO HORRIBLY INACCURATE he finally loses his credibility to those 10 or so people in the mass media who still call him.
Posted: Apr 16th 2007 5:37PM (Unverified) said
I'd like to see someone introduce legislation that fines the politician who introduced the ridiculous bill instead of (or at least in addition to) the city itself. The way things stand now, there's no real incentive for grandstanding politicians to try to score cheap points off this crap.
If it cost them $5,000 every time they tried to sponsor ridiculous, frivolous legislation like this - which is struck down over and over and over again - I'd bet they'd think twice about it.
-Geoff
http://www.alinktothefuture.com
If it cost them $5,000 every time they tried to sponsor ridiculous, frivolous legislation like this - which is struck down over and over and over again - I'd bet they'd think twice about it.
-Geoff
http://www.alinktothefuture.com
Posted: Apr 17th 2007 9:57AM (Unverified) said
So, does this mean the courts are condoning the sale of violent video games to minors?
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