Grand Theft Auto Vice City Under fire in Florida

[Djj1973]

News Article (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-dvice08dec08,0,3373762.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines)

Should this game be banned?

[Simon666]

No, except if there are ethnic tensions so just in Florida, but I would still not favor it.

[Strel]

Even though a video game would be considered "commercial speech" and thus entitled to less protection that "political speech", it still gets enough protection from the First Amendment that banning it is probably not legally possible in the U.S.

As for "ethnic tensions" in South Florida, I have to say that the Cubans down there don't have a damn thing to complain about. They run the place! The Haitians don't get it any worse there than they do anyplace else, but as the poorest and most recent wave of immigrants to South Florida they are probably the most discriminated against when it does happen.

I think the issue is that the setting of the game is in the Miami area, so it hits close to home for some people.

[Djj1973]

What I find interesting, is that the game is overall violent. It is certainly not for kids but look at this: "It's so awful," Daniella Henry, executive director of the Haitian American Community Council in Delray Beach, said of the game. "
What's going to happen to our children?"

Your children! Dont let them play it!!!!

[Strel]

I wouldn't let my kids (if I had any) play it under a certain age...

But that is a parenting choice. Why should the law get involved?

[Djj1973]

That was my point, I would have loved to yelled back. Be a parent!!!

[TheBrain]

I wasn't that impressed with the Grand Theft Auto games, but I gave Vice City to my girl-friend's son last Christmas; he really liked it.

[Djj1973]

Originally posted by TheBrain
I wasn't that impressed with the Grand Theft Auto games, but I gave Vice City to my girl-friend's son last Christmas; he really liked it.

I don't think its a kids game.

[gopman]

I look at it this way: If a kid plays this game, he sees all this violence and stuff, but it isn't really new to him. He's seen it on the news all his life. The video game makes it cool, though. Even if you don't give the game to your kid, he'll see it somehow anyway. You can't protect them from life. If you've parented your child well, whether he plays the game or not, he won't make a conscious decision to act out anything he sees.

[TheBrain]

Originally posted by Djj1973
I don't think its a kids game. He just turned 21.

[Djj1973]

Originally posted by TheBrain
He just turned 21.

Where is that smileyface with the foot in mouth!?

No seriously, 21 is fine. I was specifically talking about 5-17 years of age. 1-4 the parent should be Jailed!:D

[Duo_Maxwell]

You think GTA III VC is bad?

Wait till you see man hunt. Rockstar games keeps making them more and more violent.

[Stalin]

I dont think this game should be banned. This genre of games is still in its infancy, given time rockstars shock-tactics will ensure the games get more and more explicit. Compare vice city to manhunt for example.

[Daslib]

It's a video game!

I'm tired of people blaming video games/movies/music...etc for our societal problems. People have been discriminated against/ persecuted/killed/enslaved & whatever other bad thing you can think of since the beginning of humankind.

[ukangel]

I have to say I think its a great game (excellent soundtrack too) as is GTA III.

Its a game for adults, maybe people are just assuming that all video games are for kids. Its like saying Aliens isnt suitable for children. Who said it was ?