Kentucky governor says video games are to blame for school shootings

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Despite there being numerous studies out there indicating that the violence seen in realistic video games doesn't necessarily lead to real-life violence, that hasn't stopped certain entities from placing the blame on the gaming community in desperate times. Often when tragedies strike, an easy scapegoat beyond the circumstance as is are often warranted and gaming has been that scapegoat for a very long time.

When a horrific mass shooting took place on Valentine's Day in Boca Raton, Florida, at least 17 fatalities occurred alongside numerous injuries. The needless violence has changed the lives of many forever and once again divides the United States as to what needs to be done. With so many different opinions and reactions to the tragedy, it was only a matter of time before the gaming community was once more pulled in as a source of blame.

Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin recently stated in an interview that the violence seen in video games needs to be looked at, and once again targets in-game content as inspiration for real-life violence. This isn't Bevin's first time issuing this sort of reactionary statement either, he is on record saying that video games are "desensitizing young people" to the tragedies or killing in real life, while inspiring them to recreate scenes seen in these games.

“There are video games that, yes, are listed for mature audiences, but kids play them, and everybody knows it, and there’s nothing to prevent the child from playing them.” He furthered his graphic comparison by saying games “celebrate the slaughter of people. There are games that literally replicate and give people the ability to score points for doing the same thing that these students are doing inside of schools, where you get extra points for finishing someone who’s lying there begging for their life.”


Though this sort of commentary is nothing new, it is the sort that gets picked up by more generalized media painting the community at large in a violent light during already uncertain times. Hopefully the commentary about video games can soon desist, and the real issues can be tackled in order to prevent the loss of even more lives in the future, whatever that solution may be.

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Related Forum: Gaming Discussion

Source: http://comicbook.com/gaming/2018/02/16/florida-school-shooting-video-game-violence/

Comments

"Kentucky governor says video games are to blame for school shootings" :: Login/Create an Account :: 37 comments

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ChrisPosted:

Part of me does agree with what he said. He talks about other issues contributing to these sort of events happening. Mental health, Drugs and Video Games/Media. Everybody is slightly different physically and mentally. These kinds of things we're are exposing ourselves to do slightly change us. I may not agree with it all; but he has a point. He is just trying to open a dialogue to figure it out from what I saw in the video. I just hope as a society we can try to figure it out instead of getting angry at each other.

DecyPosted:

Uhm someone tell this guy to actually go play a game. See if it really does what he thinks... As far as i can tell he's probably one of those that saw the whole GTA thing a couple of years ago and stuck by it ever since... He really needs to educate himself properly.

TTGPosted:

There's a reason they have a rating system for games. And I just cringed reading what he said...

junoPosted:

This guy is an idiot for thinking this, please resign.

ZolfePosted:

I've always hated Matt Bevin and every time I tell someone I live in Kentucky they associate me with him saying I must have his views and I just wish he would get out of office

StreamahPosted:

How much of the population play these games and do not shoot up schools? i bet millions play shooter games daily.. seem like they are reaching for the stars with this one.

GhostPosted:

I personally blame bullying & mental health issues. Blaming a game for violence is stupid, you don't see any sane people shooting up schools. It's not a normal behaviour with or without games.

InkJetPosted:

Movies, tv shows, etc all have violence. Should we just play a 24/7 channel of dora the explorer to make them feel better. Retards...

TomPosted:

25_To_Life Most movies have guns also, should we blame movies to? Idiot.


if they could they would. Its probably been done before but video games are more looked at since half of our population plays them. Movies are still being blamed for shootings but not as much as video games.

QTPosted:

Tom they always go to video games. Every time a mass shooting goes off, politics and the people always go to the one thing, video games. They never go to the history of the shooter, maybe he was raised uncontrollable, terrible parents. Its unreal to think video games cause death.


Exactly.. I have played some of the most violent games and I have not gone ans shot up anything..


25_To_Life Most movies have guns also, should we blame movies to? Idiot.


No, we shouldnt blame movies or games.. We need to blame the persons past or the mental state of that person...