Recently California appealed the decision by the supreme court that ordered that not allowing minors to purchase or rent certain video games was unconstitutional because it infringed on freedom of speech. I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t believe in censorship when it comes to creating or art, nor do I think it is a cure for certain negative behaviors demonstrated by young or even older people, however I do feel that it’s the responsibility not only of parent’s, but as a nation as a whole to make sure that not only what we feed our children in terms of food is important, but also what we feed their brains is as well.

If minors are restricted from seeing certain movies, then how are video games any different? Because they are interactive, doesn’t it make this idea even more necessary? This law is not saying that the industry cannot make certain types of video’s or games, it is simply using discretion concerning who buys it. Now that I think about it, a minor cannot go into a movie theater and watch a certain rated film, but they can buy the same movie over the counter in a store? Maybe I’m incorrect somewhere, but that doesn’t make any sense either? Seriously, who comes up with this stuff?

There’s one game in particular that stands out in my mind that is super popular and has annoyed me a little lately called Grand Theft Auto. Basically the goal of the game is for the player is to go joy riding in as many cars as possible and shooting anyone that gets in their way. I know that when it comes to your own home, as parent’s you have control, but when your kid goes outside the home, say to a friends…you lose that control. What happened to Pacman or Frogger anyone?

Do productive grown-ups with real life responsibilities play these types of games? No, only young kids, teens and people that don’t see anything wrong with enacting something on television that out in the real world will get you either killed or thrown in jail. Am I saying that these games make kids or people go out and commit crimes that they otherwise would not, no. But I am saying that they do nothing to help promote a more healthy and positive world for us to all live in, which makes them counter productive and feed into the notion that in America we have no problem confusing and dumbing down our children.