Stupid Missouri Bill Aims To Tax Violent Video Games Like ‘The Sims 3′

[skrump]

Video games are not the reason for violent children and Guns are just the weapon already violent children choose to use.

The blame for these killers should be placed on their parents and the society that forged them.

I remember being in school and the only thing that stood between me selectively shooting a bunch of bastards who took joy in making my life shit was the fact that I was unwilling to end my own life.

People should be asking why are these teenage gunmen willing to sacrifice their own lives after killing others "as it's the true source of the problem"

If I had to guess I would suggest that the majority of these mass shooters would consider themselves martyrs that are doing us a favor by killing people they believe to be nothing more than a negative impact to society because those people had a negative impact on the shooters life.

Hell even at the age of 30 the only thing keeping me from killing those I declare as unpleasant assholes is that I couldn't bring myself to commit suicide to avoid incarceration, however when someone is belittled to the point of being suicidal all bets are off.

[unholytestament]

Its not really that big of a deal.

What's not a big deal? Taxes on a large number of products for vague reasons? Justified by a concept that, despite extensive study, has not been proven?

I don't think it has a chance in Hell of passing, but if it did it would be a big fucking deal.

[Bryntrollian]

What's not a big deal? Taxes on a large number of products for vague reasons? Justified by a concept that, despite extensive study, has not been proven?

I don't think it has a chance in Hell of passing, but if it did it would be a big fucking deal.

Honestly,I hope it does...

[unholytestament]

Honestly,I hope it does...

So are you just being contrary for fun or are you actually going to post some justification?

[An-Tuirseach]

as far as i can remember back when columbine happened no one blamed video games.. instead they blamed Marilyn Manson... no one wanted to increase the tax on music. idk this world is a mess right now. i think most of the problems would go away if social networking did. too many people have "voices" and "expert opinions" now and just keeps fueling the flames

Guns, music, video games, the list goes on. We as a people can't stomach the thought that the issue is ourselves and our lack of mental health care for citizens who truly have issues. Until the people and the politicians start talking about how all these individuals are mentall unbalanced/batshit crazy, all other discussions are moot.

Society always needs a scapegoat. People involved in the person's life don't want to take responsibility, so they'll try to act like it was some outside influence. The media just loves picking whatever will get them the most ratings, and people are ignorant enough to believe that video games are the current major cause of any and all violent behavior. Eventually, once video games stop being "the big thing", they'll start blaming something else. That's just how it is.

What's not a big deal? Taxes on a large number of products for vague reasons? Justified by a concept that, despite extensive study, has not been proven?

I don't think it has a chance in Hell of passing, but if it did it would be a big fucking deal.

I don't think it will pass either. Video games are an art form as defined by the supreme court, and if they do try to pass it, anyone can take it to the supreme court and it will be overturned by their previous judgment from back when California tried to pull their shit.

[Deleted]

I think that people will always need a scapegoat to cover up their own shortcomings. if you give me any cultural item and a few hours, I could probably find someone who died because of it.

[Violent]

Oh wow.. How stupid.. I've played some pretty violent video games, 'The Sims 3' & 'Tropico 4' Are not violent, I mean compared to something like Call of Duty? Compared to CoD The Sims 3 is a little-kid game. Same goes for Tropico 4. Which I currently play all 3 of said games.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 04:57 PM ----------

I think that people will always need a scapegoat to cover up their own shortcomings. if you give me any cultural item and a few hours, I could probably find someone who died because of it.

Right.. People love to blame everyone/everything but themselves.

And 9 & 1/2 times out of 10.. You are to blame, for you going to a public place and start shooting it up.

[Biggayshammy]

I wonder what the next form of entertainment to blame gun violence on will be in the next decade. Football? Somehow I'm sure watching that violence every Sunday is programming our children to be mass murderers.

Be warned, don't let them watch the Super Bowl. You might regret it in 5-10 years.

as soon as there is shooting related to the super bowl there will be a ban on it lol

[Deleted]

Oh wow.. How stupid.. I've played some pretty violent video games, 'The Sims 3' & 'Tropico 4' Are not violent, I mean compared to something like Call of Duty? Compared to CoD The Sims 3 is a little-kid game. Same goes for Tropico 4. Which I currently play all 3 of said games.

comparing the Sims 3 to CoD is like comparing Mrs Doubtfire to Dirty Harry.

of course, if miss lawmaker has ever been on Xbox live chat, that would be a valid reason for her to think this way. Even a rowdy sailor would blush from what he would hear there.

[Deleted]

as soon as there is shooting related to the super bowl there will be a ban on it lol

no, that's the difference between Games and the Super Bowl. If someone invades an elementary school and murders 2 classes, they're going to look for an environmental reason for the effect. they could basically find the my little pony fighting game on his PC and attribute it to that. However, if someone would drop a grenade on the day of the Super Bowl in the middle of the audience and then shouts "I claim this deed for the New York packers (or whatever their team is called)", they're immediately going to call him insane and a lunatic. because they don't want to give up the super bowl.

[Violent]

comparing the Sims 3 to CoD is like comparing Mrs Doubtfire to Dirty Harry.

of course, if miss lawmaker has ever been on Xbox live chat, that would be a valid reason for her to think this way. Even a rowdy sailor would blush from what he would hear there.

True, but then again those are the individual people playing, not the game itself.

[Flaks]

I honestly haven't a clue about the Sims 3 but when putting forth these bills (however far-fetched), it only makes the most sense to address the games closer to home. The games that emulate real life like Grand Theft Auto and Call of Duty, I personally feel, are far too realistic in terms of story, actions performed and potential consequences and so are more prone to desensitizing vulnerable minds of such things. I think that Sci Fi and high fantasy settings are fine in that regard because they are so far removed from our modern lives.

---------- Post added 2013-01-22 at 09:20 PM ----------

True, but then again those are the individual people playing, not the game itself.

Some would argue that the games are the reason those individuals are that way. We all know it's not the game but the internet but the older generation and especially politicians put the two in the same basket.

[Deleted]

Next they will do it like they do with convicted child molesters and make you go door to door among your neighbours and tell them you play violent video games.

[Xargoth6634]

One of many reasons I don't live in Missouri. Seriously though, this is ridiculous.

[Revik]

If you want to protest this change I think you should look at it from a different prospective.

I don't think a niche 1% tax is enough to cover the additional man power to properly allocate and account this tax not to mention the challenge to its validity.

Its a tax that actually costs the taxpayers more money in the end for the additional overhead.

[Deleted]

Want to ban/tax videogames? Sure, but then why don't we do the same for violent movies, music, books, even art that depicts death/blood? If you are serious about controlling violence - go all out or it will become a big charade that won't help anyone.

[Deleted]

Want to ban/tax videogames? Sure, but then why don't we do the same for violent movies, music, books, even art that depicts death/blood? If you are serious about controlling violence - go all out or it will become a big charade that won't help anyone.

As if that would be the 1st or biggest charade.

[Whitepepper]

Looks like state government exploiting a tragedy for a money grab.

[Rooflesstoofless]

Does anyone remember what video game Charles Whitman was playing before he went all kookoo for coco puffs? Cause we should tax the hell out of that game.

[Nadev]

I... totally have a thread on this already.

http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...on-Video-Games