The tragic school shootings in Newtown, connecticut will resonate to us forever. Poor defenseless children gunned down for no reason by the hand of a maniac. Adam Lanza, age 20, was the culprit responsible for shooting and killing 26 people, 20 of them under the age of 7, and 6 female staff at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Because of this horrific event, the conversation of gun control has yet again saturated the TV screens and has been a hot button topic on the Internet. While there is some reform being instituted now by President Barak Obama, something interesting has surfaced. Vice President Joe Biden has apparently visited the video game industry to talk about controlling the violence and use of guns in games that are distributed to the public. In short, video games are being said to have a direct link to the violent shootings that have plagued this country since they originated.
With the new gun control policies that President Obama is trying to pass, this would mean that there would be a stricter hold on those that are trying to purchase firearms. This is a very good thing, as there will finally be more background checks, in theory reducing the number of people "unsuitable to have a gun" from actually possessing one. This is the biggest gun control push since Reagan, and would hopefully be a more welcome reform, even though the NRA may have other ideas about it. But regardless, the fact that Video Games are still being under fire and being blamed for horrific massacres in the real world, is absolutely ludicrous and absurd.
Frankly, this whole argument needs to stop. You can't expect this to really catch on as the source. How is it that virtual, unreal bullets are taking responsibility for the damage done by real ones? According to Forbes, Joe Biden is meeting with "representatives" of the video game industry to talk about a solution to the violence of the games themselves. They stated:
"the idea that these two are remotely even close to equally responsible for mass shootings is ludicrous, as evidenced by countries like Japan with die-hard gaming populations but nearly zero mass shootings. What they do have? Much more restrictive gun laws, and far fewer firearms."Is the solution really that simple? Have the government take responsibility for their own actions and flawed regulation of the distribution of firearms? Why does Washington insist on blaming things that they don't have a stranglehold on? The gaming industry has made many different strides to preventing underage kids from getting their hands on violent video games. from "M" rated games, to explicitly telling parents NOT to buy those games for their 10 year old son, what else can they possibly do? The video game industry is merely a scapegoat for the misgivings of the government, and it's sad.
CBS gave insight as to president Obama's policies for gun control, and it does seem to be much more aggressive than we've seen towards gun control in recent memory.
- Assault Weapons Ban
There was a 10 year ban on 19 military grade weapons in the US in 1994, but since then has not been reinstated. Obama has tried to make an even more aggressive push to having it reinstated, and have it be an even tougher ban that the expired ban in 2004. However, because of the strong opposition from the NRA, having it passed will be easier said than done.
2. Ban on High-Capacity Magazines
There is still some legality regarding the amount of rounds allowed per magazine, as there can essentially be dozens allowed without reloading. There is a major push now, especially since the summer shooting in Aurora, Colorado, and now with the Newtown, Connecticut shooting, to have a 10 bullet cap on magazines, a dramatic decrease from what is allowed now.
3. Universal Background Checks
According to CBS, there is a very interesting statistic in the world of gun laws,
"Currently, criminal background checks are required only for guns sold through licensed firearm dealers, which according to the Campaign to Stop Gun Violence (CSGV) account for only 60 percent of gun sales in the United States"That means that there is 40% of gun transactions that are not licensed and do not have extensive background checks.
The list goes on. But throughout all of this regulation, why is video games going under fire? Why is Newtown burning violent video games, when there has never been a direct link between the games themselves and the violence of those that play it? Adam Lanza is one of MILLIONS of people that played games, yet not everyone is going out and shooting up a school. The real reason? The man was insane. He had a chemical imbalance in his mind that made him believe that what he did was right. And yet, video games is the reason for that? Maybe it's the parents that should finally step up and take responsibility for the fact that they buy their children games that are far too mature for them. The argument is ridiculous and should be thrown out immediately, because the government is trying to blame something that they know nothing about, shocking I know. What do you think about the new gun laws that may be implemented soon? Do you blame video games for all the shootings and gun violence in the real world? Or do you think that there should be responsibility taken by the parents and how they monitor their kids? Please comment below and tell me what you thinkJoe Biden and Video Game Industry "representatives" Meeting:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2013/01/10/joe-biden-meeting-with-video-game-industry-about-gun-violence/
CBS lays out Obama's plan for Gun Reform:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57564192/what-are-obamas-gun-control-proposals/
Video Games Being Scapegoated for Sandy Hook Shooting
http://www.policymic.com/articles/23298/gun-control-debate-video-games-are-being-scapegoated-for-the-sandy-hook-shooting/experts
Bonus Content:
Ralph Nader Speaks Out on Video Games:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2013/01/21/ralph-nader-calls-violent-video-games-electronic-child-molesters/
Background Information Regarding the Newtown Shooting:
http://www.greenwichtime.com/newtownshooting/article/State-Police-All-26-Newtown-victims-shot-with-4220548.php
I agree that it is a shame to blame the video game industry. Also, guns can't be avoided forever. It is a part of this world and even though they may seem bad, without them this world would be a place full of chaos and no order.
ReplyDeleteI'm in favor of gun control and the regulations that come with the responsibility of owning a gun, but measures to obtain one should be stricter. Those who own one should be monitored to see if it is being used correctly and for the right reasons. In our culture, we are quick to blame everyone else instead of taking the responsibility of our own actions. I don't blame the video game industry for the games they produce, but for those who purchase them, especially parents with underaged children. Many are vulnerable and easily influenced to act out what they see.
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