Bravarian Minister Likens Violent Games to Child Porn
Due to their obvious similarity, Bavarian interior minister Joachim Herrmann has likened playing violent games to watching child pornography and taking illegal drugs. We’re dead serious. Here is the translated press release issued by the man himself.
“…such games are one of the causes for youth violence and also for school shootings, where images from killer games become reality. More and more children are getting mired in this virtual world of violence. They have no time left for school or job training, and are lost to our society.
In regards to their harmful effects, violent games are on the same level as child pornography and illegal drugs, the ban on which rightly is unquestioned.”
Thankfully, the rest of the German government failed to be as uneducated as Mr. Herrmann. All German game associations, such as the BIU and ESB, have demanded an apology. A second German official, Thomas Jarzombek, shot back at Herrmann:
“The comparison is completely inappropriate. Anyone making such statements is unqualified to participate in any further debate [regarding the] protection of minors from harmful media.”
[Source]
11 Responses to “Bravarian Minister Likens Violent Games to Child Porn”
man and i thought our congressmen were tough on video games
hard to believe some people feel this way
WTF??? This guy is nuts!!!!!!
this man is completely delusional. i’m glad his peers do not agree with him.
This guy needs to re-think his whole life.
Which part are you guys opposed to? The comment about illegal drugs? LOL
Um, seriously, and I’m putting on my flame suit, there is some merit to these games affecting a small percentage of children adversely. Just as violent movies or violent music can have an adverse effect. Is it in the majority of people? No. But it is hard to deny that media can have a profound effect on certain individuals who might be more susceptible to suggestion. Advertising is a perfect example of this. Do I advocate a ban on violent games, movies or art? Absolutely not. I advocate better regulations against who can view, interact and listen to the media, and a renewed sense of discipline in parenting. Anyone who dismisses this out of hand need only consider rap music, and the effect it has on the young people who listen to it.
Stepping down from soap box. Running for cover. LOL
@ TheMadGreek
I agree, mainstream media I think is more at fault for the current violence than my poor video games that always get a bad rap.
This is why we have associations like the ESRB. So we can blame the parents.
What the hell?? Haha.
Tell that to Wii owners!
This article should read “Bavarian Minister is a ****ing idiot”.
The guy has a right to his opinion. Just be thankful that we defeated a tyrannical dictator from that region of the world or there might not be any video game industry…
But seriously you can disagree with the guy without slandering him. I myself do not believe that all violent games are at fault. Although i have a problem with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, I was seeing a gal one time and her two boys would always act out like them, kicking each other and mouthing some of the phrases that they said. But that was at an age where children are impresionable when a parent is missing. Our culture now is so disfunctional that anything can be used by anybody to justify a ban or gag rule. This mostly happens from well intended people making a knee jerk reaction. Politicians do it for relection but others do it for a hightened concern for the future of the nation.
I fall in the middle that if it were not for the need of parents to work two jobs there would be more family time and then the parents would not make bad choices because little Howard was throwing a fit about not being able to play Doom or Unreal Tournament when he is under the age rating on the content. As parents need to take more of the responsibility and not let society determine what is good or evil.
Violent video games have their place but they also have an ESRB rating that parents need to understand. Mature is not an 8yr old boy in 3rd grade playing Halo3 or Socom or even COD4, just because he wants it does not mean he can handle it…