Who's to blame?

I found this article in the Lexington Herald today. It is about the video game Grand Theft Auto. Probably many of you have heard about it since the newest version of it has hidden in it characters having sex. Well while I do agree that there is no place for this kind of thing and that kids shouldn't be playing it, I must admit I have a problem with this article. Read for yourself then read my take.

VIDEO GAME VIOLATION A CRIME AGAINST CHILDREN
Recently, the Herald-Leader reported that a video game company violated state and local laws by selling a game with sexually explicit images to minors.

The company, Rockstar Games, claims that it did not do anything wrong.
Its defense is that the images are not readily available and that the consumer must make an effort to view them. That's foolishness.

To follow this logic a publisher could put pornographic pictures in a magazine as long as he taped the pages together. The consumer would have to untape the pages to view them.
Where are our lawmakers on this?

With the Herald-Leader and most every other state paper reporting that a crime has been committed, why have charges not been filed?

What could possibly be so important in Frankfort or downtown Lexington that we will not come to the aid of our children when a company breaks the laws made to protect them?

Nick Zagaruyka Lexington


One of the problems I have is that this isn't the 1st Grand Theft Auto game with obscene content. All of them have it. Shooting, Killing, Stealing, Vulgar Language and they have had Nudity before, its just this time they added sex and suddenly that is over the edge. Give me a break.

I don't like it anymore than most do but the facts are (as sad as they maybe) somethings in this country are legal that some don't agree with. Also I don't see how someone can live with themselves profiting on something like this, but that's just me.

So I wrote the following article and sent it to the Editor of the paper and I got a call that they are going to print it. I will post a link once they do but until then here is what I originally wrote. I sent in my take on Randolph Morris and they changed some of it when they printed that one. Let me know what you think.

The True Crime against children

Nick Zagaruyka's letter on July 27 about the video Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas talked about a crime against children. It didn't point out, in my mind, the real perpetrators against the children: Their parents.

Sure the game is vile and extremely obscene and will not be played in my house, but it does have on it an only over 18 rating. So why should we be having this discussion?

Because some parents don't do things for their kids things that were done for them. Like take the time to see what it is they are buying and how it will affect their child. They assume since it is popular that it's ok, yet they want to cry foul when it isn't that way.

I certainly don't claim to be the best parent in the world, nor am I saying that Mr. Zagaruyka falls in to the stereo type that I have mentioned.

But one thing is for sure there are too many that do, and they should take a little bit of time to invest in their childs life rather than listening to "But mom all the kids are playing it".

Check this out next time your kid wants a new game www.esrb.org

Here it is and yes it was edited a bit.
http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/news/editorial/12262009.htm