ECA Takes on Baca Bill
A bill currently being pushed by Rep. Joe Baca (D-CA) proposing health warning-style labels like those found on cigarettes and alcohol is now being opposed by the Entertainment Consumers Association. The bill, which is based on a non-existent link between violent behavior and video games (a link that has yet to be established by any studies that I know of) proposes that the federal government label games with health warnings. What these labels would say is anyone’s guess.
This is certainly not the first time such warning labels have been proposed: in the 90’s in the wake of the Columbine school shootings, many politicians, disturbed by the brutality of the crime and the alleged link to video games like Doom, called for a similar labeling of games and movies. That bill went nowhere, and this one most certainly will go about as far.
Why the lack of concern? Because politicians not keeping their eyes on the prize will look pretty foolish.. While Baca “plays games” with oddball bills others know that there are serious matters before this country like unemployment, record foreclosures and a mortgage crisis that continues to spiral out of control.
For its part, the ECA is doing what it usually does in these matters: mobilizing its members and encouraging others to join in and contact their representatives to voice their disdain. If you’d like to get involved, visit the ECA web site.
