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Many of you may have heard about the
recent controversy surrounding the videogame industry in California.
With videogames appealing to a much larger audience than ever
before, it should be expected that some reactionary conduct from
those opposed to the ideals of videogame production would become
headline news.
A judge recently terminated California's
Anti-Video Game Bill, AB1179, because it was unconstitutional.
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to appeal this
ruling and get the law back. The below excerpt, taken from
videogamevoters.org, is concerned primarily with acting against the
reintroduction of the law in California and, although this has
little to do with UK videogaming, may prove interesting when coupled
with the recent refusal of classification by the BBFC for Manhunt
2, on Wii and PlayStation2, in the UK.
“After Federal Judge Ronald Whyte,
declared California's Anti-Video Game Bill, AB1179, unconstitutional
as it would have regulated videogames, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger
now will appeal the ruling and wants the law back. He is completely
disregarding the Constitution, court rulings across the country, and
the ESRB's successful progress in educating parents on how to
protect their children.
Governor Schwarzenegger, who signed this
bill into law, has said, "I will vigorously defend this law and
appeal it to the next level." - It is critical that you and other
Californians write the Governor so he knows that you vigorously
oppose this law. Being an action movie star, the Governor should
understand that our videogames deserve the same first amendment
protections granted to his movies. As other states have paid over a
million dollars in court fees in defending this legislation, his
appeal will only lead to an even larger waste of taxpayer dollars,
and the governor's time.
It's time the former movie star Governor
stop his hypocritical attack on videogames. As videogamers, parents,
voters and taxpayers, we need to stop him.
Write a letter in your own words, and
tell Governor Schwarzenegger that the California government does not
need to do the work of the ESRB, it is an effective system just like
movie ratings, and instead he should focus on educating parents
about parental controls and the ESRB - and simply leave videogames
alone!" |
