Germany pushing their weight in the EU

[stray]

http://www.infoworld.com/article/07/01/17/HNeurulesonvideogames_1.html

Violent video games could be outlawed across the European Union, following calls for a clampdown among E.U. justice ministers this week.

Germany, which took over the six month rotating presidency of the Union at the beginning of this month, is leading the initiative but the European Commission has also been pushing for more control of video game violence.

“A certain degree of linkage between the growing violence among the younger generation and the growing diffusion of violent games exists,” said Franco Frattini, the European Justice commissioner, at a meeting of the justice ministers in Dresden, Germany, on Tuesday.

The Commission also wants to harmonize national rules in the 27 countries in the Union. “Protection of children cannot have borders,” Frattini said. The Commission wants to see a combination of outright bans on the most violent games, together with minimum age rules on other titles.

The German government said it will conduct a study of all the different national rules concerning video games, with a view to setting Union-wide norms. Its initiative makes the prospect of a ban much more likely.

I guess we can declare the Wii the EU victor of the new console war right now.

[Riggswolfe]

The Commission also wants to harmonize national rules in the 27 countries in the Union. “Protection of children cannot have borders,” Frattini said. The Commission wants to see a combination of outright bans on the most violent games, together with minimum age rules on other titles.

Dear god, outright bans? I hope it fails miserably. I also hope that if it doesn't fail we won't see American congressmen using it as a basis for their own bills to ban video games.

Stop protecting people from themselves damn it!

[Mazakiel]

I can't see an outright ban on videogames, violent or no, working here considering the First Amendment issues that would arise.  I'd see it getting struck down pretty quick.  At least I would hope so.  Who knows anymore. 

[Tannhauser]

I don't know, might be a good idea.  Anything to keep those Germans from getting riled up again. 

[Sky]

How about a ban on weapons instead of games? Or a ban on violence?

Fucking retards.

[Alkiera]

“A certain degree of linkage between the growing violence among the younger generation and the growing diffusion of violent games exists,” said Franco Frattini, the European Justice commissioner, at a meeting of the justice ministers in Dresden, Germany, on Tuesday.

But a lot less linkage than between violence and lots of other factors.  Lack of good parenting, lack of discipline, lack of consequences on many levels(parental, governmental, cultural).  But that's more for the politics forum, and it's not just the EU.

Sky, banning violence is a Great idea.  And people thought the war on terror was idealistic....  8)

--
Alkiera

[Morfiend]

Gears of War is banned in Germany. Poor EU.

[Sairon]

I don't think it will pass, at least I hope not hehe. Banning weapons wouldn't make any sense in the EU since they're not much of a problem over here. I know a total of 1 guy who owns a gun, and that's because he lives out in the woods and is intrested of hunting.

[Murgos]

I don't think it will pass, at least I hope not hehe. Banning weapons wouldn't make any sense in the EU since they're not much of a problem over here. I know a total of 1 guy who owns a gun, and that's because he lives out in the woods and is intrested of hunting.

You fuckers seem to find 'em quick enough when it's time to start killing each other off.

[stray]

I may be wrong, but I don't think Sweden (Sairon's country) has been in a war since the Napoleon days. Not even WWII.

Unless you want to count law enforcement and immigration.

[Sairon]

Yes that's true, we pussied out in WW2 

I don't know the details over every country in EU, but it's generaly pretty hard to get a gun over here and I haven't heard of the "let us all get guns to protect our selves" mentality applied to any country.

[Murgos]

I may be wrong, but I don't think Sweden (Sairon's country) has been in a war since the Napoleon days. Not even WWII.

Unless you want to count law enforcement and immigration.

The Europe Union (you know?  The subject of the sentence that Sairon posted?  You do know what a subject is right?) happens to consist of more than just Sweden, I am pretty sure of this.

[stray]

I'm just referring to the backwoods guy he mentioned that he knew personally.

And yes, I know what the subject is. I made the thread.

[CmdrSlack]

The Europe Union (you know?  The subject of the sentence that Sairon posted?  You do know what a subject is right?) happens to consist of more than just Sweden, I am pretty sure of this.

The European Union isn't a nation.  It is a confederation of nations.  There's quite a difference.  For instance, the EU's privacy regulations are implemented on a national level.  Many nations in the EU have divergent privacy laws, but they all conform to the standard set by the EU.

[eldaec]

Just to put this into context, the commission wants to harmonize *everything*. That's the pretty much the function of the commission. Well, that and embezzling money.

The process is that they throw out these suggestions on a more or less weekly basis, if the proposal is especially stupid big-government protectionist nonsense like this, then some combination of Britain, Ireland, Italy, the Scandanavian countries, and eastern europe, all say 'Uh, no', then everyone forgets about it and goes back to working out how to claim even bigger expense allowances. Proposals only get through the council of ministers (where the real power is) if everyone is *really* tired, drunk, or just trying to get France to shut up for a minute.


This is a non-story.

[Murgos]

The Europe Union (you know?  The subject of the sentence that Sairon posted?  You do know what a subject is right?) happens to consist of more than just Sweden, I am pretty sure of this.

The European Union isn't a nation.  It is a confederation of nations.  There's quite a difference.  For instance, the EU's privacy regulations are implemented on a national level.  Many nations in the EU have divergent privacy laws, but they all conform to the standard set by the EU.

Bite my typo bitch.  Also, thanks for the civics lesson but I didn't see anyone claiming that the European Union was a nation.

My claim was limited to pointing out that Europeans act all high and mighty about their gun laws but that doesn't seem to slow em down much when it comes to killing each other.

[Big Gulp]

My claim was limited to pointing out that Europeans act all high and mighty about their gun laws but that doesn't seem to slow em down much when it comes to killing each other.

Times have changed, and Europe has become rapidly demilitarized mostly because they didn't need to be militarized.  With the combination of WWI/WWII war fatigue and America providing a comfortable, cozy umbrella of safety for the past 50 years there just hasn't been a need for a military.  Of course that'll change shortly because Russia is acting twitchy, we're overstretched (and frankly, our willingness to take a bullet for Europe isn't what it used to be), and the EU has plans to become the third tier of the great power structure between the US and China.

The problem is that you can have either guns or butter, and Europe's chosen butter for the past 50 years.  You can't remilitarize and still keep a full-blown social welfare state going, and scrapping the social welfare state isn't going to be too popular with the electorate.  Oh, and Europe's penchant for deciding what's best for their people is troubling when you consider that Europe will start rearming pretty soon.

[stray]

Bite my typo bitch.  Also, thanks for the civics lesson but I didn't see anyone claiming that the European Union was a nation.

My claim was limited to pointing out that Europeans act all high and mighty about their gun laws but that doesn't seem to slow em down much when it comes to killing each other.

Lol, just stop. Please. This whole preemptive asshole slash wannabe Boog thing you've got going on (here and elsewhere) is a joke. You sound like a squeaky, prepubescent turd in teamspeak. No one's intimidated by your tough guy board attitude. The 4th wall is down.

That shit is pointless.

Sairon was never acting high and mighty -- he just said he knew one guy with a gun -- a hunter -- and you called him a fucker for no good reason. Then pretty much blamed him for all of European military history (and he's Swedish at that!).

Just shut the fuck up. Or at the very least, pick your battles wisely. You don't have to fucking turn your rage on everything.

[Sairon]

Did Murgos just make some weird connection between military weapons and civilian guns/riffles?

[Calantus]

It's like how Germany will go to great lengths to stamp out any nazi symbolism and suchlike to distance themselves from their history, then go around enacting laws and suggesting laws for the EU that could easily be described as "nazi". They are pretty-much THE Game Nazis at this point in time.

Not an overly relevant point, but it has always struck me as amusing.

[Murgos]

I've don't think I've ever been on teamspeak with you Stray.  The last time I was on TS with anyone here was when EQ2 came out 2 years ago.  If that was supposed to be some sort of clever analogy it was pretty damned lame.  The fourth wall is broken?  You drawing cartoons now?

In case you didn't notice though, through your fit of audible hallucinations, the 'you fuckers' term is a general comment.  It was never directed at anyone other than as the usual 'your country/system of government sucks' sort of thing.  Why you think Sairon's being a nice guy from Sweden has anything to do with me laughing at the EU's legal ramblings or their peoples penchant for pointing out their irrelevent lack of personal armament or how you even connected the dots from that to a personal attack is beyond me.

Anyway I'll curse if I damn well please and rage at whatever the fuck I feel like when ever I feel like.

[stray]

I've don't think I've ever been on teamspeak with you Stray.  The last time I was on TS with anyone here was when EQ2 came out 2 years ago.  If that was supposed to be some sort of clever analogy it was pretty damned lame.  The fourth wall is broken?  You drawing cartoons now?

Yeah, it was EQ2.

Fourth wall.

[Big Gulp]

The 4th wall is down.

Yeah, what the hell is that supposed to mean in the context of your post?

Was Murgos putting on a play when he let out a brief little aside directly to the audience?  You should probably avoid these kinds of references when you have no idea what the fuck you're talking about.

ETA:  Okay, you apparently have the capacity to enter a term into Wiki, but still can't grasp what the words that describe that term actually mean.  Work on that.

[stray]

I've been acting since I was 7 years old. You buy DVD's. I know exactly what I'm talking about.

The 4th wall applies to you too, Gomer Pyle. You're the other piece of shit who thinks people here are actually intimidated by you. Two peas in a pod.

[Murgos]

Heh, Stray thinks people get intimidated by other people on the internets.  He's cute.  Maybe I just don't share your opinions though and I can state my case strongly even though it's not your opinion.  I don't actually have to agree with you just because you have 8000 posts you know.

I've never heard my voice described as squeeky before but sure, if you think that scored you some points enjoy it.

[Big Gulp]

I've been acting since I was 7 years old. You buy DVD's. I know exactly what I'm talking about.

The 4th wall applies to you too, Gomer Pyle. You're the other piece of shit who thinks people here are actually intimidated by you. Two peas in a pod.

I intimidate people through an internet connection?  Mmmkay.

Again, though, you haven't explained how the term 4th wall applies to your earlier post.  As much as I have deep respect for the theatre, and all the macho, manly men who are employed in the theatrical arts you're still talking out your ass.

[Strazos]

*Gets the popcorn out of the microwave.*

[stray]

*SIGH*

Just be real, y'all.

Get it? Both of you try to push your way around discussions here, trying to act like internet thugs, and it's stupid. No one cares. You think they do, but they do not. You think it reinforces the things you say, but all it does is work against you.

The only thing offensive about it is that YOU think it works.

It's like this Peter Pan play I watched once, where Captain Hook's hook fell off. And he still tried to go on.

Act like your own damn selves for a change, instead of trying to keep up this act. No one has "teh hate" THAT fucking much. And if you think you do, you're even bullshitting yourselves.

[Murgos]

Nah, I get it.

He's thinking that my internet persona is all an act, that it's not who I really am and because he knows I have a squeeky voice I am therefore really a loser who rages at people on the internet because he's compensating for being a total wuss.

What I am thinking is that he needs to take a few more psych classes though.

edit - I've been posting to these various boards since '98 Stray.  I am who I am.
edit #2 -

It's like this Peter Pan play I watched once, where Captain Hook's hook fell off. And he still tried to go on.

Fucken LOL.  People aren't characters in a play, in real life a guy that feeds kids to a crocodile is not personafied by his prosthetics.

[Big Gulp]

Act like your own damn selves for a change, instead of trying to keep up this act. No one has "teh hate" THAT fucking much. And if you think you do, you're even bullshitting yourselves.

Ask Nix.  Ask any of the guys around here I've played with on Live, dipshit.  This is me.

I also have the good graces to assume that this is who you are: a egomaniacal, wannabe artsy-fartsy douchebag.

[Roac]

You don't win the forums by getting stuff denned.

[stray]

Fucken LOL.

See, that's what I want more of. 

[Samwise]

LOOK!  KITTENS!

[Murgos]

You don't win the forums by getting stuff denned.

Wouldn't help.  We can post there too :)

See, that's what I want.

I was laughing at you.  Not with you.

[stray]

I was laughing at you.  Not with you.

Again.... Stop with the bullshit.