Stop blaming video games for America's gun violence
Studies show that a child playing a violent video game does not necessarily increase the likelihood that he or she will engage in real violence. Americans need to stop blaming something other than our own behaviors and ideologies for societal violence, especially gun violence.
Recently, America’s attention has been understandably focused on the potential causes of increased violence – especially gun violence – particularly among children and youth, and how to stop it. Alongside gun-control proposals, some of which President Obama is likely to highlight in his State of the Union address tonight, much of that attention has looked at the potential of violent video games to cause or exacerbate the tendencies of youth to engage in real, harmful violence.
While I applaud increased vigilance on the part of parents in supervising their children’s behaviors and pastimes, a child playing a violent video game does not necessarily increase the likelihood that he or she will engage in real violence at that age or later in life.
Various reports and commentaries have documented the fact that Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza’s video game playing included violent shooter games like Call of Duty, Counterstrike, and Starcraft. Some have cited that activity as a possible cause for his shooting massacre.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2013/0212/Stop-blaming-video-games-for-America-s-gun-violence?nav=90-csm_category-topStories