"Many Killed Or Maimed" By Video Games

Spong reports on how Mr Jack Thompson may need to move over, Louisiana State Representative Roy Burrell has upped the ante when it comes to mixing fact and fiction to make political capital.

Burrell says this:
"Psychopathic killers are not born, they are made! Maybe our judge and news editor should tune into the national cable stations and consider using their professional tools to assist in areas that will help stop senseless activities and deaths due to extremely violent information being fed to our children.

This is the Representative that loves the HB 1381 which was made law in Louisiana in June 2006, and over-turned as unconstitutional in November the same year. This law would have enabled judges to rule on whether a video game was too violent to sell to children.

Burrell will not let it lie and tells The Shreveport Times readers the following today: "The unsuspected cost of $100,000 to taxpayers for legal fees (to get HB1381 reinstated) is but a small price paid to save the life of just one child, given the many killed or maimed, linked to the mind-altering harmful ultra-violent video games.

[PS360WII]

You know what else is corrupting the minds of young children. News. That's right Fox, CNN, MSN any news program that shows the real life killers out there and what they did. Including step by step instructions how the killers or whatever did to their victims and do the story again and again and again. Then have a special on it too. Best part about it is you can get these news programs on regular TV, cable TV, satellite TV, anywhere and no one seems to care that little kids can hear about how some parents locked their kids up to do drugs, or how VT had a mass shooting, or anything heinous out there. It's on in the morning, afternoon, at night, and even on some stations on all day. Kids learn more crazy killing stuff, or violence related stories on the news then they do in a video game.

sigh... but no one sees it that way I guess...

[dominusbellum]

how are killers not born you don't think there was murderers back in the time of the roman empire and even longer ago then that i mean i know influence has something to do with it but not everything.

so basically if you play gears or resistance you are going to be a murderer someday and the whining over the internet will be over and we will fight eachother in real life

[snoop_dizzle]

basically a 1/3rd of people who bought gears of war, would be killing people right now.

The utter thought of that is insanity.

[Keyser]

How over dramatic is this guy? So many heinous serial killers existed before the invention of video games. Why are only the violent images played through a video game seen as contributors to people doing bad deeds?

How many times have we seen someone shot, stabbed, killed in a movie, tv show, commercial or even read in a book? You take all thsoe mediums away and you would still have serial killers.

Has he seen Hannibal Rising? (not a true story)

[Nervsys]

I've been playing computer games since the mid 80s and I haven't killed anyone yet.

Can anyone tell me what is wrong with me?

But then I did build a great wall after a maration session of Tetris

[Rooted_Dust]

I love how politicians can make these kind of statements with no show of proof. Show me evidence or STFU. This Bill has already been found unconstitutional. They should make a different kind of law...If someone tries to force through an unconstitutional Bill,they should be shot for being a traitor.

[The Snake]

In my days, I've probably killed upwards of a million people in video games. The fact that I've killed not 100, not 10, not even 1 real person should mean something. These folks only draw attention to the few people they think killed someone due to video games, never to the millions that know better. If anything is contributing to people not knowing better than to kill people, it's probably abusive parenting or lack of parenting. What it isn't is video games.

[SickRick]

You know, it used to be Elvis, that caused children to have sex. That bad 80's rock made you kill yourself, and the list goes on and on. Politicians have always felt the need for a "hot topic/buzz word" for staying in the news....or getting elected.
I have an Idea, lets ban tennis shoes, because some teens kill other teens for them. Or better yet, lets ban basketball because thats what started the shoe trend. I cannot stand the holier than thou people out there with their need to make laws to "protect" us from ourselves. You want to protect people? Ban something that really does kill people, like smoking. Although, I am grown enough to make my own choices. And man enough to decide for my children what they read, play, watch, and be involved in. Lets put the blame where it belongs. The parents.
These people are idiots, these so called lawyers, and politicians. Gamers in their area, should vote their sorry asses out of office... Lets send the message that this BS will NOT be tolerated. Inexcuseable.

And while were at it, lets let the Christian zealots know that we are tired of them as well, do you know how many people have been killed in the name of God, or religion? Just about every major conflict since man arrived...

[Anego Montoya FTMFW]

3 kids a day die at the hands of their parents.
we don`t try to ban parents.
games/movies/music is an excuse.
the pressure people have put on their selves in day to day life causes frustration.
Frustration leads to violence.
Violence seems to lead to excuses.
This world has bigger problems than Games/Movies/Music.

[Boon Tarkas]

"They're using videogames and videogamers as scapegoats. How messed up is this! For heavens sake (except there isn't one) Don't they know that all this is to be blamed on the Christians!"

Do you see how messed up your argument is.

Do you know how many many people have been killed by secular man? Almost all of them. Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot... I could name 1000 more if I had too. Them and their atheistic and agnostic regimes and followers account for almost all the suffering you are looking to lay blame for.

Apart from Muslim fanatics, the devout rarely commit these acts. Why? Because it flies in the face of their belief systems espousing judgement, heaven, hell, love and peace etc. Religion, and you can attest to this, and probably rage against it, puts checks and restrictions into place.

Do people do violent things in the name of religion? Certainly, but that is because a person is always looking to a greater power, movement, consensus to justify one's actions, particularly if they're wrong. Use your own example: Politicians looking for scapegoats to societal ills blame vidoe-games.

Rick, what you are espousing is nothing more than sensationalized, popular dogma. People think it is true because they see so often repeated.

Quite frankly, its weak. I highly doubt in your life whether you have been shafted more often by a member of the religioso than members of of the secular persuasion. And yet, we all want to blame a scapegoat for any real or imagined hardships we've experienced.

Without a historical Christian basis, your country and mine, would be bereft of the majority of it's hospitals, post-secondary schools, charities, food banks etc.

At least try for some balance.

Thanks to anyone who actually persevered and made it to this point in my rant and tirade.

[Diselage]

I think it's like a disease or something. Some how the disease affects common sense and seems to start of mildly and just get worst and worst as the disease develops. I also feel there is a cure, an ass kicking.