A disappointed Senator Leland Yee expressed frustration over the Supreme Court's landmark video game decision Monday morning, saying that the Court favors "corporate America" over "our children."
"As a result of their decision, Walmart and the video game industry will continue to make billions of dollars at the expense of our kids’ mental health and the safety of our community," said Yee, citing psychological research that the
Court's decision found inconclusive.
"It is simply wrong that the video game industry can be allowed to put their profit margins over the rights of parents and the well-being of children," he added.
Yee praised Justice Stephen Breyer, who wrote in his dissenting opinion that "Extremely violent games can harm children by rewarding them for being violently aggressive in play, and thereby often teaching them to be violently aggressive in life."
"Justice Breyer...clearly understood the need to protect our children from the harmful effects of excessively violent video games and to give parents a tool in raising healthy kids," said Yee.
"While we did not win today, I am certain that this eight year legislative and legal battle has raised the consciousness of this issue for many parents and grandparents, and has forced the video game industry to do a better job at appropriately rating these games," Yee concluded.
Senator Lee, a child psychologist, spearheaded the California law that sought to prevent the sale and rental of violent games to children on the government level, which the Supreme Court today found unconstitutional.
