Video game violence debate reignites after Newtown

Many politicians have used the elementary school shooting tragedy in Newton, Connecticut as a springboard for the campaign against violent video games. President Obama has provided the Center for Disease Control (CDC) with $10 million to conduct research about the correlation between virtual and real-life violence. West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller plans to resubmit his recently deceased bill that calls for the National Academy of Sciences to conduct research on the effect of video games on children. California Senator Leland Yee recently made and redacted comments towards gamers and “their lust for violence.”  Yee was also a supporter of California’s law to ban the sale of violent video games, which fell in Supreme Court in 2011 against the First Amendment.

“I did not know specifically that Obama had committed to do more research,” said third- year PVCC student Josh Moffett.

Fellow student Sabrina Martinez Reyes said, “I wasn’t aware he was doing that.” Neither student owns or plays violent video games on a regular basis.

Similarly, Moffett said, “I don’t play frequently, [though] I would play them if I owned a console.”

PVCC student and GameStop employee Ken Valentine said he was “unsure” how to feel about the research being conducted on a medium that is part of his “livelihood and spare time.”

“Absolutely [it should be done],” said Moffett. “I don’t think there is enough research being done considering how much more violent and realistic video games have become over the past five to ten years.”

All three students offered a different take on whether the violence in video games has an effect on the consumer. “I don’t think so….I believe it all depends on the type of person playing the game that is truly affected by the violent action displayed in a video game,” said Martinez Reyes.

Moffett entertained the idea that “some gamers already lust for violence without games, and this population is so few that nothing can be done.” He continued, “It’s almost pointless to try and stop that. Violent games probably make their lust feel more like reality to them.”

“Violent video games have about as much of a negative effect on someone as violent sports such as wrestling and football do,” said Valentine.

Many opponents of video games suggest violence comes from reenacting something someone performed in a game. Valentine offered a counter-example. “Would you blame stress balls for the cause of strangulation? No, because it is simply an outlet, which people need these days.” In the case of blame, Valentine explained, “As an employee of a major retailer of video games, I see every day where children come in and get extremely violent videogames, while the parents shrug off the ability to say ‘no.’”

PVCC Professor Dr. Jessica Kingsley is one parent who would say “no.” “I have three daughters, and they do not play violent video games. They have no interest in these games. However, if they did, I think I would not allow them to play games that involved extreme violence, such as gun violence.”

Kingsley also gave her thoughts on the possible effects of violent video games. “I would think the content of video games desensitizes the players to the violent acts they are committing, albeit virtually.”

However one may feel about the effects, the research is underway as Vice President Biden met with the heads of the Entertainment Software Association, the Entertainment Software Ratings Board, and key figures from major video game publishers. Video games it seems will continue to be a centerpiece of the campaign against violence.