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Lawyers, concerned parents, and numerous other alarmist factions are calling for bans on violent videogames. Violent crimes ? committed by disturbed people, mind you ? are being blamed for hideous crimes. However, the worst crime yet is to allow or reinforce these well-intentioned but abysmally misguided crusades. These efforts are a simple-minded effort to shunt the blame off onto the entertainment media scapegoat, when the responsibility belongs to, in order or prevalence: (1) the individual himself/herself (2) any friend or accomplice that encouraged the act (3) the person(s) responsible for that person, in proportion to their level of responsibility.
Yes, videogames can be violent. Yes, some mentally unbalanced people can and have taken inspiration from them and done bad things. This does NOT mean that video games are responsible for the crime. Many things influence disturbed individuals and set them on tragic courses. Several well-known serial killers were inspired by the Bible and other elements of Christianity?and I haven?t heard any cries for the ban of Christianity. The Son of Sam claims that canine influence led to his crimes?has anyone banned dogs? The members of the Manson Family cult were obsessed with jolly ol? Charles?does this mean they were not responsible for their gruesome actions? Richard Ramirez ? the Night Stalker ? swore he was the Devil?s emissary?will we someday see Satan in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit, being led to the courthouse?
Palming the blame off on an outside source, whether it?s to avoid one?s own responsibility (as a parent, guardian or friend) or as an opportunistic grab at fame and fortune, destroys the crucial concept that we are responsible for our actions. If this trend continues as it has, murderers and rapists of all walks of life will skate scot-free because they can blame something else ? TV, movies, music, videogames, comics, the Devil ? and these wanna-be ?defenders of decency? are aiding and abetting those efforts to the fullest extent of their abilities. Perhaps THEY should be led away in cuffs, for teaching the current generations that we can do whatever we want, and get away with it, because we can blame someone or something else.
Yes, videogames can be violent. Yes, some mentally unbalanced people can and have taken inspiration from them and done bad things. This does NOT mean that video games are responsible for the crime. Many things influence disturbed individuals and set them on tragic courses. Several well-known serial killers were inspired by the Bible and other elements of Christianity?and I haven?t heard any cries for the ban of Christianity. The Son of Sam claims that canine influence led to his crimes?has anyone banned dogs? The members of the Manson Family cult were obsessed with jolly ol? Charles?does this mean they were not responsible for their gruesome actions? Richard Ramirez ? the Night Stalker ? swore he was the Devil?s emissary?will we someday see Satan in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit, being led to the courthouse?
Palming the blame off on an outside source, whether it?s to avoid one?s own responsibility (as a parent, guardian or friend) or as an opportunistic grab at fame and fortune, destroys the crucial concept that we are responsible for our actions. If this trend continues as it has, murderers and rapists of all walks of life will skate scot-free because they can blame something else ? TV, movies, music, videogames, comics, the Devil ? and these wanna-be ?defenders of decency? are aiding and abetting those efforts to the fullest extent of their abilities. Perhaps THEY should be led away in cuffs, for teaching the current generations that we can do whatever we want, and get away with it, because we can blame someone or something else.
