January 11th, 2013
01:33 PM ET
10 years ago
Gun violence task force to meet with members of video game industry
(CNN) - It was the massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, that spurred the creation of a federal task force on gun violence, but the headlines since then have shown that the issue stretches beyond any single incident.
The work of the task force, led by Vice President Joe Biden, comes at a time when the debate over guns is everywhere.
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Violent video games are played the world over; American TV shows are viewed the world over; Hollywood films are seen the world over. Why does the use have such a high gun violence rate?
Duh! Its the guns.
As much as we need tougher gun laws, let's not forget that PARENTING plays a big part in this. Games have evolved since I was a kid. We've come along way from Duck Hunt and Contra to SOCOM, Call of Duty, Modern Warfare, etc. I like that the video game industry has a rating system, however, it still comes down to PARENTING.
Stopping violence is important, no doubt, We will not be able to afford it if we dont concentrate on fixing the economy.
This is pretty much more sidetracking by this admin to get off the real issues, the BenGhazi disaster and the economic mess mr big spender has put us in. i hope for gods sake America will wake up
Pass all of the gun control laws you want, it will not make any difference.
Don't believe me? Look at Chicago.
Chicago had 506 murders in 2012. U.S. troop deaths in Afghanistan in 2012 were 371.
As of January 6, 2013 Chicago has already had 12 murders. That is an average of two murders per day. At that pace Chicago will have 730 murders by the end of 2013.
Chicago has everything a gun control advocate could wish for:
It is located in one of the bluest of blue states.
Chicago overwhelmingly votes Democratic in every election.
Obama is from Chicago.
Chicago's mayor is Rohm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff.
Chicago has some of the strictest gun control laws in the United States.
And was has all of this got them? More violence. More GUN violence.
Shorter GOP/Teatrolls: "We'd much rather destroy the 1st Amendment than the 2nd."
They need to bring back Atari with centipede and astroids. No place for these violent games since people are to stupid to see the difference between reality and fantasy.
I am so hopeful this time the government has determined to take concrete actions. Keep up the good work you are doing, it has been long overdue.
Let's do a test.
1. We spend One year and a half without any violent video games, and we look at the gun related crime records for those 18 months.
Then After that
2. We ban all guns for one year and a half, and we look at the gun related crime records for those 18 months.
This is fair, and we can investigate on which of those 18 months there was less gun related crime. If the results are different between one and the other, we will ban the one that is worse for our country. If the result is not much different, Then we ban both for 18 months, and investigate the results on our records. Then maybe both should be banned, or none should be banned.
I'm in...
This nation needs to pass GUN-CONTROL LAW. Period. Video game, movies violence, TV violence these are all BS excuses.
Authors of the First Amendment knew about hand operated printing presses. Had they envisioned the disruptive political power of an individual with the internet, there would never have been a First Amendment. Authors of the Second Amendment knew about muskets. Had they envisioned the lethality of an individual with today's military assault rifle, there would never have been a Second Amendment. After the Second goes down, the First, and America as we know it, will too.
This president needs strong and thorough security. I just read Huffingtonpostc. Obama, please have strong security. Nation needs you.
If the content of games lead the player to "do the same things in real life" Then why am I not an allstar quarterback right now?
Correlation does not mean causation.
this meeting will solve nothing.
70% of the guns used in crimes committed in Toronto are illegally imported from the U.S. Similarly, tough gun laws in cities like Chicago and Washington D.C. are undermined by the ease with which guns are imported from states with lax gun laws.
What about the side effects of these pharma drugs that are causing these shootings?!
Dutch/Bad Newz, VA
"let's not forget that PARENTING plays a big part in this. "
---------–
Amen, Dutch... Amen.
All of your base are belong to us.
If guns don't kill people, people kill people, than games don't kill people either, people kill people. Just remember that these games are sold world wide and other country's don't have nearly as much gun issues as the United States.
70% of the guns used to commit crimes in Toronto are illegally imported from the U.S. Similarly, tough gun laws in cities like Chicago and Washington D.C. are undermined by the ease with which guns are imported from states with lax gun laws (where shadow purchases are easy).
It is depressing to see policy makers make such blunders. Video games are not the issue here! There were 35 gun murders in England last year, and violent video games are rampant there. The 11,000 gun related murders in the US are due to the availability of guns. The second amendment is too controversial for policymakers to go after, so they're going after video games?? That's completely pathetic Joe Biden!
God forbid parents take the responsability for what there kids play. I am 31years old have two daughters that do not play games that are rated beyond there age...that's why they are rated just the same as movies but yet while I am online playing I run in to kids playing games that are way above there age rateing and yet we blame games...give me a break..people need to grow up and get their fat a** off the couch stop mooching off welfare and government get back to work and put their kids back in there place, now days kids are protected so much its rediculous. I got my a** beat when I was a kid and what do you know I grew up with respect for my parents and other people. I was regulated on the time I spent playing games. Kids now days live inside staring at a tv with no parents interacting with them and then we wonder why our kids are f up and we point the finger at everything but ourselfs.
@ Terry
Chicago doesn't have a gun problem, they have a gang problem. And if you want to be specific about which gangs they are, they're Vice Lords & Gangster Disciples.
Video game's are not just about gun crime. It's about immersing yourself in a world were often anything goes. And for those that don't fit into this world very well, the world of the video games becomes reality. And then unfortunately that reality spills over into this one. And there are a lot of people that don't feel like they fit in this world very well. And the video game becomes their escape. And then becomes their reality. And then unfortunately, they bring that violent reality into our world. And some use guns. And some use themselves. And some use words. And some use whatever instrument they can find. We take the risk.... The question now is, "Is the risk worth it?"
Video game's are not just about gun crime. It's about immersing yourself in a world were often anything goes. And for those that don't fit into this world very well, the world of the video games becomes reality. And then unfortunately that reality spills over into this one. And there are a lot of people that don't feel like they fit in this world very well. And the video game becomes their escape. And then becomes their reality. And then unfortunately, they bring that violent reality into our world. And some use guns. And some use themselves. And some use words. And some use whatever instrument they can find. We take the risk.... The question now is, "Is the risk worth it?"
@ Francisco Decastro
Playing video games is not bad per se. But it has become a training field for those who want to do harm to others. If it is possible that they can not get access to killer weapons, let them enjoy the games as much as they want. As there are no regulations on how to obtain guns, the only workable solution is to ban both (guns & games) at the same time.
Terry-
I think we could agree that Chicago's crime issue is somewhat unique, as the deaths occur within a fairly targeted population. However if you want to play with examples, please explain the dramatic drop in gun crime generally and mass-murder specifically in Australia after their assualt weapons and gun control laws went into effect.