By Jim Anderson

SPRINGFIELD - Violent video games are again in the cross hairs of a prominent Illinois politician.

It is House Minority Leader Tom Cross (R-Oswego) weighing in on video games. “I’m just saying, I think they’re bad, and somewhere along the line I think it needs to be a point of discussion,” he said.

The context is that lawmakers this year will be discussing concealed carry legislation, as well as restrictions on so-called assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. Cross believes the games contribute to violent behavior for players with unstable minds.

“This game that you get points for killing police officers - I’m blanking on the name of it right now - but there’s no reason why kids ought to be playing those games,” he said.

Lawmakers in 2005, at the behest of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, enacted a measure banning the sale of violent and sexually explicit games to minors, but the video game industry sued on First Amendment grounds, and a federal court nixed the law before it event took effect.