It’s not just the Left; I’ve seen right wingers on Twitter howling about banning video games over the weekend.

Kensington on December 17, 2012 at 5:15 PM

Yeah, that’s the most horrifying part. Ten years ago my parents would have been screaming that all games be banned because they’re violent etc etc etc. Now that I’ve grown up and haven’t been some violent sociopath because I played Halo, they see the ‘video games bad’ argument as completely absurd.

I was later indicted on charges of hitting people with the Oddball.

Jamie Foxx, who said it was totally cool to kill all the white people in his new movie, said something about movies playing a role.

El_Terrible on December 17, 2012 at 3:38 PM

This idea that whites should be “ethnically cleansed” is gaining traction, and is very very disturbing.

they can have my controller when they pry it …

theblackcommenter on December 17, 2012 at 3:33 PM

…from your Hot Pocket and Mountain Dew-stained hands?

Video games prepare you for handling a firearm the way Assassin’s Creed prepares you for parkour.
Meric1837 on December 17, 2012 at 4:34 PM

LOL

So is it a sin to go out and play paintball?

Not to disagree with the premise of garbage in garbage out, I just don’t really see the problem with playing a few rounds of Battlefield 3. It’s a game. Same with Halo; someone who can’t create boundaries is going to have issues regardless of their media consumption.

Let’s say Lanza hypothetically never played a video game, do you think he wouldn’t have shot up a school? And while we’re at it, what video game/movie/TV show has featured a main character slaughtering 7 year olds?

John_Locke on December 17, 2012 at 4:18 PM

I used the word “sin” colloquially there. I think you catch my drift, though.

When simulated combat is now an “entertainment” option – it says a little something about where we are as a society.

I am not blaming video games for Lanza’s actions. As with anything in life – we’re all responsible for our own actions. However, the numbing effect this stuff has on our society as a whole is very real.

I am just advocating that people start to look at this stuff and say to themselves…”Man – the fact that I choose to simulate killing people as a form of entertainment is kinda messed up. Maybe I should take up baking.”

That is all. Just calling for a little introspection.

Give me a break. The Dems won’t dare go after the entertainment industry. Hell, the Obama campaign even advertised in video games.

Doughboy on December 17, 2012 at 3:34 PM

Exactly. It would also surprise me if Democrats went after games, considering their best voting bloc (young people) also tends to be the greatest demographic for gaming.