Is this a news report or an editorial? Hard to tell… Nearly two thirds of the “story” is devoted to (wait for it) “Grand Theft Auto”.

Kathy Schroepfer’s eyebrows just about leaped off her face when she heard that her 13-year-old son, Evan, had been playing the game.

Might I suggest the Ms. Schroepfer get more involved with her son. In fact, one might suggest that she get a freakin’ clue. Just how out-of-touch do you have to be to be suprised that “Grand Theft Auto” is out there and that your teenaged kid has played the game (most likely a stolen copy). Given what we know of Ms. Schroepfer’s involvement in her kid’s life, I would not be shocked to find a stolen copy on the kids own system.

Would Ms. Schroepfer’s “eyebrows leap off her face” if shown that her 13 year old has kissed a girl?

The author, John Reinan of the Star Tribune, also devotes another large chunk of the piece to the quotes of a idiot politician that is looking to buy votes for statewide office.

“I think there’s a difference between watching a movie or reading a book and actually doing it,” Johnson said. “In these games, you get to beat the cop to death and set his body on fire, or shoot the prostitute in the head.

“If adults want to play this, fine,” he said. “Even if parents want to let their kids play it, I guess that’s none of my business. But I just think a lot of parents have no idea what this stuff is. When you have 7-year-old boys learning how to beat prostitutes, that’s a concern for our society.”

I think that if parents of 7-year-old boys are so out of touch with the kid, it’s a concern for our society. I also think that if you need some moronic, uninformed and arrogant politician to police the actions of your kids, it’s a concern for our society. It’s also a concern for our society when candidates for public office can’t differentiate “Grand Theft Auto” from the vast majority of games.

I have never been involved in creating a violent video game in almost 20 years in the business. Until Rep. Johnson came along, I wasn’t aware that my games taught kids how to beat prostitutes…

My eyebrows just leapt off my face.

Update: It has been pointed out that the above made it sound like the kid was playing the game at home. I re-read it and I can see the point. For the record, (and for the click-averse) the kid was playing GTA at a friend’s house and I fumbled my standard piracy point. Sorry to have misled.

The original point is still valid, its the PARENT’S DUTY, not law enforcement’s.

Linked: basil’s picnic

Technorati Tags: game+industry, censorship