Cooler heads are speaking out

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gym

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My wife had on the "VIEW" this morning. And Cuomo was on, along with an expert on Mental health issues and behavioral problems. The concensus was that guns have been around for hundreds of years, and this is a relativelly new phenomenon.
The mental health pro and the politician, didn't blame guns for this, rather as many of us said, a failing mental health policy, and the exposure to teens who already have social and mental problems, to violent Video games, and movies. The guy claimed that the kids were shot similar to the way one would shoot the characters in video games, 3 to 11 times.
He was doing the same kind of actions he would have used in a "Call of duty" type of game,
I am wearing a tee-shirt that says Call of Duty" on it now, so I am in no way justifying what he said. But to me anything that takes the heat off of our right to carry is a good thing.
I could care less about slasher movies and video games vs my real firearms. He also went through all the signs that a troubled person goes through, which this kid had every one of.
It was mentioned that these acts take a long time to plan and think about, blaming society for there unhappieness, and wanting to lash out and kill as many people as possible, which I fully believe in and stated here and in the huffington post, where the stupidest reasons and most ill informed people are voicing opinions that make me sick and tired of how stupid some people are. They actually thing we all carry automatic weapons, and that the cost a hundred dollars.
Arguing with idiots seldom gets you anyware, but when you express the facts to them they have liitle to say. Like crime has gone down every time a state legalized ccw permits. Or that some pistols and rifles can cost anyware form 1 thousand to 50 thousand dollars, for antique of collectors guns. I asked them who shold re-imburse the owners for what will be Billions of dollars in weapons they want cofiscated. Just simple questions like this makes it difficult for them to respond.
When you turn it into a money issue and not a gun issue, it seems to alter their view, many people wanted proof of what I said so I gave them links to websites, like FL breaking the 1 million active carry permits last week, and the websites that show how much these guns cost, and would they be willing to pay for them?
This seemed to help, when you break it down to money, and mental health along with kids who play games in which the characters react with screaming and blood pouring out of their heads.
I think the new era of online first person shooters are too ralistic, and I never said that before. But they can be toned down and still be entertaining without the manufacturers names being on the guns and sighting systems, along with all the different types of ammo, they can make them more generic, like Quake or Unreal were.
 
Hey, I have every right to enjoy what video games I want to play, just as you and I have every right to buy firearms. I've played Counter-Strike, Call of Duty, Battlefield, and America's Army, and I haven't gone apecrap crazy.

I majored in psychology, and even my very left-leaning professor showed that with the rise in violent videogames, there is a correlation that violence in schools is dropping. The problem with the "video games leads to violence" mindset is that it assumes a causality that isn't there. Violence existed before video games, just like violence existed before guns. People attracted to the idea of violence are ALSO attracted to violent video games.

The fact that the attack may have mirrored aspects of Call of Duty is speculation at best. Even so, without Call of Duty, do you really think the shooter would not have commited this attrocity? Please.

Blaming video games is just as bad, if not worse, than blaming the gun. This man was 24 years old. The blame lies solely on him and his willingness to commit this attack.
 
Blaming video games is just as bad, if not worse, than blaming the gun. This man was 24 years old. The blame lies solely on him and his willingness to commit this attack.

Exactly.

We need to address the problems of mental illness in this country. We also need to allow the teachers in the schools, who are charged with the daily care of our children, to defend those children against physical attacks.

Who knows, the Connecticut killer could very well had mimicked tactics from a video game but the desire to murder wasn't put into his heart by video games, or guns for that matter.
 
The blame lies solely on him and his willingness to commit this attack.

True, but we also need to place blame on the mental health system of America, as well as his parents. Let's face it his mother knew he had mental issues, yet there's no reports as of yet, of her taking him to see doctors, therapists, or others in the mental health profession. There's no excuse for that, especially now that reports are coming out that the mother recieved $200,000 in alimony annually!! $200,000 dollars and you couldn't get help for your son.....

I'm not saying we are to put any less blame on the shooter, or that their are excuses for his actions; but we need to recognize there is plenty of blame to go around.
 
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But they can be toned down and still be entertaining without the manufacturers names being on the guns and sighting systems, along with all the different types of ammo, they can make them more generic, like Quake or Unreal were.
And what would this gain? Do you honestly think that not having detailed weapons would prevent a single act of violence?
 
"blaming video games"....
I don't think video games are "to blame"
but I don't think that people in general are socially influenced in a positive manner by practicing how to target, hunt, and assasinate other people via. online gaming and first person shooters, for hours and hours at a time.
I can guarantee you the average gamer spends more hours a week "killing" his online buddies than he does actually socializing in face to face meetings with their peers.
I think it is time to take a long look at what we as a society are being sold, and how we want media in our lives.
 
I don't think video games cause violent behavior, but they probably feed an already twisted mind. Unfortunately, there is really no way to prevent that person from having access to them without restricting the rights of the other 99.99% of those for whom it is not a problem.
 
The counterpoint JN01 is that video games provide an outlet for frustration.
 
I can guarantee you the average gamer spends more hours a week "killing" his online buddies than he does actually socializing in face to face meetings with their peers.

According to most recent studies, and with the advent of the casual gaming craze, the "average gamer" is a middle-aged woman.
 
If a child has mental instability, it's probably not a good idea to give them access to depictions of violence, let alone open access to guns. Clearly the ability to differentiate right from wrong, fantasy from reality, is off quite a bit. The lowest common denominator isn't video games or guns, it's parental judgement. Which in this case, was quite obviously FUBAR.

End of story.

In my eyes at least.
 
Violent video games had nothing to do with the Bath school bomber, Charles Whitman (the UT Tower Austin, TX shooter in 1966) the San Ysidoro, CA McDonald's shooter, the Oklahoma post office shooter, and most likely also the Killeen, Texas Luby's shooter in the early '90s.
 
Sorry, I'm not keen on letting some of our freedoms "take the fall" instead of gun rights.

These people do have mental issues, but they are not caused nor fueled by video games, and the suggestion to "tone them down" or takes names off the guns are basically the exact logic they're trying to cram down our throats regarding mag caps and other restrictions on guns.

No. I won't accept it for my guns, my games, nor any other media. The 1st ammendment is just as important as the 2nd.

I think to a large degree, we have to accept that things like this cannot be prevented. Whatever you do, people WILL be able to attack others like this. What we can change however is our response. Make sure that in the event that such an event does happen, it has as little time to succeed as possible. Whether than involve fewer "gun free" zones where people aren't allowed to carry, or posting armed guards in schools, etc, we need to accept that such things can and will happen but be prepared to stop it if it does.

Its kinda like preparing for a tornado. That's a force of nature (much like mankind itself is a force of nature). There's no stopping them - when they show up then they show up. However we CAN work on our preparation and response to such an event to minimize the damage done.
 
Before people start spouting off pop psychology and not facts like the left likes to do with gun info, it seems like the most recent reports are that the killer had Aspergers Syndrome which is similar to Autism. Manyt individuals with Aspergers are very high functioning but socially awkward. It doesn't seem like he was some nut torturing animals or having pictures with targets drawn on them.
I am in no way defending his actions or arguing against the fact that the focus SHOULD be on mental health and not gun control.

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome

One thing that I think would be helpful would be if all high school students be required to take the MMPI (Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory). Many mental health disorders can be detected using the MMPI and it has very high validity and reliability.
 
Audie Murphy was 20 when he became America's most decorated soldier of World War II.
Stereotyping by age is not very cool and not very responsible.
Fair enough. However, I don't think this chap bore much resemblence to Audie Murphy, in any aspect whatsoever. I was both 20 and 24 once and one grows up a lot between those ages. I am sure Audie got the "accelerated" personal growth program. So too do all our service men and women. This nut was not such a person. He was just an evil looser that figured out the one way to be famous...forever. He chose his path. Audie Murphy didn't...the Germans forced that upon him...with his own personal bravery and fortitude playing very heavily in the mix of course.

Sorry man but youth is the one thing we can still stereotype...at least a little bit...but I know what you mean.
 
As an aside, but perhaps relevant to the numbing of our society, I have heard not one word on whether this guy had a father in his life.

Just a note.
 
He was mentally ill, not some poor disadvantaged youth from the wrong side of the tracks.

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Let's not get confused about what our "freedoms" are vs. our rights. Video games are not a right or even a freedom. They're a source of entertainment to some and a time waster to others. Calling them a freedom is just a tad hyperbolic and equating to an enumerated right under the Constitution is absurd.
 
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Let's not get confused about what our "freedoms" are vs. our rights. Video games are not a right or even a freedom. They're a source of entertainment to some and a time waster to others. Calling them a freedom is just a tad hyperbolic and equating to an enumerated right under the Constitution is absurd.

Sorry, but video games are an expressionistic form of art that is absolutely protected under the 1st amendment. This has already been upheld by the Supreme Court:

http://techland.time.com/2011/06/27...games-qualify-for-first-amendment-protection/
 
As an aside, but perhaps relevant to the numbing of our society, I have heard not one word on whether this guy had a father in his life.

Just a note.
Tex. His father and mother were divorced. His father was living elsewhere and had remarried. From what little information and misinformation the media has reported, it does not seem like there was much, if any, contact with the father.

AP: Divorce papers: Conn. shooter's mom had authority to make decisions regarding his upbringing.

I don't have a link to the full story.

There is a lot that remains to be discovered about this person, his family and what may have caused him to go on a rampage.

Video games are not to blame, I'm certain of that. Billions of people on this planet today, have access to violent materials (video games, TV, movies, music, etc) and access to weapons. How many of those billions will not commit mass murder today?
 
Before people start spouting off pop psychology and not facts like the left likes to do with gun info, it seems like the most recent reports are that the killer had Aspergers Syndrome which is similar to Autism. Manyt individuals with Aspergers are very high functioning but socially awkward. It doesn't seem like he was some nut torturing animals or having pictures with targets drawn on them.
I am in no way defending his actions or arguing against the fact that the focus SHOULD be on mental health and not gun control.

http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/mental-health-aspergers-syndrome

One thing that I think would be helpful would be if all high school students be required to take the MMPI (Minnesota Multi-Phasic Personality Inventory). Many mental health disorders can be detected using the MMPI and it has very high validity and reliability.
Asperger's Syndrome is NOT a mental illness, nor does it prevent someone from knowing right from wrong. It does not predispose someone to violence. It is a social handicap. That is all. It does not prevent someone from feeling empathy, though it can make it difficult to express it.

I was diagnosed with Asperger's at age 28, and many of my friends have it as well. How many are violent a danger to themselves or others? None of them. Many own guns and enjoy shooting, and some even carry, as do I. Do I feel unsafe around them? No. Because they know the rules of safety, and rigorously abide by them, far more than most non-autistic people I know. They also follow rules of engagement, knowing in advance just what their local laws say justifies use of lethal force. They also plan ahead, mapping out what to do in a given situation down to minute details.

*This* is what most gun owners with Asperger's are like. Not murderous killers. Very by-the-book and cautious.
 
Wow, now we are onto video games.. whats next music?

Rap isn't even gangster anymore.


Keep on shifting the blame, that will fulfill the wet dreams of psychopathic authoritarian dictators taking away our gun rights, and rhetoric being presented as textbook fact.
 
Wow...we're gun owners so you know we were braced for the "ban guns" cries after the news. My husband has been a video game designer for 20 years, so we were also braced for the "ban violent videogames" discussions too.

There has been at least one study reported last year that said video games have helped reduce violent crime in the US.

Not that you should go by only one study, but it does bear some thought. I mean how many violent crimes are curtailed by allowing people to blow off steam in the safety of a video game?
 
Family members sometimes "protect" a person who has or might have a mental health challenge--electing not to seek treatment or a professional diagnosis--because American society tends to stigmatize such people. Such families think that as long as they just watch him or her carefully and learn to accommodate the person's ways, they can avoid having that person be officially labeled and thus ridiculed by others.

The problem is that in the effort to keep from hurting the person, they fail to help him or her. Mental health challenges rarely get better by themselves.
 
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