Obama Gun Violence Prevention Plan & Media Take on Violent Video Games, Movies
Well, we knew they would. But here is what’s actually being said and done.
First, look at video like the one below and realize that this is on the stereotypically “liberal” cable news network:
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“…exposure to violent video games increases ‘physiological arousal’ and aggression-related thoughts and feelings. Playing video games also decreases pro-social behavior.”
“There are a lot of different ways. You can change the rating system.”
Violent movies (like those made by Quentin Tarantino, who is name-checked several times in this clip) are also compared to “cheap porn.”
So, that’s that part. Don’t expect it to get much better for pro-gaming folks appearing on these political discourse-style programs.
Second, here’s the full text of the White House’s new gun violence prevention plan, as it pertains to video games/media:
Conduct research on the causes and prevention of gun violence, including links between video games, media images, and violence:
The President is issuing a Presidential Memorandum directing the Centers for Disease Control and scientific agencies to conduct research into the causes and prevention of gun violence. It is based on legal analysis that concludes such research is not prohibited by any appropriations language. The CDC will start immediately by assessing existing strategies for preventing gun violence and identifying the most pressing research questions, with the greatest potential public health impact. And the Administration is calling on Congress to provide $10 million for the CDC to conduct further research, including investigating the relationship between video games, media images, and violence.
There are questions to be asked and answered. I’m pro-Tarantino and pro-gaming, but let this stuff be raised in public. Let’s have the discussion. Some of us GGS Gamer folks were chatting about parenting/kids having access to age-inappropriate video games just yesterday. All were opposed to minors having access to ultraviolence, as difficult as it can be to deny your child an experience friends are having anyway.
How will this all play out?
Who knows…but know that the idea of regulating entertainment/video games will be low-hanging fruit the usually-gutless American politicos will gladly grab before even beginning to touch anything related to restricting access to guns.
Brace for impact, is what I’m saying.
We’re going to be in the crosshairs, as it were. And games are an easy target for the Olds in Congress™.
That said, there are many, many points in President Obama’s plan (read the full text there). Time will tell!
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I think my biggest problem here is that the government has done several studies on the correlation between video game violence and real world violence, and they routinely showed that there was no link.
As I have said many times in the past, I feel that parents need to get involved with what their kids play. I have let my son play the driving parts in Sleeping Dogs and Grand Theft Auto before, because he likes driving around. He actually follows the rules of the road when playing, which is more than can be said of his dad. But parents need to get involved and stop using games as a babysitter. And grow a backbone when your kids start to whine about not getting a certain game.
And yes, I can stand by this and state that I do look at what my son plays and I sit with him fairly regularly to watch how he plays as well as what he plays.
I don’t blame the gun industry, movie industry, gaming industry for the violent nature in our society today. There too many factors involved to blame any one thing. The problem starts in the home. Too easy access to guns in the house, kids shouldn’t be exposed to guns. They need to be locked up securely. Parents shouldn’t watch violent movies or shows in front of young children. That’s a good point for having a DVR machine. Don’t take kids to movies they shouldn’t see. No violent games for young children. Beyond all of this, children need to have a moral compass. They need to be centered on the balance of right and wrong. Teach them to keep their hands to themselves, don’t bully other kids, respect yourself, respect your parents, respect other people. Be tolerant and understanding of people.