Does Newtown Tragedy Call for Video Game Ban Over Gun Control?

Dunedin Observer December 27, 2012 at 12:05 pm

The video games have become more realistic, more gore, blood, and closer to reality with more weapons. While the majority of young people may not be effected,
a smaller number likely will fail to distinguish reality from fantasy. I can see a connection because the scenes are so real compared to say a story in print. When one fills the mind with garbage, the same garbage comes out verbally and may be acted out. Listen to the language of young people and prepare for a stream of explectives in most any situation. I also believe we have far too many guns available and high capacity magazines for weapons serves little purpose than to kill people. Most hunting will not allow such capacity and far too often such weapons wind up in the hands of weird males bent on total distruction of their fellow man.

Colormecupcake December 27, 2012 at 12:06 pm

seriously? video games? how about better parenting or better yet stop cutting the funds for facilities to help those with mental illness that may not be so serious had they gotten the help. A child doesn't get video games on his own, the parents did. If we start banning violent video games, why not ban violent movies as well? Cars kill people too, let's ban those. Cigarettes? ban it! Fast food making people obese? ban it! Take some responsibility in parenting and stop giving in to children's every whim who turn into adults who think they can get everything and anything and if they don't have violent tantrums.
All these violent acts may have been prevented had parents/family/friends were more aware of these people's mental illness and got them the help they needed.

-Ed Harris- December 27, 2012 at 01:03 pm

Mr Coleman, your limited analysis is just that, limited and strikingly shortsighted! Video games are made, purchased and played throughout the whole world and the rest of the world does NOT seem to have a problem! What the rest of the world does NOT have is a gun for every man, women and child in their country, but we do. This problem is all ours and it's root cause IS guns. The days of disregarding, spinning the truth and out right lies are over. What will be your next thought Bill? Blue jeans cause cancer? The world is flat? Women should not vote? Oh, I know, School should be split up by sex and race in order to avoid conflict. Your backward thinking is a sign of a dysfunctional past where all these things were preached and forced down our throats to be held as true, only to find out later that they were bald faced lies being used to control us for others profit. No! Bill the cough did not cause the cold it is the merely the symptom of the sickness.

Michael J. Kovac December 27, 2012 at 01:19 pm

The violent games should be banned. It's a classic case of a bad incident by a few people ruin for everyone else. On the other hand the mental health hospital system could be revamped in this country so that mentally unstable people can get treatment before acting out murderous and then suicidal scenarios .

Julie Walsh December 27, 2012 at 01:34 pm

The point is being missed here. It wasn't video games, guns or anything else that caused this awful tragedy. It has to do with mental health issues. Parents have an extreme hard time of finding professional help for their mentally challenged children. There is help out there however, then we fall into the trap of cost. Not a good situation to be in. For your point of your grandson and the video games. Where are his parents in all of this? The parents should be taking responsibility for what they have allowed to happen and at 18, your grandson, sits in front of a "$400 console and annihilates entire populations". ? It is NOT the children! The parents need to step up and take responsibility.

Linda Medeiros December 27, 2012 at 01:42 pm

There seems to be no limit to the levels of violence reached in video games, movies and even some music. I think we can do better than this and still be entertained without going the "Mary Poppins" route.

Joey Saltzburg December 27, 2012 at 01:45 pm

You must be joking! Sir, (and I use that title very loosely in your case) In 2011, Germany, arguably one of the top 5 warring nations over the last 100 years had discharged all of 85 bullets during the whole year and here in the US our police discharged 90 rounds into an unarmed man just a few days ago! Learn the facts and speak the truth unless your just another NRA mouth piece.

Martha Dunningham December 27, 2012 at 02:46 pm

This article could not be any further from the truth. It may be time for it's author to find another means of conveying clinically incorrect rhetoric other than a public forum should the author not wish to be thought a fool.

Lisa Bosley December 27, 2012 at 03:20 pm

There are countless studies proving this theory wrong and generally, the people who claim this is the cause of violence have never played video games or have only minor exposure to them. The real problem here is how our society views and handles mental illness and weapons. It is far too easy for an individual to get ahold of an assault rifle, hand gun or unnecessary amounts of ammunition, and these weapons are made too easily available to people who cannot handle them. When the NRA comes out blaming videos games that is because the organization is not at all interested in protecting gun right, but rather interested in protecting the companies who sell guns and ammunition. They are looking for an easy scapegoat and unfortunately, a large number of the population blindly drinks their Kool-aid. Honestly, how many people have died or been injured as the direct result of a video game? Now think of how many have dies from guns. You can say "guns don't kill people, people do" all you want, but a lot fewer people would be dead or maimed if access to such deadly weapons was more regulated. Video games are just an excuse for those who cling to their guns too tightly.

Cap'n Keith December 27, 2012 at 04:18 pm

Thanx for speaking out Bill, my wife and I feel the same way. Unfortunately, so many parents these days turn a blind eye to this indoctrinated violence. I guess saying "yes" all the time is easier than real parenting. And then after being deprived of life skills, some of these young people move on to self pity followed by a life of crime.

-Ed Harris- December 27, 2012 at 04:46 pm

Did playing Hangman cause people to hand others? Quite a violent game don't you think, coming up with words in order to keep your neck from the noose. I remember when I was in Ninth grade and my dad was studying for his masters at the Univ of Fl one of the books covered was Grimm's Fairy Tales, the violence for which it contained was vast yet we read these to all small children. Should books be banned too? What about the Bible, it is by far one of the most prolifically read and sold documents to date, yet one of the most violent filled books ever assembled. The truth is simple some humans like to kill and when you provide them with easy means to do so you get what we now have. Lets move forward not backward!

Cap'n Keith December 27, 2012 at 05:18 pm

Agree with Bill or not, it's all just perspective folks. There are obviously multiple problems we face as a nation. But still no reason to get disrespectful because you disagree - lighten up a little. Geez.

Cap'n Keith December 27, 2012 at 05:27 pm

I bet Bill agrees with you Julie, but it is a social faux pas to bash your own kids parenting skills in a published news article - assuming you want to have a continued relationship, that is.

Michael Keesler December 27, 2012 at 05:59 pm

People are strange.

Sailgirl December 27, 2012 at 06:59 pm

I agree that our country needs to reform health care and particularly mental health care. There is no way to deal with violent youth who are unstable and acting out, except to have your child charged with a crime. Read the article "I am Mrs.Lanza" ....however, in this case, from what I hear, the shooter had no history of violent outbursts. Mentally ill does NOT mean violent! This young man was however raised around weapons and instructed in their use. I see no reason for this. If you live in the country and hunt for food then you have a need for a gun. In Newtown, from what I hear, there was no hunting for food. He was taught to target shoot with semi automatic weapons.
Add violent video games, teen angst and rage over family issues...it is a recipe for disaster. When was this individual taught coping skills? Even with no mental illness, people are products of their environments. It all contributes to whether or not our Kids become well rounded and healthy. Parents, schools, teachers of non violence and healthy media are needed to change things. Personally I do not need a gun. Our society is responsible to protect its people too. If we are to have the right to bear arms, then be responsible.

Edward Bardoe December 27, 2012 at 08:43 pm

Not enough of the "caring professions" seems to be the liberal wail. How many is enough, and how to evaluate whether all the funds spent do any good. This rich "troubled" youth likely had all the help anyone could get, shall we imprison the shrinks?

Richard DiMiceli December 27, 2012 at 09:24 pm

Come up with affordable mental health care and medicine and get the people the help they really needed. I play violent videogames but you do not see me running around killing people, and yes it is true guns don't do the killing people due usually people we need help in some way or another.

Dunedin Observer December 27, 2012 at 09:45 pm

Those semi-automatic weapons mentions must be a new invention right?

Cap'n Keith December 27, 2012 at 10:34 pm

I think Bill made a good point. Are the violent games the only root of the violence? Of course not. I don't think he was suggesting that. But to disregard them as not possibly being even part of the problem is also strikingly shortsighted. And your heavy handed analogies were a bit over the top. How about a little more open perspective.

Rich McColley December 30, 2012 at 12:51 am

"My grandson started at three years of age playing “Game Boy.” Hours turned into months and months into years. Today, at 18, he still sits in front of some $400 console and annihilates entire populations. Lets come to grips as to the origin of mayhem."
So you're saying that your grandson is likely to be our next mass shooter?

Jason Fowler January 2, 2013 at 01:10 am

Pardon my response if it seems overtly confrontational, Mr. Coleman, but I believe an ill informed analysis based on fear and misunderstanding deserves an equally uncouth reply. As an apprentice writer, I would like to ask you on a personal note to review what you are posting on the public forums of the internet for grammatical errors. After all, you have spell check. Making such obvious and basic linguistic mistakes makes you appear either too careless or uneducated so as to simply form the foundation of a sentences. On to the more pressing issue, I am a gamer, and a seventeen year old male at that. First, I have played "violent" video games since I was very young. I was five when I began playing. In all these years, I have never had the impulse, urge, or even thought, to be violent to innocent people, particularly children. Also, I have only once had to ever seek medical, mental help, and it was for an issue in interacting with my peers because I was being bullied and am introverted, and had nothing to do with violence or video game addiction. As another point, most games that the media deems violent are not simulations to make someone a sociopath. In fact, they often either make the player be a "good guy" or, if the game has an alternate path, encourage them to be good. These shootings are extremely unfortunate, and my prayers go out to those poor children and faculty, but don't cast blame on a hobby that many enjoy because you don't understand it and it seems different.