So this is the Democratic boundary of free speech?
Gov. Rod Blagojevich is vowing to appeal a federal court ruling that shot down a new Illinois law intended to ban the sale of violent or sexual video games to minors.
U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kennelly ruled Friday that the law, which was to take effect Jan. 1, was unconstitutional, and he barred the state from enforcing it.
The Democratic governor and other supporters of the measure have argued that children were being harmed by exposure to games in which characters go on killing sprees or sexual escapades.
“This battle is not over,” Blagojevich said in a statement. “Parents should be able to expect that their kids will not have access to excessively violent and sexually explicit video games without their permission.”
…The judge said that it would interfere with the First Amendment and that there wasn’t a compelling enough reason, such as preventing imminent violence, to allow that. The state also would have to show the law was the only way to achieve the state’s goal and that it was as narrowly written as possible.
I keep forgetting that as long as it’s for the children, any law is reasonable. No need to remember that some parents believe their children shouldn’t be shielded from “harmful” products as much as their children should be taught to make appropriate choices. And shockingly, those same parents believe they should be the ones to do the teaching. That the Constitution implicitly backs them up shouldn’t come as a surprise. Granted, if all else fails, they’ll call Super Nanny, but she’s a television personality, not a government statist.