I’m glad that, amid a worsening budget crisis, the Washington Legislature had time to pass House Bill 1009. Sex, drugs, rock and roll, and now video game violence against police are clearly more important problems to solve than mundane matters such as overcrowded roads, prisons, and schools. After all, it takes courage, tenacity, and a pay increase to pass laws criminalizing the recreational pursuits of young citizens who cannot vote.

That said, I have to ask: Why stop with video game violence against police? There are thousands of books, movies, and television shows depicting violence against police, too—why not ban these? After all, as Governor Locke said when signing the bill, "It is important to foster an environment where young people respect those who uphold the law." I guess that Governor Locke did not have the First Amendment in mind when signing the bill.

Meanwhile, I have an inspiration for a new game called State of Emergency 2: Olympia. The premise would be gratuitous violence against busybody lobbyists and state legislators, who have apparently stolen the common sense of Governor Locke. Under House Bill 1009, this title appears legal to sell or rent to minors. However, this may not be a bad thing, if you accept the premise of teens being malleable enough to shape their social mores around the fantasy world of video games (although this premise obviously contradicts the trend of adult responsibility for teen criminals). When young people "lack respect" (to paraphrase Governor Locke) for Legislators who fiddle with pointlessly annoying social legislation, while Olympia burns on the pyre of budget cuts, more teens may register to vote on their 18th birthday. This would indeed create a "State of Emergency" for old, out-of-touch, do-nothing Legislators, who deserve to be voted out in droves.