Are Video Games To Blame For VT Shooting

[EagleOne]

Looks like video games are always to blame for everything nuts in the world. Click the link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18220228/

[Rdaug27]

Mental Masturbation? That is the greatest line I have heard. I am a mental masturbator, and have been since the damn Atari 2600. I guess I was mastrubating before I even new what the hell it was. People like this attorney suffer from diarrhea of the mouth and constipation of the brain I think. Lets go back and take away TV also cause there is NO good that comes of it. Hell I find it just, if not more disturbing to watch the news with the killings and deaths that are reported on a nightly basis. Then a tragedy like Columbine, or VT happens and it is on every channel for weeks.

[Tomahawk]

This is the biggest piss ass of an excuse. Every time I hear someone say ANYTHING is a video games fault, I feel like puking. This goes to show that because you have a prominent profession, it doesn't mean you are intelligent.

[Phoenix]

Absolute bullcrap.

I am sick of everyone trying to make sense out of a senseless act. It is heartbreaking and disrespectful. It just can't be done.

[Grejo]

pssh. they say video games are dangerous when obviously it's TV that exposes violence and sex, not video games. video games are GAMES!! ENTERTAINMENT!!! not something that tells people to go out and shoot people.

[norm]

I'm guessing you guys don't know about Jack Thompson and his crusade against video games. Here are some of his past encounters:

Here he is talking to the VG Cats, The best part is when Jack sends the email to another person because he thought he was threatened

http://www.vgcats.com/jack.php

A comic exposing Jack's chidlhood and why he really hates video games

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2787/0008howitallbegan5gs.jpg

Here is a comic and article about Jack's idea for a video game

http://www.gamerandy.com/demopics/CADJack.jpg

http://www.gamerandy.com/archives/2005/10/a_modest_propos.shtml

http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2007/20070105.jpg

[Kamui]

Oh bullcrap,i've been gaming since I was 5 and there is no change here.I think its ridiculous because that idiot is throwing the blame on video games instantly.

Dr.Phil and Jack Chumpson = Both ignorant idiots who fail at video games.

I find it amusing that hes blaming counter strike.I just find it wierd.Even though the reports state that Cho wasn't playing Video games,he was still trying to get around it and say it was the fault of Counter Strike.

The douche even sent Bill Gates a letter trying to penalize him LOL.

The VGcat emails were priceless.Here is one video where a Video Show host really lets Chumpson know a thing or trwo:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkHtgRxBfKA

[Master_Ian]

Why in the FUCK do people allways blame games for sensless violence?!?!?? Nothing pisses me off more than people blaming GTA or any shooter for tragedys. Seriously, is that the best people can come up with?!?!? I plan on majoring in psychology and if the current theories can only blame games for crap like this than Im gonna be one rich SOB. If someone can't tell a game from a reality the should have been locked away in a looney bin a long time ago, its not the games fault. My discs dont speak to me at night and tell me to go slaughter innocent people.

I mean, I feel really horrible about what happened, no one deserves to go through something like that and if I could Id take bullets for any 1 of them (except for the shooter, he deserved worse than death).
There all a social ignorents that do nothing but spew bullshit from their mouths to get rid of something that they just suck at or dont like.

Like grejo said ITS JUST A GAME. Thats like blaming a murder on the board game CLUE or a war on RISK. Have you ever heard someone blame monopoly on their rent or taxes? I personally blame my childhood trama on CANDY LAND. What about you guys? Fuck the experts they dont know a damn thing about true gaming.

[FLATLINE]

I just had this conversation with my girlfriend and here you will see the last time I ever acknowledge a stupid question like this. Games, TV radio, and life in general can all be blamed for things like shootings by lazy and ignorant people. Hell id be the first to admit that Games can have an adverse effect on children but only children without proper parents in most cases.

Parents are to blame and always have been. Thats the story!!!!! These days both mom and dad work so whos taking the time to teach johnny hes just playing a game and these things are not things we should do in real life.

Since the VT shooting brought up this question yet again lets talk about this specifically. The shooters grandmother was on a TV interview stating this kid has been screwed up his whole life. His teacher made it public she knew he was screwed up and should seek counseling. If grandma and the teacher knew then the parents knew as well. But everyone did NOTHING!!!!!!!! Especially the parents. They shipped this bag of flesh to school without thinking of what he could do to someone else.

So this is something we should blame someone or something else for. Another typical thing in this day in age. Lets blame video games. Blames anything but whos really responsible. His Parents!

[AndyPants]

Another fun topic . Not as bad/ as "Illegal Immigrants" though.

Simple misinterpretation between dreams/reality/games is not only possible but happens quite frequently. We have all experienced this to a some degree at least once.

Have you ever wanted to get a better look at something across the street and wish you had your "scope function"? Have you looked at a building and wondered what would be the best way to scale it? Do you notice how some everyday objects would be well suited to help you achieve a particular objective (most likely the crux of the game that made you quit the previous night)?

If this seems foreign to you, then stop here. You obviously don't play enough video games or are too caught up in reality to have any fun with them.

Just because day to day, we as able bodies of society, exhibit the self control necessary maintain a "grip" does not mean that we are not inspired or at least motivated to some degree by what we experience on a regular basis. Sadly, some people have little to no control, (ever had an obsessive Ex?) and cannot be expected to handle situations appropriately.

I don't address this to video games directly, but I don't think this cannot be written off simply. Due to the fact that it was a possibility, probably an irresponsible guardian, that a misguided individual was let loose to roam the depths of the human mind which are, as we all should know, vast and dark.

[EagleOne]

Perhaps it is one of those life imitating art cases but I believe this is very unlikely. It is always hard to pinpoint who is at fault but maybe it is a series of events that lead up to these aweful acts of violence sort of a domino effect.

No one really knows who is to fault but people need to blame someone or something in order to feel in control and justfy what happened. This has always been the case. People must be able to poin a finger and say "This is what caused it.". But it all lies within the person who has the power to make their own decision and know effect their action will have and the consequences.

Still, all in all many lives were lost to this nut but he knew what he was doing.

[Dioxin]

Messed up people are going to do horrible things. I'm sure this kid was f-ed up his entire life. If you feel rejected by society, most people wallow in self pitty, get help, or sometimes kill themselves. Going on a rampage is incredibly unlikely. Your environment alone doesn't do that to you.

There's always some nut job out there who wants to think that everyone inside is good and equal. There MUST be something external in the environment that caused it to happen. Then they go on that search to find what it is. ANYTHING involving violence is first to be blamed. If we got rid of everything violent, they would justify it somehow.