the most cynical jouralism i've read in a long time

[cliffbo]

the first comment by Gordon brown was on the subject of video games, but the second comment was on street violence... they have deliberately made it appear that he was referring to video games as the reason for the violence. what people have to realize is that British ministers are verse in diplomacy (read that as 'not pissing their voters off too much') and would never say something as direct as this.


Back VIDEO GAMES A WORRY FOR PM
By Derek Francis
Posted: 14/1/2008 at 09:53:02 GMT

Violence in games concerns Gordon Brown...

Knives are all too common in games
Gordon Brown showed his concern for video games after speaking out against knife crime, according to The Times.

“I am very worried about video and computer games,” the Prime Minister told The Sun in an interview. “The industry has some responsibility to society and needs to exercise that responsibility,” he added.

His comments come as the Government plan a crackdown on knife crime, as Brown initiates a Violent Crime Action Plan to be announced next month. Any person caught in possession of a blade will be prosecuted, while the Government considers an outright ban on some hunting knives.

“It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife or a gun. We are to step up action. Where the police have previously been cautioning people there now has to be a presumption of prosecution. We will charge, not caution,” Brown said.

http://www.instockmagazine.co.uk/cgi-bin/news.cgi?section=1&id=5119

[koten]

... Idiot.

[cliffbo]

see hoe it's already beginning to morph into fact. journalism is crap on the net:

No more knives in games, requests PM
Monday 14-Jan-2008 3:38 PM Gordon Brown says he's highly concerned about the impact videogames have on society
60 Comments
Gordon Brown has called on games developers to stop putting knives into the hands of lead characters.

The prime minister was speaking in an interview with The Sun regarding his government's policies on knife crime. He raised the subject of videogames as a cause for concern and highlighted the use of knives in violent games as particularly troublesome.

"I am very worried about video and computer games", Brown said. "No one wants censorship or an interfering State... But the industry has some responsibility to society and needs to exercise that."

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Last September, the PM announced his government's intention to take a strong line against violent games amidst concerns voiced by parents over the effects that they have on children.

A review (dubbed The Byron Review) into the affect video games have on us all followed. Dr. Tanya Byron, who headed up the review, called on gamers to submit their points of view on the subject.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=179444

did you read that you stupid site!! he was talking about putting clear markings on the box to show whether it was a mature title or not

[masteratt]

Urgh, Gordon Brown is a fucking idiot.

He wants to tackle all this trivial bullshit like an American politician, at least with Tony Blair we never had that problem.

Fuck Gordon Brown, he is our fatter, more beautiful version of Hillary Clinton.

[Zer0-Sum]

As Forest Gump so wisely said, "Stupid is as stupid does..."

nuff said.....

[cliffbo]

Urgh, Gordon Brown is a fucking idiot.

He wants to tackle all this trivial bullshit like an American politician, at least with Tony Blair we never had that problem.

Fuck Gordon Brown, he is our fatter, more beautiful version of Clinton.

As Forest Gump so wisely said, "Stupid is as stupid does..."

nuff said.....

read the full interview, it has obviously doctored by the Sun in order to get this spread on the net. they are anti Gordon Brown... imagine how the interview went and ask yourself why did he break of from one conversation for a brief moment and then return to the main topic of discussion, knives on streets? answer: he was asked this question separately, it would have been along the lines of 'do you think video games have a negative effect on the youth of taday?' he would then have given the stock political answer so that he wouldn't court controversy, but didn't realize how online journalism works, plus he's unlikely to go online and check out what was written. this is manipulative and judging by the above responses it worked a treat. you have to know how British politicians work (especially the PM) to realize just how deceptive this article is... this is absolute nonsense

Gordon Brown's blitz on blades
COPS will be ordered to prosecute anyone carrying a blade in a massive crackdown on Britain’s knife crime epidemic, Gordon Brown declares today.

Tragic ... Faridon Alizada

Tragic ... Faridon Alizada

In an exclusive Sun interview, the PM said those with knives in “hot-spot” areas would no longer escape with cautions.

He also wants computer game designers to stop their characters using blades.

And he is looking at a TOTAL ban on the most lethal hunting knives.

Meanwhile, teenagers are to be used as undercover “test purchasers” to catch shopkeepers illegally selling the weapons.

Games ... ban on blade wielding characters - like this Manhunt one

Games ... ban on blade wielding
characters - like this Manhunt one

Mr Brown praised The Sun’s campaign to stop kids carrying blades.

And he said: “You cannot be casual or cool about knives.

“Society cannot cope with people carrying guns and knives and threatening to use them.

“There are boundaries you cannot cross — and one is this country’s zero tolerance on knives.

“It is neither cool, nor does it make you safer, to carry a knife. We must ease people’s fears.

Victim ... Jack Large, 14, knifed near home in Grange Hill, Essex

Victim ... Jack Large, 14, knifed
near home in Grange Hill, Essex

“They deserve freedom from fear about their safety on the streets.”

Mr Brown is bringing forward a new Violent Crime Action Plan, to be unveiled by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith early next month.

He decided to get tough after a spate of fatal stabbings, including three at Christmas and New Year.

Londoners Faridon Alizada, 18, and 16-year-old Nassirudeen Osawe died then.

Schoolboy Jack Large, 14, died earlier last month.

The PM was shocked to find almost 9,000 knife-wielding thugs got off with cautions last year.

Met Police chief Sir Ian Blair has now ordered officers NOT to caution those found in certain high knife-crime areas in the capital.

And the PM is insisting the nation’s 12 worst-hit areas now receive the same zero-tolerance message.

Officers in the zones, where knife crime is rife, will be told to prosecute people of ANY age found with blades.

The areas are mainly in London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Nottingham.

Mr Brown added at his Chequers country retreat, where he was enjoying a weekend with his family: “We have to send out a message and reinforce it with action.

“It is completely unacceptable to carry a knife or a gun.

Victim ... Nassirudeen Osawe was fatally stabbed during fight in Islington

Victim ... Nassirudeen Osawe was
fatally stabbed in Islington

“Where police have previously been cautioning people, there now has to be a presumption of prosecution.”

The PM went on: “I am very worried about video and computer games.

“No one wants censorship or an interfering State.

“But the industry has some responsibility to society and needs to exercise that.”

Mr Brown wants to outlaw sales of savage blades with no practical use for outdoor sports.

He said: “I want to look at other threatening knives — I will consider banning them.

“And I want a series of test purchasers in shops.

“Sun readers are right to tell us that the vigilance they show must be matched by actions of the police and courts.”

[masteratt]

- Will not get into a political discussion -

[TheGreenElf]

The Sun is a joke to begin with...therefore I can't take this too seriously.