I know its hard but maybe mom and dad are the answer here not uncle sam I couldn't agree more! The only regulation there should be is the classificaion system that will guide parents as to what is suitable. I do not subscribe to the view that violent games turns normal well balanced people into violent crimminals. Amen on both counts! A simple rating system that not only makes sense, but makes it easy for us as parents to decide at a glance if something is appropriate, or not, for our children. You know, when I think about growing up in the 60's and 70's....my friends and I used to play "cowboys and indians" and "war" and any number of other "violent" games that usually included us using pretend guns. I am happy to report that not a single one of my friends, nor myself, has every committed murder, or been involved in a crime involving a gun. Imagine that...........

0

"Imagine that..........." Yeah, think most of us are on the same page here and I'm gonna stir the pot. Parents have the duty of explaining there is no god mode in real life; no chance to restart the level in real life. Because an attorney thinks to use violent video games to excuse violence on the street, we need laws to limit violence in video games? That include PacMan or will it be limited to PacMan with blood? Good Gawd! I remember relatives and friends talking to us kids about their combat experiences in WWII and Korea. Some of those stories would curdle the blood of any psychopath; but, it was made clear that no one was at war in a small California town. We were taught what kind of conduct was right and what was wrong; reward and punishment was dispensed accordingly. Parenting is already regulated to death...bust your kids' ass in 2009 and ya stand a real good chance of going to jail. I've seen many youngsters come to work with a cell stuck in one ear and an ipod in the other. If it's an office job, their first official act is to jump on MySpace. If the job requires labor or the ability to follow instructions, the first official act is a blank stare. Are parents not teaching or disciplining just because it's too much trouble? Is it easier to "stick head in sand" and just hope for the best? Are parents actually afraid of their kids? What's really going on in homes with school age kids? I'm 60, my son is 29 and obviously I have more questions than answers. Skip

0

i start my blame with dr.spock for the late 60s and early 70s WinXp Amd 64 3000 Msi Neo2 Platinuim 1 gig ddr 400. When we cast a pebble into a pond we should look past the first ripple.

0

I blame a lot of people. The parents, the government. At one time not all that long ago, and I am sure in some areas it still goes on, having children was a business move thanks to welfare. I knew many kids growing up who honestly were only borm because mommy got more money each month for each kid. Here they have stopped that to some extent. I am betting that easily 90% of these kids are now in our prisons. So we paid for them to be born, raised, fed, now housed and eventually burried. A great deal of these kids did not have video games to play so why did they turn bad? As for the gestapo busting through my door because I let some brat from down the street play grand theft auto with my kids and mommy and daddy didn't like it they can all get a life at the end of the barrele of my remington. Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

0

At some point there has to be a revolution in this country against the politically correct crap. Kids don't just go from being a great student to being a gang banger on the streets. I got a leather belt across my butt many times growing up because I screwed up. Now I abide by the laws,well most of them, this p.c. stuff, I didn't get a chance to vote for it so they can keep it. Do I beat my kids? That's a matter of opinion. Are my kids, now mostly grown, out breaking windows, robbing, murdering? NO!!!! My kids all played these games and still do. I guess the games raised my kids right. Since I can't be blamed if they didn't it would be the fault of the games or t.v.. Hey if I kill a few while robbing a bank can I say it was due to Atari, the economy, and Spiderman and that I am really a good person? Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

0

Sorry as you may have noticed this is one of those topics that really gets me ticked off. Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

0

Giving additional authority to government is never advisable. There are compelling arguments that spanking or beating children can contribute to ongoing cycles of violence. Just because it happened to me or you, doesn't make it right. Not too long ago it was OK for husbands to beat their wives. And a little further back in history it was ok for your liege lord to decide to execute you if you displeased him. But those are actually different issues. On the other hand, I don't believe that violent video games will turn kids into sociopaths anymore than Marilyn Manson's music or violent movies will. You are or you aren't. When my son was small, we didn't let him play with toy guns... he was maybe 3 when we took him to Lion King and he managed to get through the trauma by shooting those evil hyenas with his finger. The best things parents can do is be involved and accessible while instilling values. Having a rating on video games can give parents (or grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins) an opportunity to assess the suitability for their children. It is especially helpful for non-gamers. All children are not created equal. But then neither are all parents. I have known some fine parents who were forced to use welfare. And I've known some frightening parents who never had to resort to it. Quite often it is the low or no income families who instill values in their children. If nothing else their children are usually capable of empathy. The existence of two parents doesn't guarantee anyone is paying attention, any more than wealth makes children feel loved. In todays' world, both parents mostly have to work full time, and even then many can't even afford to buy a house. Single parents have a hellacious time of it. Mostly parents are doing their best. Instead of judging in ignorance lend a hand.

0

I was not suggesting that welfare was to blame nor was I suggesting that all those on welfare are bad people. Just that it too is a flawed system taken advantage of. I myself have embarressingly been on foodstamps twice since getting married and having kids. To me it was motivational for me to find work again. It is not that way for all. I don't see anyone with an income lesser than mine as beneath me or as a lesser person. Besides you can't get much lower than me on the income level. Your income level does not determine what type of person you are what you do with it does. As for spanking a child contributing to violence that may be true but a stubborn child standing in a corner has learned nothing in my opinion. I am not suggesting that beating a child is the answer to everything. Like everything else the punishment should fit the crime. There were many things my father sat me down and talked with me about and I understood. There were also many things he took the belt to my butt for and I understood and knew I deserved it. There has to be a balance to it. Trust me when your nine year old attempts to set fire to the neighbors cat giving him a time out is not going to make him think about not doing it again after the friends that conned him into it got such a laugh and made him feel so cool about it. I have no problems with ratings on games. The idea that these games must be changed or toned down is just someone trying to force their opinion on someone else. That I have a problem with. The only reason this could have ever become an issue in the first place is due to a lack of parenting. I know how hard it is I have four. I have been form no job to three jobs while trying to raise these kids. Between the ages of eight and fifteen was the worst for all of mine and still I have none in jail. I doubt any of them will be president some day but I doubt they will be murderers either and they play these games. Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

0

lothlaurien, I couldn't agree with you more ... very succinct & pertinent. While parents may not have the ability to explicitly determine what their kids turn out to be as adults, it is generally understood -- on the other hand -- that most parents/guardians/custodians possess the cunning ability to determine what they don't end up becoming. Unfortunately, we live in a society where it's customary to blame something; somebody or some group in order to exonerate ourselves, that way, we don't have to look at ourselves to see what & how we contribute to the problems that we're routinely so concerned about. Jabbering Idiots: Everywhere You Look!

0

Sabertooth: It's not often that I am called succinct. Cool. :) Likely: I hear you. Most of us were spanked as children, and since we turned out OK we assume that its OK. We all want to do our best for our kids. This is what convinced me to rethink it... If someone were to spank me, I would not take it as an act of love, I'd take it as an assault and I'd call the cops. Hitting people isn't acceptable anywhere else in our society (except perhaps in hockey) but we are allowed and sometimes even encouraged to hit children... specifically the children that we love and are charged with protecting? Doesn't seem logical. People think that the only way of correcting a child who is behaving inappropriately without spanking is with a time out. Not so. Logical consequences was our mantra. If my kid steals something the logical consequence is returning it and apologizing. Much tougher than a mere spanking. In his autobiography Stephen Fry says spanking was his preferred punishment when he was a kid because it left him feeling he'd paid his debt to society... he felt free to go forth and sin some more. I could keep going but I suspect this isn't the place.

0

lothlaurien I do agree to a point. Hitting is not right. However I have noticed or at least it seems to me that some times something drastic has to be done otherwise the child views it as he has gotten away with it. For me there just has to be a place where a line is drawn. This seems to be in the mid teenage years especially for boys. When my fifteen year old son tells me he is not accepting the punishment I laid out for him, he "borrowed" a friends cell phone and ran the bill up, I simply looked for ways for him to pay the bill. Thought it was fitting. We almost came to blows when he informed me that his friend said he could use it so it wasn't his problem. His friends parents, the ones paying the bill, didn't see it that way. It was the last time he got spanked but he cut lawns and paid the bill. He is now twenty two very respectful of others and not at all violent. He has out grown the need to challange authority that I am sure we have all gone through I know I did. I am not a violent person at least I don't think so. Maybe I just have not expressed myself right to them and had to resort to physical punishment to make up for it. I don't know. Just seems like it works if done right. If I tell an employee I am supervising to do something and they refuse I fire them I can not fire my son. Ok now I am so far off topic......... Violence in video games? Millions of us have played these games and not been taught to perform gang violence on others or to muder one another. Ofcourse that, in my opinion, is because we had parents that were involved in our lives growing up. They taught us not the games or the boob tube. Regardless of how we were rewarded and punished and loved and cared for. I can't tell you how many hours I have playing Grand Theft Auto, but I have never beaten a hooker or taken a shot at a police officer. I guess I am the odd one and must have missed something in the game? Likely Practice makes perfect but only if you practice perfectly!

0