[shinobi602]

At least they gave the asswipe some good games to hold.

California senator Leland Yee, whose much-publicized violent game law was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2011, has offered a new message to gamers: quiet down. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle in the wake of last month's schoolhouse massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, Yee criticized gamers and the industry at large. "Gamers have got to just quiet down," Yee said. "Gamers have no credibility in this argument. This is all about their lust for violence and the industry's lust for money. This is a billion-dollar industry. This is about their self-interest." Yee is not the only politician taking aim at the game industry following December's deadly shooting. Politicians in Washington, DC, as well as President Obama himself, have put forth legislation and orders aimed at examining violent entertainment and what role it may play in real-world violence. Source

[Foxix]

Holy shit.

[Aaron Strife]

If nothing else, I appreciate the openness insofar as how he sees all gamers as violent psychopaths. It makes it easier to keep tabs on who's legitimately concerned about media violence versus who's just keeping an agenda.

[Ramblin]

They should probably round us all up and put us in a camp until this gun violence thing is over.

[aurahack]

Leeland Yee is the worst.

[pestul]

California Senator Yee, do you consider The Godfather to be a good film? Do individuals who like said film have no credibility and just lust for violence?

[Nerfgun]

Yeah, they're not citizens or anything.

Real constructive there Yee.

[Secretarial Dog]

"Gamers have got to just quiet down," Yee said. "Gamers have no credibility in this argument. This is all about their lust for violence and the industry's lust for money. This is a billion-dollar industry. This is about their self-interest."

[Kunan]

Yee has got to just quiet down. He has no credibility in this argument. This is all about his lust for promoting himself in the public space with the thing-to-blame-of-the-week, and his lust for donations. This is a multi-trillion dollar government. This is about his self-interest.

[JDSN]

Is it racist to think he secretely owns a katawa shoujo waifu pillow?

[Thoraxes]

So voters have no credibility.

[ElTopo]

Because as we all know, the only ones that have credibility are politicians.

[remnant]

Maybe the reporter should ask Mr. lee about the corruption in the healthy san francisco initiative he got behind.

He is beating his old video games horse to avoid the recent scandal in SF. Not a shock

[Toa TAK]

I dunno guys, I think something's off with this one...

[Keavy_Rain]

OK, so let's say this whole controversy about games and violence started with Dungeons and Dragons. That means we've been having this argument for 30+ years and all the majority of gamers have done is ask politicians to stop making us a scapegoat and recognize these issues are inherently complex and multiple areas need focus to resolve this issue, yet the only people they listen to are the vocal minority that demand respect and those two argue it out publicly every time an act of violence that could be tied to gamers happens.

Also, psychologically speaking, we are selfish. Preservation of self above all others is how you survive in a harsh environment, like we used to live in until we formed civilizations.

One last question: WHY THE HELL HASN'T THIS ASS BEEN VOTED OUT OF OFFICE?!?

[Derrick01]

But that's different. That movie was about 'murica fuck yeah!

[Terrell]

I agree that most gamers bring little to no credibility to the debate, but definitely NOT for the reasons he specifies.

[MDX]

At least they gave the asswipe some good games to hold.

All according to plan...

Gamers have "no credibility", and citizens are referred to as "folk"
Interesting to see how the general public is being demonized and denigrated.

[1-D_FTW]

I love how you can take everything he said, substitute it for politicians, and have a much better description of the problems plaguing the world.

[Revan]

This sounds like an ignorant comment by an ignorant politican who doesn't seem to realize that this billion dollar industry creates job, promotes creativity (not all games are FPS/TPS - take Journey, Mario or Little Big Planet for example) and in a lot of ways drives technology forward. In a day and age where politics is all about finger pointing and scapegoats, this fits right in with the status quo.

No offense to Americans but it's things like this that make me glad I'm Canadian. There is next to no pointless rhetoric like this here.

[pargonta]

comment is a couple days old, and his office did backtrack and give clarification.

still stupid, of course.

[MormaPope]

Jeebus Christ. Dude needs to realize that over a hundred million people play videogames, if videogames created problematic people we would be seeing a lot more violence everywhere. Videogames are an easy target and a way to appeal to the misinformed that want to point a finger at something.

[soulassssns]

An ignorant fool is all I see.

[ZaCH3000]

I swear, his words are just a bat signal for the video game industry to send a platoon of lobbyists with sacks of money. The way he emphasizes "billion dollar industry protecting their interest" only furthers my perception.

[2San]

Does shit like this even phase anyone anymore? People like him can't even get anything done these days anyway.

I swear, his words are just a bat signal for the video game industry to send a platoon of lobbyists with sacks of money. The way he emphasizes "billion dollar industry protecting their interest" only furthers my perception.

This always somewhat surprised me. For the biggest entertainment industry, they don't seem to lobbying much.

[BoSox06DH]

Makes me sad that this man is part of our government. There are worse politicians in regards to policies and logic, but this clown is up there.

[Forsaken82]

yup. I play games like Giana Sisters: Twisted Dreams because of my lust for violence.

[Rorschach]

He's in the pocket of Big Gaming. This is just a ploy for free advertising. Those games should see a spike in sales.

[JazzmanZ]

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/01/2...s-for-violence

derp

Update: Senator Yee’s chief-of-staff, Adam Keigwin, responded to our inquiry with a phone call. He wanted to note that Senator Yee’s choice of words wasn't the best: “It wasn’t the most artful thing he ever said.” He also said that, although the Senator was quoted accurately, his statement was in the context of the gaming industry; the quote “was not directed at individual gamers.” His chief-of-staff noted that he himself is a gamer, as well as other staffers in the Senator’s office, and even the Senator’s children. In short, Yee feels that the gaming industry doesn’t have credibility, but rather a “vested interest” in continuing the status quo, as “violent games are successful.” As such, “their position isn’t relevant in this debate.” Rather, the Senator wants to know “what’s the science?” behind any correlation between violent games and violent acts.

[thelurkinghorror]

At least he has two awesome games to play and a good one...

[Fuzzy]

comment is a couple days old, and his office did backtrack and give clarification.

Mind posting the clarification?

EDIT: Posted, thanks.

[MoxManiac]

His eyes are too close to his nose.

[BibiMaghoo]

As much as I hate this witch hunting shite, there is one thing I do actually agree with some of these people on.

I do believe, that violent / graphic media (note, not just games) does desensitize people (note, not children, everyone) to that imagery.

I say this based on my own observations and others, who for example didn't play violent games or watch violent movies as a kid.

I find those that did are far, far more open to the most graphic violence, where as those that did not can't stomach it aswell.

It's the one truth they use to propogate their agenda based lies.

[GoddyofAus]

Politicans who are not relevant to anyone or anything in this world need to quiet down.

[remnant]

comment is a couple days old, and his office did backtrack and give clarification.

a.k.a he said what he honestly felt and it didn't poll well.

No offense to Americans but it's things like this that make me glad I'm Canadian. There is next to no pointless rhetoric like this here.

Ah yes Canada. the land of perfect people. *vomit*

[ZaCH3000]

Yee hath no credibility!!!!

[BlueTsunami]

Why not tackle more important issues, dipshit?

[shinobi602]

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/01/2...s-for-violence derp

Sounds like a bullshit retread.

[2San]

http://ca.ign.com/articles/2013/01/2...s-for-violence derp

“what’s the science?” behind any correlation between violent games and violent acts.

Then google it or ask some social scientist. >_>

[SapientWolf]

I hope out of touch politicians continue to attack gaming. Maybe it will inspire young people to actually get up and vote.

[pestul]

His eyes are too close to his nose.

I think it makes him less credible tbh.

[SlickShoesRUCrazy]

dude can go fuck himself.

[Revan]

Ah yes Canada. the land of perfect people. *vomit*

I never said that. I said that up here you very rarely see MP's slam gaming and gamers in the media with any sort of frequency as in the US.

[EatinOlives]

A crappy attorney who spearheaded Yet Another Misguided California Law and was swiftly shut down by the Supreme Court telling other people they have no credibility.

lol

[Mature]

Rockstar: "Two out of three. Not bad."

[Sorian]

Oh no, someone with an anti-gaming agenda......woo.......*bored*

I feel like in the politician big leagues you take on evils like homosexuality and abortion but for those who just aren't good enough for the big leagues they get delegated to those lesser evils like video games and other media. I can only imagine (and cringe) at a politician that actually believes the shit they spout.

[remnant]

I hope out of touch politicians continue to attack gaming. Maybe it will inspire young people to actually get up and vote.

Yee operated out of san francisco. Young people voted (and vote a lot) for him in this city, or at least circled democrat for senate when they voted for obama.

[Dr Dogg]

Ok so to tar all gamers with the same brush and tell them to pipe down, brandishing 18/M rated games when if he bothered to do just a teeny weeny bit or research noticed that two thirds of games rated by the ESRB are rated E or lower and over half the games that are PEGI rated are 3+or lower.

I don't know maybe he's found someone who took to chomping down on magic mushrooms and in their drug induced trip started smashing their head in to the walls to get more to sustain the buzz and when people came up to them to see what the matter was they brutally murdered them by jumping up and down on their head all because they played Super Mario Bros as a kid.

[charsace]

It will be funny when he loses and people send him letters saying that he needed to quiet down.

[ckohler]

Hey old people! Video games are not just kiddy toys anymore! Everybody plays them!

Video games are the new Rock and Roll.