This news makes me especially sad. Violence linking to video games is not a new topic in the news, but this one is heart breaking.
"8-year-old shoots, kills elderly caregiver after playing video game" ... For those of you who don't want to read the article I will explain what happened. Marie Smothers, an 87 year- old woman living in a "mobile home park" in Slaughter, Louisiana, was pronounced dead from a gunshot wound to the head. The culprit? Her 8 year-old grandson. Apparently right before the incident he had been playing Grand Theft Auto IV on the PS3. The boy and his grandmother were said to have a normal and loving relationship. The boy will not be charged due to Louisiana law and is with his parents. A neighbor was the one who had questions about where the gun was and whether or not it was in plain sight. A lawyer stated that the boy had "not know about the impact of the consequences of the act he committed." The CNN report then goes on to talk about violence linked with video games and different peoples' takes on it like the Governor of Colorado, the Vice President of the United States, and the president of Electronic Arts. The article tried to seem unbiased but the tone of the article was very clear... video games are a big reason for violence.
Here's my take on the entire situation and feelings on the matter at hand. KEEP YOUR GUNS IN A SAFE PLACE AND AWAY FROM CHILDREN! This is an extremely sad case and I am sorry for the family's loss. I am also sorry that the boy is going to have to grow up with the knowledge that he killed his own grandmother. However, blaming this on the boy playing a video game is not accurate. Video games don't cause violence and guns don't either... people do. Some questions people should be asking about the situation is: why was the gun loaded? Why was the child unsupervised? Why was he allowed to play a video game that is rated for adults? Why was he able to find the gun so easily? Children do tend to mimic what they see that they like (especially in any type of popular entertainment) which is why some things are not meant for them to see or use.
There is no doubt in my mind that Grand Theft Auto games are incredibly violent and graphically so, but that isn't the point. Ratings of video games are displayed on the boxes, the inner pamphlet, and the disk so the purchaser (or parents of kids with borrowed games) can see what the rating is. The back of the case often explains why the game go the rating it did. The ratings are easy to follow and even if you don't know exactly what each rating entails the ratings are generalized so you can tell approximately if it's okay for somebody to play. The ESRB website also has tons of detailed information on what goes into their process and also what kind of themes generally go into which category. The ESRB rating is around so people know typically what kind of things that are going to be in a video game... Parents need to set guidelines for their kids and need to do research when bringing any kind of entertainment media into the house. Ratings of movies, music, and video games are there for a reason. There are even genres in books that are for young adults, "tweens," and children. Ratings are everywhere and should be used appropriately. I know, however that I have no say in how other people raise their children, nor am I trying to be a tyrant, but I am trying to caution. Certain materials are not made with children in mind and are more appropriate for older audiences who are more mature.
This is a sad situation and a situation where appropriate guidelines were not set. The gun should not have been loaded, where the child could easily get to it, and he should not have been allowed to play a game that was rated Mature (M 17+). CNN played the violent video game angle up quite a bit and so did most of the interview quotes they put into the article. I can't say that I'm surprised because the media isn't supposed to report the news but to promote fear. This is not the first article that links violence to video games, and lately when reporting on some violent events the media tries to lay the blame on violent video games. How long is the media going to keep blaming the video games instead of the people behind the gun? Is it not exciting enough of a news article if the culprit is just another person?
I have some tips for parents, or even older siblings, out there. Do some research on a game before you buy it for a child. Even if the rating, or a blurb about the game, is not enough to know for sure, most times you can find videos of gameplay online. Most games have been played through and streamed on sites such as youtube so finding something about it will be easier. Ask a friend or family member who knows more about video games if they think the game will be appropriate. Also, ask the child's friend's parents about what they allow at their house and make sure that they know what you allow for your child. Penny Arcade wrote an article on this event and brings up good questions and methods of talking to other parents. Talking to your kids is also the best way to deal with a lot of situations. My last tip is about guns. If you have a gun in the house where a child resides make sure the gun is in a safe place where the child cannot easily find, or reach it. Make sure the gun stays unloaded and when they are old enough, talk to your kids about gun violence and how it is not okay. Kids understand more than you might think if you give them a chance.
Be careful out there gamers. You may be called violent if you play the wrong game.
~Skye
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