HR0361 97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0361 LRB097 11942 KXB 55460 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012" is a first-person video game developed by Checkerboard Studios that allows players to assume the roles of the perpetrators of the campus massacres at Columbine High School, Virginia Tech, and Northern Illinois University; and

WHEREAS, School Shooter is programmed to provide players with weapons modeled after those used by the perpetrators of these campus massacres and lets the player roam freely through school-themed levels, shooting video depictions of people at will; and

WHEREAS, Given that the tragedies that took place at Columbine and these universities are among the most horrible acts of campus-based violence in American history, the lack of empathy within this game for victims, their families, friends, and other loved ones is upsetting, morally reprehensible, and disrespectful; and

WHEREAS, Though other first-person shooter video games are available for play, the portrayal of campus-based tragedies and the death of children and young adults as entertainment is particularly objectionable; and

WHEREAS, The release of this excessively violent game is generating concern among educators, school administrators, law enforcement, and suicide prevention groups; and

WHEREAS, It is in the public interest of children and the citizens of this State to keep School Shooter and other morally reprehensible video games out of the hands of children; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-SEVENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish to alert parents, students, school personnel, and citizens of the State of Illinois about the release of "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge the game's creators and distributors to cease production and distribution of School Shooter; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we strongly encourage parents, guardians, and others to carefully monitor their children's use of all media and encourage that they assist in controlling the video games their children play; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge retailers to better monitor and police sales and purchases of violent video games and not to offer School Shooter for sale at their retail establishments; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we encourage media, including the print and broadcast media, to inform readers and viewers about the release and content of School Shooter; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the General Assembly seriously consider the establishment of a consumer education program on video and computer games.