Louisiana Press Covers Video Game Law Setback
Louisiana newspapers are providing additional coverage to the stinging judicial rebuke which a federal judge administered to the state's controversial video game law on Thursday evening.
An AP report out of Baton Rouge quotes Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (pictured) on the judicial reversal:
"I'm calling on all parents to diligently monitor the video games that their children are allowed to play. If the courts can not protect our children, then we need to do it by rejecting the merchant of violence," she said.
The Advocate spoke with a disappointed Rep. Roy Burrell (D), sponsor of the bill.
"If you can train a military-type person using these video games, you can do it to kids," Burrell told the newspaper. He added that courts aren't yet ready to accept that premise.
GP: Maybe the court would pay more attention if Burrell provided some, you know, evidence, rather than the nonsense he put forth during the legislative debate on the bill. Just a thought. Judge Brady took note of this as well when he wrote in Thursday's ruling:
"The evidence that was submitted to the legislature in connection with the bill that became the statute is sparse and could hardly be called in any sense reliable. Much of the 'evidece' presented consisted of newspaper articles on the evils of video games..."
The Shreveport Times has additional quotes from Burrell, including, "I recognize that the First Amendment right is a strong issue. But there are a lot of things that have changed in what should be considered free speech."
Kris Wartelle, speaking on behalf of the Louisiana Attorney General, said that office is currently assessing the situation and their legal options:
"We knew it was going to be an uphill battle," she said. "We want to defend the statute... but the issue is something that needs to be brought out, that these games are dangerous and damaging to our kids."
Gail Markels, ESA senior vice president and general counsel said the game industry will move by Wednesday to make Judge Brady's injunction permanent. If that happens the ESA and EMA will seek to recover legal fees, as they did successfully in Illinois recently.
The Advocate also quoted ESA boss Doug Lowenstein, who said in a press release, "In the post-Katrina era, voters should be outraged that the Legislature and governor wasted their tax dollars on this ill-fated attack on video games."