Gamespot reports (in its Playstation 2 category?) that Illinois game laws were overturned by a U. S. District Judge:

In a 53-page ruling, Judge Kennelly defended games as a protected form of free speech and dismissed the state’s scientific evidence suggesting causal links between violent games and violent behavior. He called the wording of the laws unconstitutionally vague. In particular, he took the Sexually Explicit Video Games Law to task for parroting the language of traditional obscenity laws but omitting key parts that ensure a work’s merit as a whole will be taken into consideration when determining its legality. He specifically brought up the recently released action game God of War and mentioned the game’s minigame in which main character Kratos has implied sexual relations with two women.

“Because of this one scene, a game such as God of War, which essentially parallels a classic book like The Odyssey, likely would be prohibited for minors under the SEVGL, because the statute allows a game to be regulated based on one scene without regard to the value of the game as a whole. Such a sweeping regulation on speech–even sexually explicit speech–is unconstitutional even if aimed at protecting minors.”

The article goes on to mention that those evil conservatives are already promising to take this up on a Federal level:

In other game legislation news, New York Senator Hillary Clinton said she will introduce federal legislation to restrict the sale of violent games to minors when Congress next reconvenes.

“Didn’t Adam Smith Say That, Too?” Edition

Never appeal to a man’s “better nature.” He may not have one. Invoking his self-interest gives you more leverage.

-Robert Heinlein (Time Enough For Love)