CNN: "video games help you get in the mood to do the killing"

The Colorado tragedy was a senseless crazy act by an insane individual, but was it caused by video games? That's what an analyst on CNN said he attributed the violence to.

[Zuperman]

Jesus Christ... video games doesn't make anyone violent.

[WolfLeBlack]

Indeed, the difference that people don't seem to understand is that increased aggression does not equal actual violence.

Videogames, depending on the game itself, obviously, can and do increase aggression for a short while, sort of like watching an action film does, but that doesn't equal violence.

In Short: naturally passive guy/gal + violent game = slight incresae in aggression.

Naturally violent person + violent games = douchebag. Increase chance of violence, but only because that comes naturally to the eprson.

Games are a trigger, not a cause.

[lastdual]

Whenever I feel like "I'm not really in the mood to do some killing today", I just play video games, and that good old bloodlust comes surging back.

[morganfell]

Games are an outlet for violence and anger, not a generator of those feelings. They provide an opportunity to unleash aggression in a harmless atmosphere.

Games do not make me want to kill anymore than they make me want to hop across floating platforms to grab coins or or crawl through corridors eating white dots.

In a decade of failures, financial and integrity wise, CNN maintains their downward spiral.

[Shikoro]

Well, it didn't take long after the Dark Knight case for someone to blame everything on video games. Freaking journalism...

[Gaming101]

If you get in the mood for killing after playing a videogame, you have serious psychological issues that could have come out had you watched violent tv, read violent books or comic books, or listened to violence glorifying music. You can not blame videogames for this. The dumb kid was nuts and was able to buy guns with zero psychological evaluations. In Canada you need a psych eval and a plethora of other things just to be able to keep a gun in the back of your car, not reachable by anyone sitting in the car - in the US you can buy assault rifles and shotguns when you're a 17 yr old punk with mental issues up the ying yang, and no one thinks twice about it.

Does anyone else see the real issue here?

[Anon1974]

For me while I was growing up, Dungeons and Dragons was supposed to make you go crazy and kill people. Oh, and Heavy Metal. And television. Before that it was comics books.

[JhawkFootball06]

It has already been reported the James Holmes was obsessed with Guitar Hero. Guess we ought to ban that game too.

http://www.tmz.com/2012/07/...

[Dorfdad]

Same could easily be said of MUSIC and Movies, TV Shows, or even Books.. This whole world is looking for someone to blame when the problem is clearly with the individual.

In fact I have been more aggressive over women (not hurting them but getting me more excited and agressive than any game or video) So maybe they should be outlawed as well? Maybe just the ugly ones..

[thats_just_prime]

if video game made people kill we'd have 100 million + people going out and kiling.

This is just another dumbass expliont the tragedy to push thier own believes off on people

[GribbleGrunger]

Jesus Christ, couldn't they have waited for the boor bastards to be buried before they started another agenda.

It might be contentious, but PERHAPS gun sales are responsible

[dedicatedtogamers]

People need to realize that videogames have become a scapegoat in our society just like many entertainment mediums.

Would you believe that comic books were once blamed for violance, deviance, and poor grades? Would you believe that Dungeons and Dragons was once blamed for corrupting America's youth and turning them into drug-binging Satanists? It's true. Videogames are simply the latest scapegoat.

[MmaFan-Qc]

and i guess Richard Wagner music put Hitler in the mood to do the horrible crimes he did?

[MAJ0R]

I guess their saying this now because that guy who killed all those people in Colorado was really into Fantasy RPG games.

Apparently society reached the point that they have to blame a crime on anything other than the person who actually committed it... disgusting.

[Dee_91]

i dont always kill
but when i do
i prefer to play video games first..

funny the guy that did the killing said he was joker..
But since ofcourse TimeWarner owns CNN and since Timewarner (Warner Bros Pictures ) distributed The Dark Knight Rises they cant say anything like this about the movie.Instead they say "We dont know the motive,and we will make sure we have extra security at dark night rises premiers across the globe and we doubt Batman had anything to do with the killing."
Instead of closing movie theaters across the globe until they finished investigating the shooting and the suspect.the new America Money>security>Freedom.M edia Outlets make the money,laws protect... eh im over it..
/rant
Proof of controlled news and corruption is so damn evident here haha.

[SilentNegotiator]

I see particular politicians are once again having no moral issue in warping a tragedy into bullet points.

*guns should be banned because they can be abused
*video games should restricted because they cause violence (according to our guesses)

And surprise, surprise. The UN "arms trade" treaty is to be revealed soon. I wonder what 2 countries with no personal gun ownership, 2 countries with highly restrictive gun laws, and an administration that cares more about impressing their European friends than strengthening a weakened nation....with IRAN as the VP of the conference (?!?) ....could do.

Nothing to harm personal rights of people in the USA. For sure. Besides, we have the Supreme Court on our side! *chuckles* Like protecting state rights by deciding that taxes that aren't taxes are taxes.

Sorry if some of that was a bit off topic, but my point is this: I'm sick of the psychological warfare in US politics. So much empty logic fueled by fear and playing emotions. If you're not "them", you are evil, self-centered, and like poor children dying in the streets for your own amusement.

[Psycho_Mantis]

And most importantly that people who do terrible things such as this horrific event should always be accountable for their actions. Placing the blame on video games is just a lame excuse.

[pixelsword]

Sooo...

Hitler played video games?

[SonyWarrior]

lol at the pic.........

[ChiVoLok0]

It's CNN. Why do we even take this article serious?

[PoSTedUP]

the ignorance of blind news media outlets makes me aggravated and violent. shut the **** up CNN u guys piss me off. ok now to release my aggravation and stress out on a shooting videogame....

see what i did there? bing bang boom, cnn you lose.

[Ranma1]

Yes it does. I saw a gold chocobo and immediately got out my blade to chop it to pieces...

i cut off its head because i saw that in god of war, i just do whatever happens in video games because am in idiot...

really its the video games that make me do that, not the fact that i am an insane psychopath who has metal health issues, no that's got nothing to do with it. its the video games...

[Computersaysno]

Videogames actually get me in the mood for drinking too much alcohol.

Someone get the conservative media here right now to take my story!

[Armyless]

This debate has nothing to do with conservatives or liberals. It's the ignorant idiots versus common sense.

[xPhearR3dx]

Little off topic here, but am I the only one who thought the person to very right in the pictures article was Greg Miller from IGM for a minute?

[Reverent]

No you are not.

[Reverent]

IGN* Btw

[Nimblest-Assassin]

[He] probably spent a lot of time in his apartment, playing one video game after the other—shooting, shooting, shooting—building up his courage and building up the excitement of when it’s going to be real for him.

"And now we’re going to find, probably on [Facebook] or anybody who knows him will say, ‘Yeah, he did have a lot of interest in that.'
"He was always playing the video games. And I’m not saying video games make you a killer. But if you’re a psychopath, video games help you get in the mode to do the killing,"

ULTIMATE FACEPALM

Look the Aurora shooting was a tragedy... people went to enjoy a movie(that was totally awesome), and they were attacked

But blaming videogames? IF YOUR A PSYCHOPATH... YOU DO NOT NEED VIDEOGAMES TO GET YOU IN THE MOOD FOR KILLING!

I never read that serial killers like Jack the Ripper played videogames to get him in the mood to kill people

"oh I'm not blaming videogames" Bullsh*t

Yeah thats why with out proof your saying... he probably played a lot of videogames, and his friend will probably say that he did

He is, you don't see people after playing videogames, saying huh... im in the mood to kill something

The guy was mentally sick... do they have any proof he played videogames to go on a massacre?

How about you idiots fix your stupid ass law in which you allow anyone to bare arms... Never seen someone in your country using it to protect themselves... only to cause death and fear

OR BETTER YET FIGURE OUT HIS MOTIVE.. BEFORE JUMPING ON THE PLAYS VIDEOGAME BULLSH*T WAGON!

And he had tear gas? Really? America... get your shit fixed, and maybe then you could attempt to blame videogames

[Lord_Sloth]

Japan doesn't allow people to have guns. SURPRISE!!! Guns are still there among the Yakuza. Japan better get their s*** together and fix their stupid gun laws!!!
/s

The only thing "fixing our stupid gun laws" would do is make it harder for good people who wish to defend their families get guns.

Yes, let's make sure we can never defend ourselves again!

No, blaming video games isn't right, but neither is pointing the finger and trying to blame anything for a senseless tragedy, gun laws are among them.

[TekoIie]

@Lord_Sloth

"Yes, let's make sure we can never defend ourselves again!"

You think Trayvon Martin would have died if it was harder to get guns? You think Mr Zimmerman would have had the balls to follow a complete stranger if he didnt have a gun?

Many people (who end up being innocent) die from the stand your ground law and it creates more bad than good...

[Nimblest-Assassin]

@lord_Sloth

Look... I understand that people need to defend themselves... but a majority of the time, people abuse that power

How come no one at that theatre had a gun to defend themselves? That should have been a perfect time... but no one knows when trouble will come and threaten their family

You say it becomes harder for good people to defend themselves... but its a lot easier for bad people to harm others now

Guns are used to intimidate people...

The yakuza acquire guns illegally, but in america, you can walk into a store and get one

[ChipChipperson]

Every year, people in the United States use guns to defend themselves against criminals an estimated 2,500,000 times – more than 6,500 people a day, or once every 13 seconds.151 Of these instances, 15.6% of the people using firearms defensively stated that they "almost certainly" saved their lives by doing so. In 90% of these instances where gun self-defense is used, a single shot is not fired. The right to bear arms and conceal carry is deters crimes. The cities that have high crime are the ones with the strictest gun laws.
Of course you're blaming our gun laws. We have a right to own firearms and civilians use them for home defense ALL THE TIME. Just because the news is giving this so much media attention you assume that our Second Amendment is to blame. Most of the maniacs who use guns to kill never even got them LEGALLY in the first place. Norway loves hunting, of course Anders Breivik killed teens at a camp which killed more civilians than this incident. Guns weren't to blame in that incident, it was his him being weirdo and embracing extreme political ideology.
And in response to your "Why didn't anyone use a gun to defend themselves in the theater" that's because in the city of Aurora it is unlawful to conceal carry a firearm.

[Imalwaysright]

If you want to protect your family you should get better locks, an alarm and an ovrchaka!

"The only thing "fixing our stupid gun laws" would do is make it harder for good people who wish to defend their families get guns." and the irony is that it makes ridiculously easy for someone that wants to harm your family to get guns too. Americans still have the cowboy mentality.

[sjaakiejj]

Did you even read what he said? It's pretty sensible. He clearly stated that Video Games do not make you a killer, but that there is a certain appeal to violent video games to killers, which is perfectly sensible.

@ChipChipperson
But the question remains - would people have to defend themselves 2,500,000 million per year in the U.S. if guns weren't available legally? Would as many criminals have access to guns or other deadly weapons if they weren't allowed?

Comparing the gun crimes in the U.S. against regulated countries brings up an interesting picture - U.S. Gun Crimes are significantly higher than they are in any other developed country.

On that note though, I don't believe Gun Laws have anything to do with this incident at all - He would've been able to acquire the guns regardless.

Norway's probably a bad example though, as hunting guns are legal there.

[Pozzle]

"Japan doesn't allow people to have guns. SURPRISE!!! Guns are still there among the Yakuza. Japan better get their s*** together and fix their stupid gun laws!!!"

That isn't really a good example considering Japan's gun crime is practically non-existent outside of the Yakuza. (And the Japanese mafia isn't exactly a good representation of the entire Japanese population anyway).

[DragonKnight]

@ChipChipperson: You forgot to add "Brought to you by the zombie remains of Charlton Heston and the N.R.A.

It's ironic isn't it that the countries with gun laws have a lower crime rate than the U.S. since the people seemingly can't defend themselves right?

[ChipChipperson]

@sjaakiejj To your first question, it wouldn't stop a criminal from obtaining a firearm illegally still. It still wouldn't stop them from committing crime. If James Holmes hadn't used firearms, then he would have found an alternative to killing people like making a bigger bomb. I was unable to add this to my first comment, but the areas that have higher crime in general, not just guns, are areas that have strictly regulated gun laws. Switzerland has very liberal gun laws, yet very little crime. Most of Western Europe, where they have very strict gun laws suffer from the most multiple victim public shootings in areas where guns are banned. Why is it that these incidents have to be associated with guns? Why not racial differences, politics, religion, or stupidity?
I completely agree with you though, gun laws should have nothing to do with this incident, but it's the fact people HAD TO put their political agenda to this is what is pissing me off when it shouldn't have them. I'm getting tired of the notion that people think that they should depend on the government for protection.

[h311rais3r]

I live in Canada. We have several guns in our household. Studies have proven that legally owned firearms acquired through legal retailers are not the issue. It's the guns being bought or stolen illegally.

The whole ban gun things also increases crime in a country (see UK and Australia as examples).

Proper gun laws need to be set in place. A full background check for criminal or mental. 3 letters from known associates, a test and registration are required to own a firearm in Canada. Government k ows who owns them and what ones.

My local gun range has a jar you have to put a dollar in if ou call a gun a weapon. They're not weapons as long as they are not being used as one. They are a tool of recreation. What you shoot at makes it a weapon. Just like a kitchen knife or bat becomes a weapon.

In fact guns are lower on the murder list than knives are.

Fact: states with carry permits in the USA are deemed safest states in the country and local gun carriers have saved civilians from offenders on multiple occasions. Just recently a perp who was stabbing people with a kitchen. Knife in a grocery store was caught only because a civilian pulled a gun on him and waited for the police to arrive and arrest the suspect.

If someone is going to kill someone they're GOING to kill someone whether they have a gun or not.

Better ban kitchen knives. Baseball bats. Hell even ban beer bottles seeing as those have been used in quite a few murders.

Oh and before you claim bull on what I said do some research instead of just following the media like sheep. I spent 6 weeks on a paper about this and the evidence supporting a gun ban lowering murders is slim to none.

[Tuxedo_Mask]

"How about you idiots fix your stupid ass law in which you allow anyone to bare arms"

Hey, it's the Summer time now, do you really want to force everyone to put on long-sleeve shirts?

We have a little something called the 8th Amendment in the USA, buddy!

[Bolts]

Blaming America's gun laws for this is just as stupid, if not more so, than blaming video games. Its a proven statiscal fact that tough gun laws encourage crimes, not reduce it. I believe in Washington DC the murder rate nearly doubled AFTER they banned guns and states with virtually zero gun laws have the least amount of crime vs states that have toughest gun laws (CA).

[Ripco_Keller]

I'm with Lord_Sloth.

Here's how simple it is-
If you make guns illegal, then you are taking the guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.

However, criminals will ALWAYS have access to guns illegally.

So.. if you put out a law saying it's illegal to have guns, then the only people who HAVE guns would be the criminals you didn't want having guns in the first place, and left law-abiding citizens with no defense.

Best case scenario in this situation (aside from having a police officer on hand at all times) is that you are able to get a land-line phone (mobiles can't pinpoint your location), call 911, have them send out a patrol car within 10 minutes.

We can't expect the police to be able to respond instantly to every emergency. And in a life or death situation, every second counts. Possessing a firearm can be used as a deterrent in emergencies and can be used in self defense.

Having the right to bear arms gives people the ability to defend themselves in extreme situations. Taking that right away would have no impact on the people who would use them for nefarious purposes.

If you have a plan for dismantling every firearm in existence, erasing the knowledge of how to construct them, and then regulating the populace to ensure that they never learn how to make firearms again, then bring it to the table. Because that's the only way you're going to take guns out of the hands of criminals.

[HonestDragon]

Here, here! History has shown an incredible number of people who have murdered in the name of one cause or another. Video games have never been listed as the actual cause for violent acts. It has only been used an excuse.

Racism, sexism, militarism, fascism, mental issues, and religious extremes have all been the cause of violent acts. Never has one form of pop culture ever been the actual proven cause of a person going crazy and killing other people. If anything, this is a result of some nutcase who managed to get his hands on intricate equipment without the proper background check. Yes, our gun laws need some serious work.

[IMChampion]

My cup of water just spilled, video games are responsible somehow...I just know it. /s

[sjaakiejj]

Except he never claimed they were ;)

[ATi_Elite]

our country being at war every decade since WWII puts people in the mood to do the Killing.

people working hard 12 hours a day but yet cant afford anything puts people in the mood to do the killing.

Video Games give people an escape from the harsh realities of life and ease their minds and takes away the anger.

Don't use Video Games as a SCAPEGOAT for the real things in our screwed up society that cause people to go off the deep end.

There were Mass Murders before Electricity and there will be Mass Murders after Electricity if we do not correct the REAL PROBLEMS.

[MoveTheGlow]

It all takes some context, and neither CNN nor Fox nor some of us can understand that.

Any piece of work, any object, any idea, any thought could drive an insane killer into the act of killing. Could video games do that? Absolutely. But it's not their place, nor our place, to blame the game.

As we have nearly the same debate with guns in this tragedy, one thing is incredibly important to keep in mind - no matter what the weapon was, or the motive, or the scene, or the movie, this was a personal, mental problem. If the crazy Norway terrorist didn't play Call of Duty for hours on end, it would have been something else. Same with this. They're fishing for blame because they don't understand that some humans are capable of this on their own. They don't want to know why.

If there's anything that needs to be fixed, it's the state of mental health care. If you're not ready for something, you shouldn't have it. If video games make you destructive, do not play them and seek help. If the sight of a staircase makes you destructive, do the same. If you can afford it... and that's what needs to be fixed.

[rezzah]

people don't see the big picture, it isn't the specific mediums, it is the culture itself that allows what they dislike.

Edit for wrong word.

[ACEMANWISE]

What if he owned a Wii?

[leogets]

then he probably woulda made some spagetti and jump on a tortouse instead ;s

[Mottsy]

CNN makes me angry and violent!!! Tell them to broadcast that !

[greenpowerz]

CNN is circling the toilet. Ratings down the drain. Integrity in the sewer.

Right wing crackpots will jump at the opportunity to spread anti games rhetoric(eventuality porn, not being on Facebook etc.) to garner support

CNN has been purchased by big oil and other special interest groups since around last presidential cycle where the checks and new found fame over Fox News, went to their heads.

Stay true MSNBC.... CNN will join Fox News in hell

What that killer did with the weapons(also the ones he had) and the way he set the trap and what he said has more to do with Hollywood than video games. Some of what happend is similar to Batman the Darknight.

[NeoBasch]

Nah, not video games just the Dark Knight Rises, evidently. lol

You can't blame the artist when he/she has no control over how the viewer/reader will respond to their work.

[abzdine]

they do make a few people violent, and that's what it's all about.. Sad truth!!

[greenpowerz]

The so called experts need to be specific about what games people are playing and how long. Are certain types of people more influenced or susceptible, possibly already having built in impulses?

If experts can say these things, when do we draw the line on what content does harm? So called experts causing talks blaming video games with no proof of relevance to this incident to begin with.

Video games can make you grumpy when bothered while playing or a few minutes after playing due to the heightened emotional state/engagement needed to be immersed in the game(might snap at wife when told to take the garbage out when playing when you wouldn't otherwise) Doesn't make you crazy!!!! out to kill!!!! though.

The divide is big with so called profilers and psychologist. You have 5 minute fame-rs trying to make the most flashy analysts on TV. The RIGHT WING conservatives have been trying to ban video games altogether in Congress.

On the other side of what I mentioned above is the inconclusive crowd that try to do real studies and work in the name of science that often say, somethings are going on but also include many other forms of influence at the same time.

[abzdine]

you know, a guy could play a "violent game" during 5minutes and have evil ideas, and another can play the same game for days without being influenced.

Unfortunately, the first type of person is a problem, but of course people don't only get violent only because of video games.

This guy is a terrorist, he needs to be punished for what he did and stop finding exaplanations that don't make sense. When i'm walking down the street and some kids playing soccer kick the ball in my face i don't say: oh these stupid kids are attacking others with soccer ball cause they played too much FIFA.

[manman6]

You would think they would blame movies first since the shooting happen at a movie theater where there is violence displaying right on the screen.

[chad22hkd]

Right what ignorance!!!! I guess the massive amount of types of disgusting porn online are okay,
and movies with far worse, gory, and realistic killing is good.

Where a hero kills masses in his uber ultimate killing for justice is fine.

Hunting is great too, shooting innocent animals in the name of sport. Oh wow you just shot that deer's brains out, it was 12 point buck!!!

Anyways all media, games, movies, books are a representation of the highest percentage of the world's mind. A lot more people are shooting each other in the face in Cod, then jumping around in rayman origin. Look at are human history, and guess what? Human like to be greedy shellfish, alpha powerful and murder each other.

I'm so sick of these retarded people blaming games. Actually compared to books, movies, or just online, games are a lot more innocent pg 13, and less violent.
There are some seriously more disturbing books and movies. I won't even talk about some the insane types of websites there are.

Anyways gamers should unite against such bs, start a gamers charity for stuff like this. Or just start a petition against cnn, or comment until we bring down their site!!!

Us gamers number in the 100 millions but we are the most separated community. If anyone does start something like that let me know. Lets unite, and show people like this how stupid they are!!!!

[greenpowerz]

All basically started with GTA series. Anti gaming folks would/could/have?/or will argue Watching movies is observation and playing games is participating, making all the difference in the brain. Also the amount of time playing has become a popular anti gaming talking point. The Role Playing factor is the excuse they use when these tragedies happen(he did it acting out the video game, video game made him an angry loser making him crazy, on and on)

@abzdine

I have a hard time believing playing games causes mental issues where you want to go out and kill. When watching past shootings and listening to competent professionals and all the testimonies, people usually have other issues and already want to cause harm. Not disputing their inspiration though. If you wan't to go out and kill because of being so easily influenced by violent entertainment you already have bad wiring.

But like I said *Not disputing their inspiration* Although I believe you think games actually cause mental illness or at the very least, the loss of empathy and remorse.

[Thatguy-310]

violent movies are more violent than video games -_- why do video games have to fall under the mold? If movies dont influence this behaivor then video games don't.

[LackTrue4K]

if that was the case.....then movies have the save effect too!!!!
(example) Batman Rising!!!

[Tru_Ray]

These kind of comments are puzzling to me. I frequently play ultra violent video games (Killzone, Crysis, Call of Duty, Resistance, Battlefield, etc.).

However, I do not own a gun and have absolutely no desire to purchase a gun in real life.

Most gamers are quite adept and making the distinction between reality and fantasy. This douche bag wanted to make a name for himself so he decided to kill all of these innocent people in cold blood. If there is a hell, let us pray that he burns there for all eternity.

Anyways, inhumanity towards humanity has always existed and predates the advent of the video game industry.

I don't think that we can blame society here. This was the work of a profoundly disturbed individual with a warped sense of virtue.

May those unfortunate victims rest in peace.

[jagstatboy]

I think Jesus knows that.

[Imikida]

I've been playing video games for so many years now, I've never got the urge to kill anyone.

[live2play]

i dont know man
but after playing mario
i just get the urge to bash some skulls in with my feet

[Plagasx]

Maybe because you suck at it?

[lzim]

@Plaga

Yes actually.

But the underlying thing there is that some games are buggy and bugs and glitches can spark off basic reptilian reactions (to a perceived) unfair hindrance to progress.

reactions can range from turning off the game because it isn't fun
Or seeing those things as an extra challenge which enhances the experience
Or you smack the nearest person to you and blame the game.

[live2play]

plagas, izim

wow guys i was making a sarcastic joke...

playing gun games make you want to shoot people according to cnn

i said after playing mario i feel like jumping on peoples heads... you know mario jumps on... you get it?

after playing kirby i just want to turn into a cannibal and eat people?... still dont get it?

after playin- ah you get it

[lzim]

IDK.. but some videos games do exacerbate the fundamental short tempered easy to wrath psychopath that bubbles up when I have to deal with stupid people.. speeding drivers.. loud neighbours etc.

CNN probably should have said killing virtual things in a game could reduces or wears down the barrier we should have since childhood if raised in such a society where there are such laws, that inhibits lashing violently or acting out on violent thoughts.

[slaton24]

call of duty causes people to kill.....tell me who doesnt ahow agression towards the pathetic servers, little kids playin and starting alot of bullcrap and of course the thrill of the chase

[HammadTheBeast]

I bet you listened to rap music when you were younger. The neuronic wavelengths from the destructive rap music and the violence inducing video games must have triggered an urge to NOT kill someone.

lolwut.

[Mottsy]

I been playing video games for as long as i can remember and my Real life K/D ratio is still a big fat 0! put that in ur pipe and smoke it CNN

[chad22hkd]

But your a ginger, we know the anger lies deep in you, and you have no soul!! lol

[RuleNumber5]

It's just such an easy excuse for people to make when trying to explain something that is inexplicable, like these shootings were.

[NastyLeftHook0]

Video Games are a catalyst for normal human beings to have fun and simplify there time, perhaps experience art such as many titles.

Psychopaths were always going to kill somebody weather they picked up a game of mario or not.

Video Games can actually be therapeutic given the right circumstances and individual.

[LostDjinn]

This is reminiscent of so many cases that seem to crop up. Where people that don't actually have any insight into a persons' mindset at or prior to an atrocity are asked their opinion. Pat Brown gave this one (that's the one you just read the headline of in case you were wondering).

http://www.foxnews.com/ente... Leonard Berkowitz gave this one.

Here it is for you lazy f#@%ers that don't want to give Fox the hit: “There have been a tremendous number of studies showing that violent movies can indeed increase the likelihood that somebody in the audience will act aggressively,” He then continued with "“There is considerable research that such an effect could have indeed taken place. Just as people get sexual ideas from watching a sexual movie, other people can get aggressive ideas from watching an aggressive movie. Those members of the of the audience who have some violent tendencies or an aggressive disposition may then be influenced to act upon those ideas.”

Seems strange that both Pat and Lenny missed the fact that the person in question had just had their life fall apart. The obviously lack of any support network (friends/family) and the lack of effort put in by the College (that tossed him out) to ensure his well being don't even rate a mention. I mean are we suppose to believe this guy simply woke one morning and decided: "today's the day I train to become a mass murderer." I mean seriously. What a crock!

As far as I'm concerned, if the causes were treated (or at least noticed) there wouldn't be any need for scapegoating. The damn thing wouldn't have happened in the first place. Of course people would have to accept responsibility for their actions (or lack there of) after the fact. Which brings us back to scapegoating.

F#@%in' marvelous isn't it. I'm gettin' dizzy.

[jeeves86]

What a lot of people seem to be missing (And by that I mean A LOT) is that so much of this is taken out of context.

When you look at the original clip, Pat always references back to the fact that the guy's a psychopath. The games that 'get you in the mode to do the killing' works for psychopaths.

People were so ready on the defensive that they failed to comprehend the actual message getting across. Sensationalist titles like this one misconstrue the actual message and it gets lost in a sea of hate.

Brown never really blamed gaming for anything.

[Pozzle]

Oh ffs. The bodies of the victims are barely even cold... Obviously the most important thing to worry about is whether or not the killer played video games! /s

[NegativeCreep427]

and even if it was casually AND even if it involved videogames that were not so violent like platformers and sports games, it is still the optimal cop-out for the media. They are building controversy, because controversy merits attention, which merits hits on CNN's website, which ultimately results in profits.

Scavengers is what CNN and most other media outlets are. F'n desperate beasts in the wild.

[jc48573]

we need more Batmans.

[Kran]

Too soon mate...

[Kran]

It was only a matter of time.

I wish the media would shut the f**k up and concentrate on what really matters: helping to understand the TRUE reasons behind the killings. This isn't helping; if anything it's making it worse.

[WeskerChildReborned]

What about movies then?

[Kran]

Dont worry.

Movies, comic books, regular books, video games, radio shows, TV shows, YouTube videos, Disney, sex, jelly beans, turtles...

They all contribute one way or another ¬¬ /s

[googergieger]

Seriously for every person that did something bad and played video games, there is a person that didn't do something bad and played video games. I mean you reckon even more people play video games and don't do anything bad. As has been said and is beyond common knowledge, if it wasn't video games it would have been something else.

[WildArmed]

Obviously angry music makes murderers.

And shows like Dexter have created serial killers.

Oh and movies like Desperado create gun-junkies.

Last but not least, News makes idiots.

[RuleNumber5]

Agreed. Remember the scene in the movie theater from the movie Inglorious Bastards? I know it wasn't the exact same act but it was the same idea.

It just sucks that people are trying to explain an inexplicable act. Maybe people will be able to explain what happened six months from now, but you can't nine hours after it happened.

Those people should've shut their mouths and allow information to arrive before saying the first thing that came to their brilliant minds (sarcasm on the brilliant part)

Isn't it ridiculous how we all probably knew this would happen? It was almost a given that someone would blame video games.

huuuuhhhh...stupid people

[Batzi]

But he claimed to be the Joker how is that "video game" related? Joker existed for decades in comic books way before video game consoles would even exist. CNN, STFU!

[ACEMANWISE]

Think about it. The guy goes to college, gets good grades, gets nowhere after graduation, and then goes back, probably in doubt that more education would even help. So he turns to the Joker for advice.

Maybe the joker's philosophy in that movie had more truth than what people expected. Maybe that's why he symbolically became the joker that day.

Maybe he introduced "a little anarchy....because it's fair, and unbiased".

His appearance as the joker was a symbolic message as to the motives of his murder spree. He got screwed after college and got left with bills...and no progress.

[jc48573]

I play and talk about videogames all the time and all my friends know I like them including violent ones. I guess they should be afraid of me? Nah, I take them out in a game of ping pong. I like it fair and square just the way games are.

[Straightupbeastly]

I called this yesterday check my timeline

[Them_Bones]

I agree, one time a few years back my brother wouldn't shut up about something so I stuck on a bit of san andreas and that motivated me to beat the shit out of him with a dildo, leading to his death.

[Wingsfan24]

Ok CNN, I'll let you know the next time my game pops up with a tutorial on "How to Kill Somebody in Real Life For Dummies"

[Cpt Jack House]

Who didn't see this coming?

[NegativeCreep427]

and he's blind and dead.

[SovereignSnaKe]

-OH OH and I bet he listened to KMFDM and Rammstein too!

-Seriously though, what's really tragic is these counter articles don't get across to the right people, we gamers read them but we already know this is not true, in the mean time CNN and MSNBC are telling our parents and grandparents "THE GAMES MADE HIM DO IT" -just so f'ing irritating!

[RuleNumber5]

Yep! Could not agree more. People take what an "expert" says as actual fact when really it was just their half-assed opinion, not fact, that was based off a grudge or stereotype in the first place. It's such a mom excuse to blame video games.

A lot of people watch CNN then take stupid people's comments like that literally and what they now think or believe based off of it. It's f%$king poison for people who don't know better, which I think is a lot of people unfortunately.

[brettski]

Next report from CNN: sports themed video games make kids healthier!

You heard it here first

[Fatty]

Games don't get me in the mood to do the killing, but CNN articles do.

[NastyLeftHook0]

:0

[Series_IIa]

We need to ban gaming, while we're at it, we need to ban books because when you read a particularly graphic novel, graphic in the sense of violence you need to visualise that in your head, which dependent on the person is more violent than other peoples, ban films too... Have you seen the violence in some of these films?

Ban the news and newspapers too, they talk about wars and violence all the time, its infesting peoples minds.

After that we can then focus on banning photography as the internet has some violent images on which can corrupt minds.

[ConstipatedGorilla]

The news media is probably more responsible than any other one part of society, if they really want to start pointing fingers. And they know it too.

[Xperia_ion]

That image breaks my heart, piece of shit deserves the death penalty

[HacSawJimThugin]

Fuck Pat Brown...

[ConstipatedGorilla]

So what made people violent before video games then?

[Somebody]

Two religious books got thousands of men into the mood to kill each other for centuries.

A soccer match got a South American general into the mood of war when his country lost.

A single book made the Germans get in the mood to invade Europe in the 1940s.

Games got millions of gamers into the mood to kill each others...online. So, CNN is partly right.

[ironcreed]

The ocassional wacko goes nuts, so we need to punish all of the normal folks? What kind of logic is that?

[ApolloTheBoss]

I knew they gonna say this. I knew it!!

[HmongAmerican]

LOL. I was thinking the same thing when I saw it on the news.

[KidCuDiWINS]

This shit again? It's the 90s with GTA all over again.

[Tzuno]

Frustrated and boring people tell this because they are so lame and they don't accept the fact they're plain stupid.

[th3_d3an]

so sick of seeing this BULLSHIT!!! my son is 9 loves playing army has all the nerf guns and he plays call of duty on my ps3 hes even watched black hawk down with me he knows right from wrong and games movies and tv from real life he gets all great grades in school and everyone has always said he is the most behaved kid they have ever seen people kill people not games movies tv or music PERIOD!!! that jackass needs to be made an example of put him in front of that screen and let the survivors and family take shots at him with guns

[th3_d3an]

those who disagree your as delusional as the people pointing fingers everywhere except at the jackoff responsible get a life!!

[explicitbaron]

I'm not even going to click the link. If you're a gamer don't contribute to these horrible stories. Can we plaese fail this story. Video games don't kill people or help them. If someone is a psychopath you can't blame music, video games, movies or any entertainment, they're a psychopath.

[PirateThom]

I've been playing video games all my life and I have never killed anyone.

In fact, in life, I'm pretty mild mannered, don't get annoyed, but I use videogames (and tennis) as an OUTLET for anger and annoyance.

Video games don't make people violent, being violent makes people violent.

[StoutBEER]

I play ALOT of shooters and get irritated and pissed at the GAMES sometimes. But never have i once thought id take the agression out on people. Especially inocent people!

[Dazel]

Same shit, different day.

[sjaakiejj]

The article posted by "The Examiner" is misleading, and leads you to believe that CNN reported that video games were to blame. What CNN actually said was that Video Games did not cause this incident, but the shooter may have used them to feel mentally ready to perform the act.

E.g. He used them as exercise, but he would have committed the crime regardless.

The comments are actually some of the most accurate I have seen coming from the mainstream media in a long time. Psychopaths and Murderers are violent on their own, and violent games therefore appeal to them.

[RayRay36]

I actually seen HLN saying that no kind of media influences this kind of behavior. I was like finally someone gets the video game topic....but it's HLN lol. "Headline News". Literally, laughable.

[TemplarDante]

People kill people, CNN.
Movies are more to blame. That nerd rage Joker guy emulated a comic book / movie character.
Typical society. Rather than find solutions, they spend time pointing fingers.

[SnakePlissken]

Jesus, it takes a certain kind of mentally disturbed and sick person to do what he did! Nothing more, nothing less. Case closed! So stop looking for answers that just arent there! Fuckin media, Christ!

[ApolloTheBoss]

So hundreds of people in Syria are dying everyday because terrorists played violent video games? Got ya.

[swishersweets20031]

i love when shit like this happens.

[extermin8or]

Never mind killing people- I play video games and I'm gripped by an urge to put on a pair of slacks, climb into the sewers and start jumping on every form of animal life i see ensuring it goes squish... wacking it with hammers, setting it on fire or cryogenically freezing it is also fun..... No but seriously when I first saw this news after the "poor people" thought came the "hmm when will they blame batman films" and then "and when will some moron blame video games?" both questions have been answered; took longer than I expected though so is that a good sign? usually they are faster off the mark to blame these things?

Normal people will not be made into psychotic killing machines by TV, films, video games or books; if you can find me a game or film etc that has turned more than 70-80%ish of people to see, read or play it into a homicidal
psycho and send them on a killing spree or attempt one then, maybe just maybe I'll agree you have a point but right now the incidence must be <0.001% shame it's not 0% really...
Although if you read it thoroughly the guy specifies if you are a psychopath, not normal people sooo...

[Soldierone]

i was actually surprised they blamed comic books again. Right after it happened, crappy news outlets started blaming the comic where Joker kills people in a porn theater.

Thats the media for you. Why did it happen? Well lets avoid logical solutions and blame it on something else!

[AsimLeonheart]

There was a lot of killing in the world even when technology and video games did not even exist so why are they blaming games now? Nazis did not play games, Mongols did not play games and terrorists do not play games but they still killed millions.

[skyrim]

I would have to agree with wait..................what am I saying FUS RO DAH

[darthkai]

CNN can't even get actual news right, let alone give an informed opinion about video games.

[renegade]

This kind of things have happened before games had existed.. Politics,religions,drugs, etc have cause people kill each other every day.

[Soldierone]

IF CNN had an actual journalists (LmAO) then they would have known by now that the guy had no social network accounts, and there was no reports of game consoles in his home.....So the person that wrote this( The CNN article) is a total idiot, and a big example of why I don't run to these idiot runned main stream media websites for any "news".....

CNN is terrible at covering video games as is, its obvious no one there has ever played a video game properly.....If anything, they are the ones too stupid to understand right and wrong, reality from fantasy....

[ACEMANWISE]

This is the 3rd time video games have been the source of blame for acts of crime and violence. As such this will be the 3rd time I place these hypocrites in their rightful place.

For starters he was smart. Graduated high school in 2006, graduated college with honors in Neuroscience in 2010, and then went to further his education again in 2011. He is known to be "highly competitive" and "highly motivated".

Let's see. This sounds very similar to the causes of Japan's extremely high suicide rate in Japan. In the last several years the suicide rate has risen there. The question is why?

We know that the world experienced a global recession in 2008. Now, despite what the TV tells everyone, I have not seen the improvements in the economy to the extent the numbers on the tube.

What likely happened here is this guy tried his best, got good grades, and failed in the real world. So he immediately went back to college, disgruntled of course, in hopes of overcoming the odds against him. He then realized that listening to the system got him nowhere and will likely repeat itself if he continues to "do the right thing".

From my experience I've seen a nurse get laid off after 19 years of service with one year left before retirement. I've seen a master mechanic, who worked two jobs at fire stations get laid off from one job after working there all his life and is now getting slack from the second one. I've seen a woman with a master's degree in computers, who worked for IBM, that got laid off and couldn't find ANY job for at least one year. I've seen another who became an ICU nurse that had to leave his job because the company was cutting so many corners in healthcare it was almost certain death to his patients. I've got another person who became a teacher, only to be shafted, because she was always positive at work. No joke. The list goes on but never do they dare mention the economy as a factor for people wigging out. These people are good people, trying to make a life and actually earn their worth...only to get shafted in the end, sometimes moreso because they became educated.

Now I'm not saying what this guy did was justified. Yet to say it's from video games is ridiculous especially when there are more obvious, and life threatening, issues in everyday life. People are struggling 22 hours of everyday and they blame the remaining 2 hours on video games. Right now I'd have to say video games are the only thing preventing acts such as that. Don't believe me? Start looking around.

[blackhammer]

Getting laid off from your job helps get you get in the mood to do the killing.

[p_bateman]

So glad guns are illegal in the uk we don't have to worry about protecting ourselves from the deadly weapons. America is addicted to guns and won't ban them because of the money they make to the gun industry ironically there more interested in banning weed which kills zero people and helps cancer sufferers threw chemotherapy.

[brettski]

Guns don't kill people. People kill people. This is very tragic but let's not blame guns or games for this sickos actions. If he didn't have a fine he clearly knew how to build a bomb.

Ps the bad guys still get guns in the UK

[310dodo]

i read the article.
what the man said is kinda true.

video games don't make a "normal" person kill

...but a sick person with "mental" issues might very well get enthused by violence from games

[Sgt_Slaughter]

He was obsessed... WITH GUITAR HERO!! So there goes your video game blasting, CNN.

[MYRMIK]

Unfortunately, this response is expected with every shooting, and likely thought up by the journalist to get attention.

[InTheLab]

Bulls***! I've played games since I was 5 years old and have only killed 6 people...

[ironcreed]

Here is the thing. The guy thinks he is the Joker and goes on a rampage at the new Batman flick, yet this quack points the finger at games, lol? Yes, that makes total sense.

[Rashonality]

actually....
i don't blame the mainstream media for portraying us as violent media.
i mean look at the market today, between every gray shooter and another is a brown shooter, these days 70%~ of what the companies make are shooters and violent games in general.
and the online multiplayer made things even worse, with kids swearing and raging it draw a nasty picture of us gamers.

that's why people think ill of us, lets face it we brought it on our selves by buying every shooter that comes out and helping the companies streamline these kind of games.

i mean movie industry is more balanced, yes there are violent movies but there's also comedies and romantic flicks while video game industry only have shooters (either FPS or TPS or what ever thing with an S at the end).

[ginsunuva]

Hurry! Hide the lack of arms security. Blame it on something. You know, the usual. Teh videogamez.

[silvacrest]

why is it that TV, movies, books etc never get the blame despite showing some of the most depraved/violent actions a human being could imagine yet a video game that usually has the standard shooting/gore/physical violence ALWAYS get the blame??

[Kratoscar2008]

Videogames dont make killers, society and its standards is what make killers.

[NotSoSilentBob]

Everything is the scape goat for bad parenting or negligent parents. It is sad that video games get the bad rap for these things.

[aviator189]

Nope, I don't feel violent after a session of gaming. Just happy and satisfied.

[Urbz7870]

That didn't take long for sum one to blame video game for this incident. It's already been scientifically proven that video game don't cause people to be violent.

[IaussieGamer]

Here we go again blaming games for these killings. People Kill not Games.

[esemce]

Don't you fools know? the Vikings, Mongols and Romans were massive video game junkies.

[dcbronco]

The funny thing is the Japanese are far more into video games than Americans but they have nowhere near our murder rate. Maybe it's just us.

[ChunkyLover53]

I knew it'd get turned around onto video games at some point. People who kill other people are already at a level considered insane. You seriously have to be crazy to kill another human being.

To blame those actions on something like movie violence or video games is really passing the buck. We do live in violent times, and people can see much WORSE violence on the daily news or with a newspaper.

[Neko_Mega]

Wasn't their someone that proofed that thats bs and the kid had to be screwed up pretty bad already to do that. I blame the parents, heck where did get all the stuff to do this?

[EminemAt3AM]

All video games do is temporarily increase aggression, but that is during the actual playing of the game. Just like sports. During a football game, the players are cussing like crazy, and threatening to kill each other, but after the game, the feelings have died down. Video games also desensitize people to violence, but there is a fine line between someone who is desensitized, and someone who is a murderer. In addition, desensitization comes from movies, music, TV, AND video games.

[LiquifiedArt]

So does getting cut off on the road or getting something stolen or losing your phone or....

[dcbronco]

What was the name of that video game Hitler used to always play? Napoleon used to play it too.

[StreetsofRage]

Well porn does make me want to have sex soooo.....

Seriously, they should ban Religion since it has contributed to millions and millions of deaths and wars.

[lorcraven]

Ino how come religion never gets any bad press every time people commit massacres, and then specifically attribute it to religion. Yet somebody commits a massacre without even mentioning video games and that somehow means they're to blame.

[JoeSchmoh]

Religion is DECEPTION in it's purest form. Just like Sex is Temptation in it's purest form.

[lorcraven]

Whenever something bad happens there's always some retard who points the blame towards video games.

Never mind factors like poverty and crime, disenfranchised citizens in an corporate society, wars being raged across the globe on a day to day basis or one of the ten gazillion factors in 21st century life that make us who we are.

Just blame it on the games, one of the few actually good things in the world today! Fucking pisses me off when I see this kind of uneducated nonsense from scaremonger propaganda news stations.

[CanadianTurtle]

I'd say movies have the bigger impact.

But don't worry guys, it's not like video games will be banned because of this. I've studied criminology at my college and it's proven that video games and entertainment do more good than bad.

[AngelicIceDiamond]

"I'm not saying Video games make you a killer. But if you're a Psychopath, video games help you get in the mode to do the killing."

Well shit, KEY WORD: PSYCHOPATH...

If mainstream keeps blaming games for this kind of senseless violence. I can see in the near future, people putting us through some kind of test to see who is mentally stable before we play any kind of violent game. To see who would be considered crazy or a psychopath of sorts. SMH, I would never go through that if it ever comes down to it..

[KMCROC54]

Barry White got me in the mood for sex does that mean am going on a raping spree. will someone please tell these people to stop trying to connect this mess to games, they are not to blame . His parents & the system failed him,those are the one who are to blame not games or films.

[Roccetarius]

It was only a matter of time before the Media found a scapegoat. As usual, it's the gamers.

[kingPoS]

Wait! So someone shoots up the theater and suddenly video games are again at fault? What about the murders in the 1980's... Were video games back then to blame as well?
It seems to me that in today's age you don't even have to look hard for a scapegoat. "Sigh"

[VTKC]

I am guessing the person who did all what I think is senseless killing is one of the unfortunate guys who got bullied at school or singled out and never got a girlfriend and didnt have many friends.
All this got to him and he finally snapped.

[Dubblewhopper]

Slowly plays "Soundtrack to the Apocalypse" by Slayer.....

[JoeSchmoh]

Of course someone on CABLE NEWS (FOX, CNN, MSNBC) has to blame VIDEOGAMES for a mass murder! Because they know in reality their bullshit cable news station is the source for all the HATE IN AMERICA! Oh yea, and if he mocked a videogame. Then what videogame teaches you to wire your home with trip wire and traps with bombs?!

I think someone was watching a little bit too much The Dark Knight and thought he was the joker. I just read a tweet from TMZ that the inmates in jail were contemplating taking him out in jail. See kids, there is a such thing as hell..and if you fk up stuff, the police will give you a free ride there and drop you off.

[smashcrashbash]

I would like to point out that if all it takes is a video game to make you go out and kill people then you are either stupid, brainless brute or an unstable psychopath. NO game or movie or book or anything has ever made me want to be more violent. Anyone is so easily affected by these medias needs to be put in an asylum. If you can't tell the difference between reality and imagination then your mind is warped beyond reason.If you are a little kid and you run around jumping on things thinking you are Superman, Batman Hulk and Spiderman, pretending to shoot guns I understand that. But these are grown people. You can't excuse them with 'the video games made them do it'. Video games don't MAKE you do anything.The blood that you spill is still all on you not the characters in the game.

[skyblue14213]

My heart and prayers go out to the victims of the Colorado movie theater massacre.

I have a question:

How on earth was video games dragged into the situation of a massacre in a MOVIE THEATER???

Apparently violence that occurred in all forms that existed before video games were invented, the many unbiased psychological studies that prove that video games actually relieve stress and violent tendencies, and the millions of people that play video games throughout the years that don't commit violent acts because of video games don't apply or matter to the hypocritical, senseless, ignorant, cheese dick idiots that have a vendetta and tyrannical war against video games.

I guess those hypocrites should take their own advice and stop doing or exposing themselves to any form of entertainment or other subject matter that contains violence since by their logic it can cause/influence themselves to commit violence, right? After all they should lead by example right?

[BlackPhoenix]

Surely a sane indivisual can't do something like this and even if he thought he had some reason (the way terrorists like to think) he wouldn't be introducing himself as the joker.

http://www.theage.com.au/wo...

There are many insane things people do. That's because they are mad and not cuz they played video games.

[urwifeminder]

The mind is a complicated beast something broke in this guys thought process to be studying neuro science he cant have been an idiot but he has obvious mental issues in a perfect word this tragedy would not have happened but i bet it wont be the last, land of the free needs gun reform.

[Bolts]

I miss the 80s where they blame violence and murder on Dungeon and Dragons and Metal. Nobody blame them these days. In fact I could go on a murdering rampage tomorrow wearing a Metallica shirt and backpack full of D&D rule books and they'll still blame guns and video games.

[JoeSchmoh]

RIGHT!

[HurstDarkStar]

I like how people think that blamming guns in america would be a good thing, you know we are the strongest military in the world right? Seriously do you have that much blind faith in government to do the right thing.....oh god you do?it's literally the only thing stopping our government from trying to f*** us over. think im wrong? go to north Korea, china , Russia or any third world country where they are banned and see if those people wouldn't want guns available for citizens.

yeah and stop blaming deaths on games it makes no logical sense.

[NeoTribe]

Why not just except the fact that certain individuals are fucked in the head for some reason or another. Love how they accuse games and not movies. Even though he was in a movie theater pretty much acting out a batman villian type skit for real. He even went as far as to say "I am the joker". Where did he get that from? Musta been halo or gta or somethin.... my thing is if there gonna blame games they have to blame movies... movies are more realistic and depict rape, murder and all negative emotions much clearer than a game does. Always trying to come up with some excuse there these scumbags.

[helghast102]

I'm currently training my killing skills in JRPGs, just you wait world, when I learn the ultimate magic, YOU'LL BE SORRY.

[Psycho_Mantis]

Just think what kind of America we would live in without guns to prevent these tragic events as well. But sadly an America such as that will probably never exist....

[ShiftyLookingCow]

Supposedly according to his cousin he didn't play shooters, so this whole point is moot. Besides it's not humans need an excuse to kill.

[Finalfantasykid]

Last time I checked, video games weren't around when this guy was around http://upload.wikimedia.org...

[HonestDragon]

"So, uh, yeah. This happened. Once again another incident relating to a college student who goes crazy and decides to attack society only this time at a theater. You know, if this turns out to be another case of a college guy who had mental issues and was on medication, but then stopped taking said medication I have to ask: Why are these people allowed to walk among us unmonitored?"

"We have had maybe seven or eight incidents like this happen over the course of less than ten years. Of course, the media will spin what they can and find scapegoats for these "mentally disturbed" individuals like as if it's not their fault. Well, it is. They aren't taking their medication knowingly. Then what happens? People completely unrelated to them in any form are hurt because that person goes on a violent shooting spree. It just goes to show that people can't even go the movies without worrying that some nutjob is going to barge in with an M4 and mow down everyone."

This is what I wrote on my Facebook on Friday after I heard about this incident. You know what? I'm not surprised. Go figure and leave it to CNN to bring up video games as the "cause" of this unfortunate event. I will personally laugh at their expense for being wrong once the authorities discover that the actual cause for this man's violent act was a result of mental health or possibly parental upbringing.

However, the other and more logical issue to bring up is how this man managed to get the kind of equipment that he had. Automatic weapons, tear gas, a gas mask, and a bulletproof vest. And he goes on a shooting spree in a movie theater. Practically spells C-R-A-Z-Y if you ask me.

No, the question shouldn't be: Are video games responsible for random acts of violence? My answer: No, hell no! That's like saying that rated R movies are responsible for random acts of violence. No, the question should be: Why aren't gun registrations more thorough with their applicants? This is a gun regulation issue. Not a video game issue!

[dcbronco]

There is a reason news companies don't focus on the fact that these people are usually on some kind of medication. Or have mental issues at all. It's because the companies that are responsible for dealing with those issues advertise on their shows. You won't see many VG commercials on Fox or CNN. But you'll see a ton of commercials for drugs. They won't mess with their money.

But I think you're doing the same thing CNN did with guns. The NRA goes overboard sometimes when it comes to guns. But they are right when they say "Guns don't kill people, people do". If it was all about the guns, prison would be the safest place to be. But they're not because they are full of psychopaths and societal sheep. I've shot assault rifles on many occasions and enjoy it a ton. I' will continue to and plan to shoot in the next week or two. But they've never made me want to shoot a bunch of people.

Violence has been around since the beginning of time. It's one of the things we humans are most consistent at. Guns are relatively new in history. This isn't an unsolvable "chicken and egg" scenario. It's, unfortunately, who people are. And like any addiction, admitting the problem is the first step.

We scapegoat too much. Especially in America.
Lie:
Exposing kids to nudity makes them sexual.
Truth:
Most of the world show nudity on TV and they have far less teen pregnancy.
Lie:
Availability of drugs is a problem.
Truth:
Some countries decriminalizes drugs and have far lower(way,way lower)addiction rates. Many countries offer oxycondone, even in high doses, as an over the counter drug. Without the addiction issues we have.

We need to grow up and start taking responsibility and stop blaming anyone buy ourselves.

[HonestDragon]

"But I think you're doing the same thing CNN did with guns."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold it right there. I'm not trying to spin this and put it on guns. Don't compare me to CNN. I'm bringing up gun regulations in relation to how this guy got them in the first place and more so if he is a nutjob. I suggest that background checks need to be more universal and thorough to avoid incidents like this.

"I've shot assault rifles on many occasions and enjoy it a ton. I' will continue to and plan to shoot in the next week or two. But they've never made me want to shoot a bunch of people."

I can easily say the same thing about playing video games for hours on end and having fun. Shooting is your hobby. Good. Everyone should have a hobby. Yes, guns do not automatically lead to people wanting to shoot people. That's a ridiculous accusation.

I am a gun enthusiast myself. I have my favorite guns I want to try out. I am also a gamer. When I see issues not being addressed in a story, I will speak my mind and defend my position. If it turns out that this guy is mentally sick, stopped taking his medication, and had the means to cause a violent act this, then this brings up two issues.

1) Why isn't he being monitored to take his medication if they know he's mentally ill? Every story relating to something like this tells the same result: mentally sick guy stops taking meds, goes out to a public area, and shoots everyone they see. If a person is mentally sick and has violent impulses, then they need to be monitored more.

2) Who in their right mind just sold him firearms and tear gas? I facepalmed when I read that he had tear gas. I don't know what Colorado's gun laws are, but they sure as hell better polish them up. Whoever gave the okay for this guy to have access to this kind of equipment needs their license revoked. This is what background checks are for. To make sure you know who you're dealing with.

So, in short, my position is that people who are mentally sick, are known to act out, and are on medication need to be monitored more. Also, gun regulations need to be enforced better when it comes to the selling of them.

[dcbronco]

I agree that there should be background checks. I believe a ballistic fingerprint should be taken of every gun sold. I'm not a criminal so I have no problem with that. I do understand the people that say they don't want to have every gun registered because , like the some of Founding Fathers believed, we may have to take over our government. When, I should say if, people ever develop a brain and figure out the BS going on in this country they might realize that a vote might not straighten things out.

But here's the problem, not all mental issues are congenital. He might have gone nuts over time. And being intelligent he might have been smart enough to know how to get around the questions on that test. So if he has no previous mental issues, there is no way to trip him up.

But there is no reason to believe this guy was mentally off. Don't believe I just typed that. But I have a feeling when he does finally start talking, we'll find out that this was a guy that just came to the end of his rope. Some of the comments about him give me the impression that he could only find a job at McDonald's. Even though he was a medical student.

I think what he will turn out to be a anew norm. People that lost their homes in the bubble and shot themselves or the people trying to evict them. We have been so stupid for the last century that we have not only allowed a few to basically make us slaves, but we celebrate them for it. They are looked up to for manipulating us. I think this is a guy that said to himself, I did everything they said I was supposed to and when it was time to be rewarded there was nothing for me.

Many people in this country believe in the "work hard and you will be rewarded" lie. And now more and more are finding out it's not always true. As the demands to become successful go higher(and success itself becomes a profitable business(higher education) more and more people are going to realize they've been lied too. And more and more will react this way. Unless we stop voting for the same clowns, this will be our new norm. We've done this to ourselves. We believe in too many fairy tales and rely on others to lead us too much.

Teargas and booby traps can be made with material bought from grocery and hardware stores using books that can be bought on the Internet or at a store.

This took me less than five seconds to find. I assume any idiot on this site could too so I will link it.

http://www.bombshock.com/we...

The Internet is full of videos and sites that will teach you this and just about any explosive you can think of. There is a famous book that contains methods for all of this stuff that I won't name but you can order it on Amazon. Yes, Amazon.com sells books that teach you how to make bombs and booby traps. SO if CNN wants to blame games, they can blame Amazon too. You don't even have to go to a gunshow anymore.

This is our new norm. No background check is going to keep this guy from getting a gun. And unless you want to pull every cleaning solution off the grocery store shelves, people will be able to make concoctions that will incapacitate people....or use them to make bombs. I've seen the recipe for making homemade Napalm. I bet you use the main two ingredients every week. And I bet the money came from the federal grant he received for his Ph.D.

[SuperbVillain]

If a video game has the power to actually turn a person violent,that person may have real problems and should get help

[OneAboveAll]

The irony here is that the daily news such as FOX/CNN etc show vulgar, violent footage on a daily basis. Every time I see a story like THIS (blame video games) on FOX it makes me want to go ape shit and attack them people who work there... lol

[MWH]

the picture is hilarious, as if they "survived" the evil of video games!

[TKCMuzzer]

I think they just use things as a distraction. I mean, the guy legally buys a selection of guns and thousands of rounds of ammunition and no one bats an eye lid. In today's world you thought this would have flagged up on a computer somewhere, that's nothing to do with video games.
There has always been violence through the past. There is no cause. Human beings are flawed and every now and then one of them will take it out violently on others. It will never change because no one really knows what's going on in someone else's mind.

[Jamaicangmr]

They still on this bullsh!t? Stop blaming videogames for not raising ur kids right. If anything videogames has prevented me from being violent by being a channel for my aggression. So there a counter to your point.

When will this get old? 1st they blamed movies now videogames *Rolls eyes*

[StayStatic]

Still beating that dead horse are we ...

[mananimal]

Question: How does an unemployed medical student afford $20,000 in weapons gear?

If you start to look at the really big picture here, the obvious question arises: How does an unemployed medical student afford all the complex weapons gear, bomb-making gear, "flammable" booby trap devices, ammunition, multiple magazines, bullet-proof vest, groin protection, ballistic helmet, SWAT uniform and all the rest of it?

A decent AR-15 rifle costs $1,000 or more all by itself. The shotgun and handgun might run another $800 total. Spare mags, sights, slings, and so on will run you at least another $1,000 across three firearms. The bullet-proof vest is easily another $800, and the cost of the bomb-making gear is anybody's guess. With all the specialty body gear, ammunition, booby-trap devices and more, I'm guessing this is at least $20,000 in weapons and tactical gear, much of which is very difficult for civilians to get in the first place.

The mere manufacture of an explosive booby-trap device is, all by itself, a felony crime by the way. And remember: "Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates said Holmes' apartment is booby-trapped with a 'sophisticated' maze of flammable devices. It could take hours or days for authorities to disarm it," reported Yahoo News ( http://sg.sports.yahoo.com/...

Question: Where does an unemployed, introverted medical school student get the training to deploy sophisticated booby traps, tactical body armor, weapons systems and more? Certainly not in graduate school!

All this leads to an obvious third party influence over all this. Someone else taught this guy these skills and funded the acquisition of the equipment.

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/...

[dcbronco]

Unemployed doesn't always mean completely broke. He may have had family support. Or help from friends. It doesn't mean someone was helping him do this. They say he is very intelligent. And guns can be gotten cheap.

Reporters make everything seem bigger than it is. They get paid to make it a "show". They always say things like "Didn't it raise flags when he bought so much ammo"? Shouldn't it raise flags when you buy so much toilet tissue? Ammo, like anything else is a lot cheaper when you buy it in bulk. Surplus military equipment is sold all the time. And anyone can go to a gun show and buy a ton of books on how to make booby traps and all kinds of explosives. There is a very famous book that explains how to make just about everything you can think of. There are books that explain how to make Napalm, C-4 and home-made guns. Many morons learn to make this stuff so it is easy to understand how an intelligent person learns. And we are on the Internet.

Everything he did was readily available for cheap. But that is still not the problem. The problem is the thing in his head that made him decide to give up on everything he could have done with his life and throw it away doing something this stupid. And we will never get to solve that issue, for this incident or the many others that have or will happen, if we alway stay focused on blaming something else.

[Arksine]

Its already been reported that all weapons and gear were obtained legally through retail. Glocks, assault rifles, and tactical gear are not cheap.

I'm not saying that he was somehow financed through a 3rd party, but he did manage to scrape together quite a bit of cash to afford this. Probably closer to $10K total than $20K though. Could have used a student loan obtained for the semester he withdrew from school.

[BuffMordecai]

The media in general is so fucking stupid.

[Lucretia]

Videogames is the reason why the romans made the gladiator games. Hitler played so many videogames and tons of COD so he decided to commit mass genocide.

yep videogames are the root of all violence, not humanity. Its not Humanities fault that we are so weak minded that a videogame can make us wanna kill!!!!!

/s

[PooEgg]

The reality is this guy was probably influenced by video news coverage of previous school shootings, or other mass shootings.

Our wonderful media (including CNN) glorifies criminals, giving them their 15 minutes of fame. A unstable person watches the news, they see the smiling face of the criminal, they see the carnage, and they learn how easy it is to get guns/bullets. Video games my ass!

[turgore]

Communist News Network (CNN) is a joke.

[acemonkey]

wow he doesnt know shit

[CYBERHATER]

here we go again. Blame blame blame and don't even know squat.

[Dms2012]

I blame college, it seems to be a common thread in most of the shootings the past several years.
/s

[MiamiACR21]

That crying moron in the picture is always good for a laugh or three.

[Pana]

Yeah ignore the fact he was dressed as the Joker. Must have been videogames. He clearly didn't draw inspiration from the prior movie in the franchise of the film he attended or the comic that is attached to it. It was videogames all along.

[GameGuy]

There is plenty of other forms of entertainment that could possibly get someone on the mood to kill someone. This is just a statement made by a troll who wants to throw video games under the bus.

[byeldell34]

why is it allways video games?

[sriki007]

i'd say watching cnn. Makes killers. I'd like to be proven wrong by cnn.

[RmanX1000]

Media thought process:
"Well that was a fun play for LittleBigPlanet..."
"Man i feel like murdering now.."

[aNDROiD17_]

oh fuck here we go

[techrave]

Ignorant is all i can say.

[Nes_Daze]

In the U.S., you never think about correcting the source of the problem, you think about punishment and who's to blame. Cowardice at its finest...

[AO1JMM]

Wrong but nice try....

If someone is acting out stuff from movies/games then they obviously have other issues and it isn't the movies/games fault (duh!).

The person who murdered all those people is to blame not videogames or movies.

[Nes_Daze]

Did I mention that video games or movies were to blame? In fact, I'm saying that as always, the media finds someone to blame, next you'll see them forming a shit storm over the man's trial. There needs to be more focus on learning why these things happen, that's what I meant.

[Donnywho]

When people got tired of blaming God, they created the devil.
I blame skinny jeans.

[RickHiggity]

If there's one thing I look down upon, It's people using national tragedies to push an aganda.

[Mkai28]

Soo.. Cain played video games?

[Over726]

I guess no one kills because they are crazy anymore, it has to be TV, music, video games, movies. has anyone heard someone say "the US has an insanity plea that could have gotten Hitler off" the sad part is its true.