The video game killer

www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1145259,00.html

I stand open to be corrected here but I find the banning of video games in cases like this a little pointless.
First off, this was obviously a horrible tragedy and I don't want to detract from it, but isn't using the video game excuse just that..an excuse.

Moore brought this idea up in 'Bowling for Columbine' when he discussed the idea of musicians being blamed for violent behaviour and computer games likewise...even though they play exactly the same games in countries like Japan and Canada (with very little violence compared with the US).

This isn't necessarily an issue of censorship either. This kid was 17. Perhaps he shouldn't have had the game? Perhaps it should have had an 18's certificate. But why oh why do we start off by blaming an incident like this on a computer game?

"The game made me do it" sounds like a great defence. How many millions of kids around the world have played this game and not gone out and killed someone? It sounds like a bit of a PR stunt by the Dixons group to me. I wonder if the "The game made me do it" defence can be used by George Redmond in his next trial. "It was Donkey Kong your honour, it told me to ask for all that cash"

videos, games, & killers

_________
But why oh why do we start off by blaming an incident like this on a computer game?
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It's a lot easier than sorting out the family. Dysfunctional / anti-social families don't tend to watch over their kids or censor their activities. Same point was made with the James Bolger killing - the two boys had had a diet of extremely violent videos.

Mybe parenting should be taught n schools?
But would it make any difference???

Parenting suitability

Parenting is one job where the applicant doesn't need a qualification. Setting people down to do a test in order to keep their kids would be too radical an idea and probably wouldn't work. The State has had a lamentable record as a substitute for parents and the kids would probably end up being abused in State Care. A team approach, where a social worker would keep an eye on things and intervene only when things get out of hand is needed, the trouble is that things often escalate into murder or serious injury very quickly before anything unusual ( neglect, bad influence etc... ) is detected.

Re: Parenting suitability

read on cnn that police totally refuted the game as cause of killing.
Having guns easily accessible always helps I find.

Re: Parenting suitability

I believe the game itself is also selling like hotcakes right now too in fear that it may actually be banned.