Toys-R-Us Under Fire for Policy on Selling Violent Video Games
by Rusty Pugh
(AgapePress) – A pro-family advocate says one of the nation's largest toy retailers is selling sex and violence.
A recent Federal Trade Commission report criticized the electronic game industry for marketing violent video games to children. But Randy Sharp, director of special projects for the American Family Association, says the report did not go far enough. He says much of the responsibility belongs to retail stores, and he cites Toys-R-Us as an example.
“Toys-R-Us implements a 'feel good' policy of selling foul-mouthed, sex-obsessed, and violence-laced video games to America's youth, and then boasts proudly that they're acting responsibly by restricting it to 17-year-olds,” Sharp says. “The problem is that 17-year-olds can buy for the 10-year-old neighborhood kid who's standing right next to him in the line.”
“The parents don't know, Toys-R-Us doesn't care, and as long as their cash register rings up sales, everything's fine with them,” he says. “They think they're being responsible.”
Sharp says the video game “Conker's Bad Fur Day” is one example of the Toys-R-Us' inappropriate product line. The company's website admits the game contains suggestive themes, nudity, strong sexual content, and other themes inappropriate for children. He also says the game was carried as a full-page ad in the May edition of Playboy magazine.
by Robin Burchfield and Jody Brown
(AgapePress) – Although her TV talk show was recently cancelled, Dr. Laura Schlessinger reports her radio show is doing better than ever.
Dr. Laura's TV show lasted only one season due to low ratings and most likely in large part to the campaign by homosexual activists to drive her off the air. Reuters News reports the activists started their campaign because of comments Schlessinger made on her radio program which referred to homosexuality as “deviant” and “a biological error” — comments she maintains were used in a “clinical context” not meant to disparage homosexuals. Nevertheless, 90 sponsors dropped their advertising for the show.
But while the TV version of her show may not have seen success, Dr. Laura says her radio show has up 15% in the last ratings period. Schlessinger notes her daily radio program now reaches about 18 million listeners in the United States.
Schlessinger addressed the National Religious Broadcasters last week in Las Vegas, where she urged the group to use the airwaves to galvanize support for such initiatives as battling online pornography.
“All online search engines must take … to ghettoizing the sex and pornography in their databases of websites,” she said. “Have a red-light-decorated, firewall district.”
“I believe with our strength in numbers, our shared vision, and smart strategy, we could take that on, we could make that happen.”
Using her own TV show as an example, Schlessinger noted that all kinds of special interest groups have organized successfully to advance their agenda. According to Associated Press, she told the broadcasters she has learned firsthand that “organization, passion, and a shared vision is a powerful force.”
(This update courtesy of Agape Press.)
