Quantcast
Published On: Tue, Jun 28th, 2016

Supreme Court struck down ban on violent video games five years ago

It was five years ago when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a ban on violent video games, citing the protections of free speech with Justice Scalia shocking conservatives by siding with the liberal leaning judges.

The American Psychological Association concluded in 2015 that while there was “no single risk factor” to blame for aggression, violent video games did contribute to aggressive behavior.

“The research demonstrates a consistent relation between violent video game use and increases in aggressive behavior, aggressive cognitions and aggressive affect, and decreases in pro-social behavior, empathy and sensitivity to aggression,” said the report.

screenshot from Call of Duty Ghosts

screenshot from Call of Duty Ghosts

“It is the accumulation of risk factors that tends to lead to aggressive or violent behavior. The research reviewed here demonstrates that violent video game use is one such risk factor.”

Some don’t agree, visit Violence and Video Game website – HERE


There is a Constitution and while California doesn’t care and would love to control the lives of all Americans, the Supreme Court just passed another winning verdict based on that sacred document.

Sure, I’m a Conservative parent and I don’t want my kids playing, let alone owning, most video games on the market – but HEY PARENTS: that’s my responsibility to monitor and control.

More legislature and government intervention won’t do anything expect elevate prices, create a “black market” and escalate eBay sales.

San Francisco wants to ban pet sales, regulate milk and happy meals – guess what California: you DON’T know what is right for everyone.

Sure, I’ll hear my friend throw Prop 8 in my face. My opinions are readily published here on DOB, so review them: whether I agree with the vote or not: follow the Constitution. You lost Prop 8, fair and square. Finding ONE JUDGE to overturn hundreds of thousands of voters IS NOT the correct way to get gay marriage passed.

Put it on the ballot again.

Thanks again Supreme Court, I don’t usually agree with them, viewing them as having political bias as well, but this time they did follow the Constitution.

California: you are more concerned about parental permission on video games yet oppose parental consent on abortion – get your priorities straight.

Read from the video game story below (Washington Post):

Video games deserve the same constitutional protections as books and movies, the Supreme Court ruled Monday in striking down as unconstitutional California’s attempt to ban the sale of violent games to minors.

In a 7 to 2 vote, the court upheld a lower court’s decision that California’s law imposing a $1,000 fine on those who sell or rent violent video games to minors violated free-speech rights…

Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that “like the protected books, plays and movies that preceded them, video games communicate ideas — and even social messages” that are guarded by the First Amendment.

He continued: “No doubt a state possesses legitimate power to protect children from harm, but that does not include a free-floating power to restrict the ideas to which children may be exposed.”

He was joined by Justices Anthony M. Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

Justices Clarence Thomas and Stephen G. Breyer dissented for separate reasons.

Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. and Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. agreed with the outcome of the case but did not join Scalia’s opinion.

Alito and Roberts concluded that “California’s law is not framed with the precision that the Constitution demands.” Although the majority did not invite a rewrite of the law, Alito said he would not “squelch legislative efforts” to come up with a law that is less vague.

Alito and Roberts said the court was too sanguine about the effects of video games, which, in Alito’s words, “may be very different from anything we have seen before.”

He described games in which players can reenact the killings at Columbine High School and Virginia Tech; in which the goal is raping Native American women or killing ethnic and religious minorities; in which new technology may allow a player to “actually feel the splatting blood from the blown-off head” of a victim.

Scalia was unmoved. “Justice Alito recounts all these disgusting video games in order to disgust us — but disgust is not a valid basis for restricting expression,” Scalia wrote.

 

kid pointing handgun photo/ Michael Jarmoluk via pixabay.com

kid pointing handgun photo/ Michael Jarmoluk via pixabay.com


STATE OF THE NATION – ABOUT THE AUTHOR

State of the Naton banner from Crazed Fanboy

The “State of the Nation” column by Brandon Jones began on a website called Crazed Fanboy to discuss topics that the regular media were not reporting or barely discussed. While there was a strong political tone, there were no limits to topics or arenas discussed.

As the relationship with Crazed Fanboy deteriorated, the partnership between Robert Herriman (author “Insights”) and the Brian strengthen to form the current “Desk of Brian”.

Just as we have John Does or Average Joes, we created the “Regular Guy” approach to sorting through the news, adding our own commentary and opinions, fused with contributors from all over the globe.

Read past articles of “State of the Nation” by Brandon Jones click here

(SOTN banner created by Nolan B. Canova)

On the DISPATCH: Headlines  Local  Opinion

Subscribe to Weekly Newsletter

* indicates required
/ ( mm / dd ) [ALL INFO CONFIDENTIAL]

About the Author

- Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON

Leave a comment

XHTML: You can use these html tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

like_us_on_facebook

 

The Global Dispatch Facebook page- click here

Movie News Facebook page - click here

Television News Facebook page - click here

Weird News Facebook page - click here 

DISPATCH RADIO

dispatch_radio

THE BRANDON JONES SHOW

brandon_jones_show-logo

Archives