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| -Short Attention Span Theater- | |
| Red Cross wants wargamers punished for LOAC violations | |
| 2013-10-05 | |
| In game, of course. They're not gonna rip me from a session of Arma 2 just coz a civilian ran in front of my line of fire in game, not alive anyway. The International Committee of the Red Here we go. "The ICRC believes there is a place for international humanitarian law (the law of armed conflict) in video games," the organization that works worldwide to provide humanitarian help for people caught in war zones said in a statement on their website. Well, that's one vote. What say game developers? Anyone? "The ICRC is concerned that certain game scenarios could lead to a trivialization of serious violations of the law of armed conflict," they added. "The fear is that eventually such illegal acts will be perceived as acceptable behavior." This is where the short attention span part comes into play. The Red Bernard Barrett, a spokesman for the organization said they were not trying to censor games or spoil people's fun, but rather, "make clear that there are rules in battle and that certain acts are illegal." At the top of the list of illegal acts is the supression of free press, but then, when the United States' taxing authority is used to suppress free speech, you can see where the ICRC gets a little frisky. Shooting civilians, torture, attacking ambulances and killing prisoners are all aspects in video games that they want to address, he explained. I consider it addressed. Now, please, go f*ck yourself. He added that they were not concerned with fantasy games, but those that mimic situations that might be seen in current armed conflicts, known as "first person shooters" although he declined to name specific titles. He doesn't need to name titles. They are the best sellers. "We're not asking for censorship, we don't want to take any elements out of the games," he said. "We're not trying to make games boring or preachy, but we're hoping that the ones that offer a realistic portrayal of a modern battlefield can incorporate some sort of reward or penalties depending on whether they follow the basic rules of armed conflict. He is asking for censorship, and the nature of the Red
That's the second time he is quoted saying they're not into censorship. He does protest too much. While concern over the influence of violence in video games is shared by many, researchers have not established a definitive link. Read: They haven't come up with a creative way or diagnosis, yet. Give the f*ckers time. Currently, the American Psychological Association is reviewing its 2005 statement that said there "appears to be evidence" of this; a coalition of 228 of the society's members this week urged a revision, arguing that, based on the current research, some assertions in the statement "cannot be supported." Activision, the producers of the video game Call of Duty, and Rockstar, the producers of Grand Theft Auto, did not respond to a request for comment by NBC News at the time this article was published. So, they did name the games, on backgroud. Dummy, you're not s'posed to tip your hand. Kids today! Barrett explained that the ICRC were already working with production companies to incorporate these rules into games and others who they had not contacted, had also incorporated some of them into their products. "We would be keen to work with others," he said. That's one side. | |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #17 Re #12: While it wasn't about video games, that was essentially the plot of Ender's Game. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2013-10-05 23:42 |
| #16 The game companies can't do this. You can't say that playing games has no cause/effect on real world violence and then say that you think learning about war crimes in the game would help folks be less likely to commit them in the real world. A game is a game and folks act differently while playing because they understand this. If they did what the REd Cross wants every 13 year old would race to get the most genocide points. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2013-10-05 21:52 |
| #15 The movie Toys is closer in resemblence. Know what game is a hate crime? Burger Time. Running around making unhealthy burgers while violently smashing other characters not only promotes obesity and racism, because sandwichs such as peanut butter and jelly are the works of flesh eating chauvinist white males, but that there are people starving in China this game promotes glutteny and waste. Next I will approach how having a successful budget in Sim City teaches terrorist tactics and encourages holding guns to peoples' heads. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2013-10-05 13:19 |
| #14 They should do their own game.Weapons of choice: hand wringing, pontificating, the strongly worded letter™ and, the Ultimate Weapon, Carla DelPonte. |
| Posted by: tu3031 2013-10-05 13:18 |
| #13 Airandee, not a bad thought but that was done 30 yrs. ago..."The Last Startfighter" circa 1984. Granted they were aliens looking for human fighters by planting video games but it's the same thing. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2013-10-05 13:01 |
| #12 A great fictional story would be the government tracking the best video game players. And then high jacking the game and substituting real war battle action and have the gamers killing actual enemy. If the Red Cross can make stuff up; why can't I? |
| Posted by: Airandee 2013-10-05 12:43 |
| #11 That new taco place commercial featuring the next gen of video gaming is obviously racist against alien robots and their right to culture. Also, the lack of minorities and its foux latin cuisine makes Yum! foods criminally liable for war crimes. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2013-10-05 10:46 |
| #10 ...they have now fast-tracked themselves on to the Nobel Peace Prize committee instead of just being a 3x winner.... |
| Posted by: Uncle Phester 2013-10-05 10:39 |
| #9 These clowns are delusional. But we knew that. |
| Posted by: Barbara 2013-10-05 10:07 |
| #8 They're not gonna rip me from a session of Arma 2 just coz a civilian ran in front of my line of fire in game, not alive anyway. Well obviously they will have to monitor your game in-time. And Mario deals with kidnapping civilians. And Pac-Man is paganism where a player can destroy civilians in their afterlife. Duck Hunt, totally off limits. offer a realistic portrayal of a modern battlefield can incorporate some sort of reward or penalties depending on whether they follow the basic rules of armed conflict. Then I wuz playing Call of Allen the other day, the Mall Level. Bumper-L1+Z hangs a civi by a hook, and the melee button with the mushu boost will put a half-dozen knives into a child. I wuz playing Empire Total War and destroyed a place of worship and a university. And I liked it, so did the population, whaaa haa haa haa! Booogy booogy boogie. Exit question: WH2K, if I destroy a hive of orcs, does it make me a war criminal, a racist, homophobic, or all of the above? Nevermind, el Prez told me to reject the voices of tyranny. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2013-10-05 10:04 |
| #7 for a per-game fee, I'm sure they wouldn't have a problem. *spit* |
| Posted by: Frank G 2013-10-05 09:39 |
| #6 Not much above a mute from the Red Thingy about American compliance (and beyond) with the conventions in a real war while the usual anti-American wormtongues spewed their lies. That same mute could be heard in the denunciations of clear and repeated violations by AQ, the Taliban, etc. Deal with the real world jerks. Or is this a signal that you've become just another pompous self important bureaucracy desperately seeking cred by playing to theater rather than actually, you know, doing something you claim you exist for. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2013-10-05 08:34 |
| #5 Come out with your own game. |
| Posted by: Perfesser 2013-10-05 05:28 |
| #4 Fighting JAG! Ready to rumble? Not yet! Clear it with Fighting JAG! An Earth-Friendly Simulation |
| Posted by: Shipman 2013-10-05 03:45 |
| #3 What say game developers? Anyone? In order to do this properly, you would need to make ICRC monitors as in-game characters. The opportunity to plink at them would be priceless. Further realism would involve using ICRC ambulances to move fighters and arms. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2013-10-05 01:34 |
| #2 IMO, one of the main problems of present day society is our tolerance toward certain kinds of people. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2013-10-05 01:22 |
| #1 The proper answer is "Go piss up a rope". |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2013-10-05 01:21 |