Minnesota has become the latest in a long line of states that passed unconstitutional laws restricting video game sales, got the pants beat off them in court by the Entertainment Software Association and had to shell out thousands of dollars to recompense the ESA’s legal fees. The damage this time is $65,000, not including however much the state already paid the lawyers on its own side.

The state passed a law fining minors caught buying games rated M-for-mature and were promptly smacked down. However, 65 grand is low compared to Michigan’s $182,349 in fees or the whopping half million Illinois had to pay out.

It’s a little disheartening. I know state legislators are busy people and all, but you’d think they’d at least have time to look up First Amendment case history on Wikipedia or something before they go around drafting laws, or at least look at successful examples of states with video game laws like Maryland and Georgia. It’s enough to drive one screaming to libertarianism.*

*Shortly after I wrote that sentence, we started trying to invent a drink called the “Screaming Libertarian.” So far all we’ve got for the recipe is coffee and bourbon, on the basis of that’s what we’ll have in the house this evening. I’ll let you know if we come up with anything.

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