Warning! Censoring video games hazardous to the Constitution!

Warning! Warning! Warning! Censorship of video games may be hazardous to the health of the First Amendment!

But Rep. Joe Baca (D-California) - as is typical among the right-wing DLC - never learns.

Because Joe Baca doesn't know how to play video games, all Baca has talked about for years is video games ruining the purity of our minds. Instead of taking up causes people give a shit about, like the economy (like a real Democrat would have done), Baca created the Congressional Sex and Violence in the Media Caucus and lapsed instantly into Allowed Cloud mode.

As long ago as 2002, Baca wanted to make it a federal crime to sell to teenagers video games that show "violence" or "drug use." Baca's right-wing bill was clearly unconstitutional, of course.

In 2004 - after courts had repeatedly ruled that video games are protected as free speech - Baca introduced a bill that was nearly identical to his effort that had failed 2 years earlier.

In 2005, Baca and other far-right politicians pressured retailers into yanking the best-selling Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy, and Circuit City (being the obedient little children they are) promptly complied. Worse, the maker of the game modified their product.

And people say there's no government censorship in America?

Baca then demanded a law requiring the Federal Trade Commission to investigate to see whether the video game rating system (which was supposed to be voluntary) was stringent enough.

Government censorship of a Grand Theft Auto game wasn't enough to appease Joe Baca though. So now he's at it yet again! Not exactly the behavior of a winner, huh?

Baca has now introduced a bill to require video games to carry health warnings. I swear I am not making this up.

In a press release, Baca falsely claimed that "research continues to show a proven link between playing violent games and increased aggression in young people."

What "research", Joe? And don't cite Focus on the Family either - especially after that organization's cult-like meltdown on one of the TV talk shows. According to Kenneth Wesley of the Examiner, "There hasn't been a proven case or study that playing a game will lead to more aggression."

Credible researchers have shown that the facts are actually the exact opposite of what Baca claims: Video game violence actually reduces real-life violence. It's one of the first things I learned when I studied mass media in college.

But we don't exactly expect a staunch Patriot Act backer like Joe Baca to get his facts straight.

(Source: http://www.examiner.com/x-856-LA-Video-Game-Examiner~y2009m1d12-Congressman-Baca-wants-health-warinings-on-video-games)