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| APRIL 9, 2008 |
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"What makes me crazy is when politicians take it upon themselves to play surrogate parents.
The results of that are usually disastrous. Not to mention undemocratic," wrote King.
The move comes amid an ongoing debate in the United States, Britain and Australia about
banning violent games. British and Irish authorities last year banning videogame "Manhunt 2"
in which an insane asylum escapee goes on a killing spree.
The jury remains out on whether violent videogames lead to violent behavior.
King, whose stories such as "The Shining" and "Carrie" have been made into Hollywood
horror movies, said it seemed to him that the games only reflected a violence that already
existed in the society.
"What really makes me insane is how eager politicians are to use the pop culture as a
whipping boy. It's easy for them, even sort of fun, because the pop-cult always hollers nice
and loud. Also, it allows legislators to ignore the elephants in the living room," he said.
He pointed out that there already was a rating system for videogames and banning them was
pointless because if the youngsters wanted to get hold of them, they would find ways.
King argued that the growing divide in between the haves and the have-nots in the United
States and the country's gun laws contributed more to violent behavior than computer games.
He said it was too easy for critics to claim -- falsely as it turned out -- the Virginia Tech killer
Cho Seung-Hui was a fan of shooting game "Counter-Strike."
"If he'd been stuck with nothing but a plastic videogame gun, he wouldn't even have been
able to kill himself," wrote King. [read more]
The results of that are usually disastrous. Not to mention undemocratic," wrote King.
The move comes amid an ongoing debate in the United States, Britain and Australia about
banning violent games. British and Irish authorities last year banning videogame "Manhunt 2"
in which an insane asylum escapee goes on a killing spree.
The jury remains out on whether violent videogames lead to violent behavior.
King, whose stories such as "The Shining" and "Carrie" have been made into Hollywood
horror movies, said it seemed to him that the games only reflected a violence that already
existed in the society.
"What really makes me insane is how eager politicians are to use the pop culture as a
whipping boy. It's easy for them, even sort of fun, because the pop-cult always hollers nice
and loud. Also, it allows legislators to ignore the elephants in the living room," he said.
He pointed out that there already was a rating system for videogames and banning them was
pointless because if the youngsters wanted to get hold of them, they would find ways.
King argued that the growing divide in between the haves and the have-nots in the United
States and the country's gun laws contributed more to violent behavior than computer games.
He said it was too easy for critics to claim -- falsely as it turned out -- the Virginia Tech killer
Cho Seung-Hui was a fan of shooting game "Counter-Strike."
"If he'd been stuck with nothing but a plastic videogame gun, he wouldn't even have been
able to kill himself," wrote King. [read more]
Horror writer blasts banning
violent videogames
violent videogames
SYDNEY (Reuters) - Horror writer Stephen King
has criticized plans by a U.S. state to ban
violent video games, saying such a move
would be undemocratic and it was up to
parents to monitor their children's
entertainment.
King, in a pop culture column he writes for
Entertainment Weekly, said he was no
videogame fan but was outraged when he
heard that a bill in the state of Massachusetts
could ban the sale of violent games to anyone
aged under 18.
has criticized plans by a U.S. state to ban
violent video games, saying such a move
would be undemocratic and it was up to
parents to monitor their children's
entertainment.
King, in a pop culture column he writes for
Entertainment Weekly, said he was no
videogame fan but was outraged when he
heard that a bill in the state of Massachusetts
could ban the sale of violent games to anyone
aged under 18.