67% of Polled Republican Voters Say Video Games Are a ‘Bigger Threat to Safety’ Than Guns

Want proof that the maddening campaign to make video games a scapegoat for gun violence is working? Just check out these poll results where the vast majority of people essentially say that video games are scarier than guns.

[majiebeast]

Republican's the angry old white men party. NRA seems to be succeeding with their videogames scapegoat campaign.

[Abdou23]

In other words: " 67% of Polled Republican Voters are idiots "

[Megaton]

Minimum.

[AKS]

That's a very cautious estimate. I think it's probably much higher than that.

[Eyeco]

Annual number of video game related deaths = 0

Annual number of gun related deaths = 11'000

(the actual number is much higher when you factor in suicide)

[morganfell]

The only thing being scapegotaed are the guns. People want to lay the blame on the one thing that has remained relatively unchanged and say "That's the cause of the violence."

And of course people willing to blame anything that doesn't affect them, their livelihood, or their self righteous attitude will agree. They'll claim any ideas are untrue just because it comes from their enemies and cannot fathom a situation where the other side could be correct. There is a word for people like that.

If you think Republicans are just angry old white men then you will never be free from the people on BOTH sides of the aisle that manupulate everyone. All it proves is the otherside is playing you like a sock puppet. Both sides are fiull of people, white, black, young, and old and they have taken from everyone what was the original gift this country promised and that gift didn't involve a giant government with it's hand in your pocket telling you what to do.

If you think the Democrats, Republicans, or any President including Obama are on the right track then you are a modern day, real life case of Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Yeah, they got to you.

I think the individual is to blame for violence. Hard to believe isn't it but this is a cowardly society full of lilly livered yellow bellied trash that always want to blame someone else for their actions. They want to find some study that absolves them while ramming their political views down the throats of others.

A friend of mine posted this before. Enjoy.

https://www.youtube.com/wat...

[insomnium2]

The only problem is that how in the hell do we reach these individuals before they commit their crime?

I can fully understand what you or mr Ong (was it?) are saying but what would be the solution to this problem then?

IMO internet is even more dangerous to the people who are effed up. Internet is the place where they get ideas and help from forums and such. Hell they even get admiration for their actions from some other screwball on the other side of the planet.

[AKS]

"If you think Republicans are just angry old white men then you will never be free from the people on BOTH sides of the aisle that manupulate everyone. All it proves is the otherside is playing you like a sock puppet. Both sides are fiull of people, white, black, young, and old and they have taken from everyone what was the original gift this country promised and that gift didn't involve a giant government with it's hand in your pocket telling you what to do."

What both major corporate political parties are full of is crap. Expanding your thinking beyond consideration of dichotomous polar extremes would help set you free. The "two sides" are superficial; they both represent one side, and that is the side of big corporate interests.

In this case, the NRA does everything it can to protect gun manufacturers, who fund them. Nearly 75% of the NRA's funding from what they call "corporate partners" come from gun manufacturers. The modern day NRA (as opposed to what it originally stood for) is essentially just a collection of corporate lobbyists for gun manufacturers, not some sort of Constitutional freedom fighters.

Regardless, this gun debate is close to irrelevant in my view. If big corporate money is not removed from politics, particularly campaign funding, none of these debates about smaller issues (including the gun control debate) are going to mean anything and nothing will change.

[Old McGroin]

Here's the stats for gun deaths in the US since the tragedy at Newton: http://www.slate.com/articl...

Roughly 1,686 people have been killed by guns since December.
Yeah, GAMES are dangerous. Idiots.

[joab777]

I am a conservative and they are wrong. The reason that they do is because there is a concerted campaign to take their guns. The NRA looked for something to blame and video games are it. Yes, it is true that video games can trigger violence in some ppl, just like movies, books, relationships and on and on. Yes, there are many christians that have jumped on board b/c they fight against anything that isnt Godly. But, at least Christians have been fighting all mediums for 2000 yrs.

I can guarantee you that if guns were not made the focal point of rare and tragic instances and impotent laws were not being written for political gain, we would no be talking about this because it wouldnt be an issue. Leave guns alone and they will leave video games alone.

[MadMax]

Your avatar says it all! Loser!

[jony_dols]

De'r took 'er jo'bs

[NeverEnding1989]

USA! USA! USA!

[GanjaMan]

U.S.A = U SUCK A**HOLES

[Son_Lee]

LOL Republicans think everything is a bigger threat than guns. They're too dumb to realize their own stupidity.

[WeAreLegion]

Interesting... It's like an entire group of people (almost half of America) are collectively stupid.

As a moderate, I think I need to post this.

http://www.thedailyshow.com...

They aren't dumb. They just don't understand video games. It is foreign to them. (Yes, there is an obvious foreign policy joke there, but I'll be nice.) People need teaching; not punishment for ignorance.

[joab777]

There is only one thing more threatening to our freedom and safety than guns, not having the right to bear them.

[cl1983]

Update: As pointed out in comments, 72% of respondents to that poll are older than 45. Also, only Republican voters were asked the video games question, which might explain these breakdowns.

This poll is bogus due to them only asking one party this question.

[torchic]

that's the whole point of the poll, no?

[cl1983]

No, to have an accurate poll all persons whom were questioned should of been the same, and the pollsters also should of tried to have a mixed demographic.

[Pandamobile]

Well, Republicans are all old white men, so their opinion shouldn't matter to many people in 2013.

[wiium64]

sony and microsoft fans, the most of them are young white conservative males, who spout out homophobic slurs, at gay players online, as well as sexist remarks towards women players online. and call nintendo fans, homophobic slurs, girl names, just because we like mario and pokemon... so old republicans, against young republicans, who cares? these young ones, will become old and will feel the same way when the wii u dominates the video game console wars.

[WeAreLegion]

Any audience you had...

...you totally lost with that ending.

[torchic]

of course some person had to turn this into a console fanboy war.

of course.

[WeAreLegion]

It's not just Republicans, people. It's everyone over the age of 30 who does NOT play video games. They are misinformed by various news sources about video games. Why? Because the people at these news sources don't understand video games. It is NOT their fault. They just don't know any better.

We can call each other sheep all day, but it is not going to solve anything. Don't blame. Inform.

[TheFirstClassic]

Well said. It kind of sickens me that people come on here saying all republicans are idiots. People just love to put others down to feel better about themselves. In today's time, if someone believes different than you about anything, then they must be an idiot who is inferior to you. This sort of mindset is the epitome of immaturity. If you want to convince someone of something, you don't tell them how dumb they are and how much better you are. Barely anyone can have a reasonable discussion anymore because everyone's head's too far up their butts.

[Cyrax4]

Democrats seem to get a free pass on this issue. Two of the bigger political stories that came out after the Sandy Hook shooting were from liberals.

GTA 5 Should be Banned - Senator Joe Manchin (Democrat)
http://n4g.com/news/1143216...

Gamers Have to 'Quiet Down' - Senator Leland Yee (Democrat)
http://n4g.com/news/1161135...

Why couldn't Gary Johnson have won?

[Megaton]

Agreed, attacking video games has been widely bipartisan. Hillary Clinton used to be at the forefront of attacking video games with Joe Lieberman.

Republicans are taking more flak for it at the moment since it's largely fringe far-right groups like the NRA leading the charge against video games as a distraction from guns in the wake of Sandy Hook.

[MrBeatdown]

Exactly.

All sides in any argument have their idiots.

There might be more idiots on one side than the other, but it doesn't make the entire side idiots.

Blame the dumb ones for being just that, not Republicans or Democrats or whoever else for having idiots among them.

[GribbleGrunger]

It just shows you how easily people are brainwashed.

[The Meerkat]

And probably 100% of Republican voters think that there is a God and that the world is only 6000 years old.

When you teach children to believe crazy things is it any wonder that they continue to believe crazy things when they are adults.

[goldwyncq]

Christians =/= Young Earth Creationists

[SolidDuck]

Meerkat It's sad to read a comment like that, knowing that's the the world u live in and the way u see certain people. There's no point of going into more detail on a n4g comment section. I just wish the best for u in your life, and that u find more meaning, than it appears u have so far. I'm a Christian and mostly a republican. And I completely disagree with video games being to blame for violence in society.

[solid_warlord]

White southern Christians in America are fanatical. They always get defensive. Places like Alabama and missisipi are packed by proud republican, pro gun, fat delusional christians. I read that reasont survey conducted shows that those places have highest level of closet homosexuals. Blaming Games is so easy, but blaming the thing that kills, The Guns is apparenty very hard. Video games don't kill, Guns do. Why is that difficult to understand.

[palaeomerus]

Meerkat thinks in cartoons, like a child. Sad that this is so typical these days. Life is not like Captain Planet.

[N311V]

You might have a point. After all a lot of Christians are taught to have "faith" from a young age, to believe illogical things are fact. Perhaps this leaves them more susceptible to persuasion as adults.

[Steckmech]

100% of gamers think they're idiots.

[cleverusername]

I bet they've played about as many video games as I've shot guns(NONE!!!!)

[srankin16]

And about that many would say the earth is 10,000 years old. Doesn't make them right now does it?

[007Bond]

Guys don't worry video games are here to stay, cause with them makes two major brainwashing devices from the government which are TV and video games. They are just blaming this for now, they will move on eventually.

[Stoppokingme]

It makes perfect sense, of course video games are more dangerous than guns.

Just the other day i heard that someone got beaten to death with a copy of Black Ops 2, and somewhere in NY a guy held up a liquor store with a mad catz steering wheel.

Don't make me laugh. I'd bet my last dollar those who were polled wouldn't even know the names of any console, let alone any games published on them.

[JBSleek]

Attacking an entire political party for a random poll. I am a Republican(Moderate) and I am young and black so don't generalize the entire party. Are they ignorant for thinking this? Sure but don't attack all. It would be wrong to call all democrats tree hugging, socialists.

[Kran]

So you're telling me if I point my copy of uncharted or alan wake at someone, they'll do as I say? Wow.

Didnt know I also had over 150 weapons in my room either. Who knew.

[Ninja_G_Aidan]

I was speaking to these parents recently who where talking about how much they hate violence, drugs, ect.. in video games which is fair enough. There 14 year old son wants GTA V when its released just like every other kid who wants the game. The parents said they will buy it for him even though they know how mature (18+) you have to be to play this game. If it's that bad why buy it for him, there's no excuse! Is it to get him to shut up because he will keep pestering you for it because every other kid has it?! While your at it buy him a pack of cigarretes because they look cool while smoking. Few bottle of Ciders for him because his mates are drinking down the park. Or even better heres £40 go see matey up the road and pick up a quarter of Marijuana because thats what every other kid is doing around here. Or to be safer buy that Legal high shit because it's been scientifically proven that its safe by David Cameron. The logic of too many fucking idiots who raise their kids!!!

[Ninja_G_Aidan]

I drink, I smoke, I do drugs, I gamble. I'm 23 years old. I have family all around me but I dont promote that shit! I knew all about this shit before puberty! How did I know about that shit, simple, the responsible parent! I was picking Mushrooms growing out of sheep shit on the mores knowing exactly what Liberty Caps to pick because the responsible adult taught me! I enjoyed it and still do but I dont want my kids growing up knowing this shit its not cool! I was dying to play GTA3 when released because it was something completely new and violence ridden. I had no problem aquiring the game and knew alot more about a whole lot of other shit. Who bought me the game, my parents did just to et me to shut up!

[matchu_peechu]

I'm a republican as well as my parents. America needs to have a talk about personal responsibility and stop blaming other influences for their actions. Nothing controls your mind other than you. Democrats only want to blame video games so that they can tax them higher and make a couple of extra bucks. If they really wanted to stop video games from having an influence on society, they would ban them. No other solution

[Sketchy_Galore]

The questions should be changed to, 'Do you enjoy using guns more than playing videogames?' Or 'Do you enjoy playing videogames more than shooting guns?' That's really what both sides of the debate come down to, take their toys away and leave mine alone.

[MadMax]

That's funny because Biden and all the liberal idiots are the ones going after the gaming companies! Most republicans could care less about games! They are the ones that want guns legal, unlike dems that wanna take ourt guns and now our frikin games!!! Get it right people and stop being so ignorant.

[Tetsujin]

I don't normally talk about politics or pick sides when the D and R words are thrown around, however one thing I will say is this:

"Kotaku, you still suck as a blog site."

OT

What gets me, the same people who put blame on video games, I guarantee when they were younger (since the age of everyone taking the poll is 45+) argued violence wasn't caused by movies, tv, comics, books, etc. but it's ok to vote games as more important than guns? Irony at its finest.

[cyclindk]

As a gamer I say that Republicans and their collective ideals (on the whole) are more dangerous than guns.