Oklahoma State Representative Calls For Tax On Violent Video Games

It seems like the claims against video games for things like promoting violence and obesity never end. If you live in Oklahoma and you're gamer that likes shooters, you need to pay attention to a State Representative ironically named Will Fourkiller. According to Fourkiller, who once worked as a teacher and a coach, he has seen firsthand that video games can lead to obesity and claims that research has shown video games can lead to bullying in schools. The former teacher seems oblivious to the fact that there's just as much research out there showing no link between video games and violence.

I'd also like to point out that I've seen obese kids in PE class, but that doesn't mean PE class causes obesity. Fourkiller is not calling for a ban on violent video games or any other sort of videogame in Oklahoma. What he is calling for is a tax on "violent" video games, which is proposed under HB 2696. The Representative wants to see an excise tax of 1% on all violent video games that carry a rating of teen, mature, or adult only.

Fourkiller wants the money collected via the tax to go toward the Oklahoma Childhood Outdoor Education Revolving Fund to fight obesity and some of the tax income to go to the Bullying Prevention Revolving Fund. Fourkiller claims that he is not targeting the videogame industry. However, he has not proposed a tax on violent movies or TV shows.

[via kfor]