We all have responsibility to do what we can to make sure that a culture of violence doesn't overtake a culture of responsibility. In taking responsibility for our culture there are some things that I think have been done that are effective. In May of the year 2000, Illinois Attorney General Jim Ryan asked major retailers to enforce a rating system and stop selling ultra-violent video games to minors. Obviously, this is not the optimum in terms of responsibility. On Attorney General Ryan's behalf last year, I joined with nine other senators to encourage retailers to enforce the ratings system.
Retailers can take responsibility and help end the culture of violence.
And parents have an important role to play as well and, frankly, it always stuns me when I say parents have an important role to play. Well, if that isn't stating the obvious, nothing is. But these games are not only available in retail stores. Let me read to you what the Internet site says about this game. Now, these kinds of situations where individuals are conditioned to be involved in the kind of activity that we want to curtail are a challenge to us, and we need to be responsible.