Violence and Gaming.. Are games the real Culprit here?


I wrote this a few days after the recent tragedy in Christchurch because I was upset and writing helps me get through that. I have been back and forth in my own head on whether I should share my thoughts and have only just came to be ok with it. 

First and foremost our hearts go out to our brothers and sisters across the ditch. Having been to Christchurch I was in shock that an area that was so beautiful and the people so welcoming could be effected in this way. 

On to the below. 

This is my response to the "Video Games Make You Violent" speal that the Australian media has been spouting for far too long now. 

Your thoughts are welcome below, but keep it respectful. 
Snoogs  

Yet again we are hearing that video games are causing people to become violent.

Of course all this has again come up as Australian media’s "go to" blame to sell papers and get people scared and watching the sensationalist news.

The individual who went a took the lives of many and the soul of a nation last week was said to have enjoyed playing games so that is instantly the problem according to news outlets.

Before we get into that lets turn the clock back to my younger days. If someone went out on a shooting rampage, turned serial killer or ripped the heads off kittens (yes we had all these back then too) they were always an outcast, a loner or a little strange and different.

How does that tie in?

Those who are outcasts, a little strange or socially awkward now have somewhere they can belong. The gaming community is one of the most open and welcoming that I have ever known. We don’t care where you’re from, your race, colour or sexual preferences, we welcome all. You are your avatar, your screen name and your skills online. Ultimately if we’re playing together, we are enjoying the company and social interaction. I have friends online that I have never met yet I call them friends. Some live down the road, in other parts of the country, or on the other side of the world. I look forward to hanging out with them, the same as I do catching up with mates for lunch or a drink.

Let me make something very clear. Video Games do not make people violent! Violent people play video games!

What the media fails to bring to everyone’s attention is their own role in what happens. I think the recent tragedy in Christchurch and the way it unfolded paints the perfect picture of what needs to change.

I’ll refer to the person who did this from here on in as F…. as in fuckwit, I refuse to name them.

F travelled the world and idolised people that have carried out similar attacks. How did they find out who these people where? How did they know them by name?

F has then written the names of these people on the magazines of the rifle used in the attack as a gruesome homage to them.

F has written a manifesto outlining their plans and reasons for it. The reasons? Well we are not getting into, but they are reasons that have been blown up by the media in the past to create conflict.

All this information has been written about by the Australian media. Even after being asked by the NZ Prime Minister not too.

On every major newspaper, every major outlet, online and in print they have posted the name, the image and details of F, going as far as seeking out their family/ grandmother to interview and disgustingly show them unedited footage of what happened, while filming it to get their reactions.

Let me be perfectly clear,

To the Australian Media outlets who have sensationalised this tragedy for your own gain.

YOU ARE THE PROBLEM!

You have named the killer. You have shown their picture. You have given them infamy. They are now there with the names of those they idolised to commit this act of terror.

Above all else and probably most frightening of all. You have empowered the next!

Maybe it is time we put a ban on the media coverage and start aiming them towards helping those affected?

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