Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Ohhh-klahoma

From CNET:
The Oklahoma Senate on Monday unanimously approved a controversial bill that would make it a crime to sell violent video games to children under 18, according to The Oklahoman (registration required).

HB3004, by Senate Republican leader Glenn Coffee, adds violent video games to a list of products--including outdoor advertisements for sexually explicit businesses--described in Oklahoma state law as harmful to minors. Coffee said studies have shown that violent games can make kids more aggressive.

The bill passed 47-0 in the state Senate...

I bolded that last line, by the way.

I wasn't going to comment on this, because it's just the stupid-ass bill of the week that will get overturned immediately in federal court, but then I remembered something.

Let's put this in perspective: there was far more legislative consensus with this bill than there was on a voter approved ban on COCKFIGHTING.

For our international readers, that word may bring strange and confusing images into your head. Trust Google, use Google, and then come back.

In 2002, Oklahomans passed a ballot measure banning cockfighting. That's 2002. The ballot measure passed 56.2% to 43.8%. Yes, it's mind-boggling that 43% of voters who participated in the election didn't want to ban cockfighting, but nothing surprises me anymore, really.

In 2004, the honorable crazy nutbag Senator Frank Shurden introduced bills to make the legality of cockfighting optional by county. It failed, but only by a vote of 26 to 22! Twenty-two senators voted in favor of the bill.

Oklahoma: not one of my vacation destinations. Ever.

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