British PM Promises Inquiry Into Violent Games

RaptoR · Sep 15, 2004

The BBC is reporting that British prime minister Tony Blair has promised an inquiry into the effects of playing violent games following claims that Rockstar Games' Manhunt inspired the murder of a Leicester boy.

The prime minister has told parliament a violent video game - blamed by some for the death of a Leicester boy - should not be used by children.

Mr Blair said, on Wednesday, the game was "wholly unsuitable for children".

Police investigating the murder of Stefan Pakeerah, 14, dismissed its influence. Manhunt was not part of its legal case. Stefan's parents said Manhunt acted as an "instruction manual" for the murder in February 2003. But while a copy of the game was uncovered during the investigation, detectives have confirmed it was found in Stefan's bedroom.

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BeyondUnreal previously posted this commentary on the media reaction to this story back in July.

]Killuminati[ · Sep 15, 2004

BLAH!

I've nothing else to say.

«BuA»Lurker_71 · Sep 15, 2004

Another classic case of parents' refusing to take responsibility for the upbringing of their children...

Jeebus, if they think violent video games are responsible now, wait til they find out about war, drugs and alcohol...

BlackDragon323 · Sep 15, 2004

I am sick to death of loser parents and pathetic "authorities" always using video games as a cheap scape goat for their own miserable failings.

How different would this be if the kid was into Friday the 13th movies? or was into reading crime novels (not to mention the ones on tv) where they always tell you how to kill people?

Our civil liberties and freedom of art and expression is going right out the ****ing door when this kind of **** happens.

/rantoff before my head explodes

SanitysEdge · Sep 15, 2004

«BuA»Lurker_71 said:
Another classic case of parents' refusing to take responsibility for the upbringing of their children...

Jeebus, if they think violent video games are responsible now, wait til they find out about war, drugs and alcohol...

Its human nature not to take our own faults and accept them. Its our nature to pass them along... blame them on other things that often times have nothing to do with there blames. Jeasus chirst people, ACCEPT THAT YOUR NOT PERFECT, NO ONE IS!

Aconite · Sep 15, 2004

Instruction manual for murder? Bollocks. American Psycho (the book) is far more disturbing.

Erm, it wasn't the PM who wants an inquiry though, it was Keith Vaz. And all Blair said was that Manhunt shouldn't be played by children. As it's an 18, this has more to do with parents.

Manticore · Sep 15, 2004

Here we go again..........

RaptoR said:
Mr Blair said, on Wednesday, the game was "wholly unsuitable for children".

BeyondUnreal previously posted this commentary on the media reaction to this story back in July.

In my opinion Blair is "wholly unsuitable for children". He's the bandwagon jumping, labour movement betraying ****ing moron who sold out the UK.

Also, as an aside, I went back to the original article and posts on BU from July to check some facts and guess what the banner ad said that came up?

This is it, verbatim, pasted below:

"Just For Dads
You don't have to feel left out!

Public Service Ads by Google"

Is that a coincidence or what?

Stay away from the kids Blair, you ****

Devastator · Sep 15, 2004

"Press fire to join the game"

igNiTion · Sep 15, 2004

Oh joy, another "let's blame the video game for real life violence." How original.

_Zd_Revanchist_ · Sep 15, 2004

yeah and ignore the fact that the game has an 18 rating.....

Rodzilla · Sep 15, 2004

I really hope this is a real inquiry and not some bull**** government-funded skewed crap-fest to cover their asses and use games as a scapegoat, yet again.

GRAF1K · Sep 15, 2004

«BuA»Lurker_71 said:
Jeebus, if they think violent video games are responsible now, wait til they find out about war, drugs and alcohol...

Well said. :tup:

When will people get it through their thick skulls that normal people can play violent games and not go on a lunatic murderous rampage? If people can't tell the difference between a game and reality, then they're already idiots to begin with.

thewalkingman · Sep 15, 2004

The victim albeit dead had a copy Manhunt and Blair is investigating the effects of the game on the accused?

KDR_11k · Sep 16, 2004

Mr. Blair is really fast on the uptake, isn't he? I mean, the british body for game ratings (dunno what it's called) decided long ago that the game was not suitable for children and must not be sold to people under 18. Perhaps Mister "Blame the videogames" should have investigated how the boy got his hands on a game that cannot be legally sold to him?

Euphoric Beaver · Sep 16, 2004

Manticore said:
In my opinion Blair is "wholly unsuitable for children". He's the bandwagon jumping, labour movement betraying ****ing moron who sold out the UK.

Erm... but the game is "wholly unsuitable for children". Blair is just stating his opinion not going round with the banzor hammer or anything.

But I doubt anything will come of this. It's not like anything was done about the Chucky vids after some young tard killed somebody using the same method from the film.

MachDelta · Sep 16, 2004

thewalkingman said:
The victim albeit dead had a copy Manhunt and Blair is investigating the effects of the game on the accused?

Yeah, isn't this the same damn case where the 14 year old VICTIM had a copy of Manhunt, but that the 18 year old killer had borrowed it or something? And that the police had completely dismissed the notion of any sort of motive spawning from the game, even though the media went on ranting for weeks after that "Game + Kid = Murderer?"

Damnit, i'm sure we've been through this same story once before... why the hell can't it stay - for lack of a better word - dead?

«BuA»Lurker_71 · Sep 16, 2004

thewalkingman said:
The victim albeit dead had a copy Manhunt and Blair is investigating the effects of the game on the accused?

I guess the kid didn't have an album from the flavor of the month "controversial artist" to blame it on.
Kinda makes ya wonder what the kid listened to... doesn't it? :con:

edhe · Sep 16, 2004

He should be more interested in getting locks on the doors to the houses of parliament...

It's an 18 rated game, and a psycho child. Same would happen with 18 rated films, adult books, post-watershed TV .. isn't that the reason these things are there for? Isn't that why parents are advised to watch out for this sort of stuff?

Anyway.. why doesn't blair ban underage drinking too, might stop his son from being a major pisshead... oh wait, it is...

PsychoMoggieBagpuss · Sep 16, 2004

He's looking for quick popularity points.
Way to go Mr Blair, concentrating on those important issues like computer games and fox hunting.
Something like immigration/nhs/education, what do we do there, oh yeah, set new targets.
Pity you missed all your previous promised targets since you've been in power.

Manticore said:
He's the bandwagon jumping, labour movement betraying ****ing moron who sold out the UK.

Quoted for truth.

40% tax?
WANKER. I earnt it, let me spend it rather than giving it to single mums, drug addicts, illegal immigrants and benefit fraudsters to spend on there 6 pack of tennents extra, 10 B&H and a packet of rizla.

elmuerte · Sep 16, 2004

HAHAHAHAHAHA
compare this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/3659120.stm
and this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3661120.stm

more pictures: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/3660140.stm

screw video games, become a police man in the UK and you can play the same game in real life.

British PM Promises Inquiry Into Violent Games

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