Politicians Once Again Blame Video Games After Deadly Shootings

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Not even a day after one mass shooting claimed 20 lives in El Paso, Texas and another resulted in nine dead in a Dayton, Ohio bar, lawmakers have quickly taken to mainstream news outlets in hopes of pinning the blame on video games. Approximately 15 hours after the first shots were fired in an El Paso Walmart, Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick (R) appeared as a guest on Fox News' Fox & Friends and inquired what the federal government had planned to do "about the video game industry."

“How long are we going let, for example, and ignore at the federal level particularly, where they can do something about the video game industry,” Patrick asked. The politician then references an apparent manifesto that surfaced online minutes before the attack in which the alleged shooter spewed anti-immigration ideologies while mentioning the Call of Duty franchise. Authorities have yet to confirm the manifesto is linked to the El Paso shooter.

“In this manifesto that we believe is from the shooter … he talks about living out his super soldier fantasy on ‘Call of Duty,’” continued Patrick. “We’ve always had guns. We’ve always had evil. But what’s changed where we see this rash of shooting?”


Patrick then mentioned that video games seem to be the "common denominator" amongst mass shooters. “I see a video game industry that teaches young people to kill,” he said. The Lt. Governor isn't the only right-leaning politician to lean into the ide since the shootings. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) also appeared on Fox News and was sure to bring up violent video games in his interview.

“The idea of these video games, they dehumanize individuals to have a game of shooting individuals and others,” McCarthy said. “When you look at these photos of how [the El Paso shooting] took place, you can see the actions within video games and others.”


Despite McCarthy's claims, researchers at England's University of Oxford published a study earlier this year that violent video games don't have an influence on the aggressive behavior of teens.

"The idea that violent video games drive real-world aggression is a popular one, but it hasn’t tested very well over time," study lead Professor Andrew Przybylski said at the time. "Despite interest in the topic by parents and policy-makers, the research has not demonstrated that there is cause for concern."


Since the first of the year, 252 mass shootings have been recorded with upwards of 282 killed between all incidents.

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Source: https://comicbook.com/gaming/2019/08/04/el-paso-mass-shooting-republicans-blame-video-games/

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"Politicians Once Again Blame Video Games After Deadly Shootings" :: Login/Create an Account :: 29 comments

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TinderPosted:

Never because of the gun laws, it's always on someone else, mental health is real, someone needs to talk to trump, sit him down and have a mcvities biscuit and have a chat, the US laws are pathetic.

DanielPosted:

Never see any deadly shootings like this in the UK its always the US, People from the us are just mental in the head, like some kids over there think its normal to shotgun their parents for fun cos they made a noise sleeping, then laugh about it when they are in cuffs on an interview. No game has influenced that, its being from the us that has, like imagine having trump as your president, Nuke this Nuke that a blind eye is turned to all of that.

Two_FacedPosted:

Maze It's hard to believe that we have people in the government that are this incompetent. There is a serious problem in the the country and state you are helping run and blame it on something that is proven not a factor time and time again.
Gotta love it being a Republican, from TEXAS, on FOX AND FRIENDS LMAOOO


Funny how CNN has even stupider excuses for gun violence

Two_FacedPosted:

ZTG you have zero idea what you are talking about. It's people like you that spread false information about the situation that add to the problem. For one. Our main reason to own a gun isn't for "self defense" it's to defend ourselves against a tyrannical government. Because history has shown what governments do when the citizens don't have guns and they are re being threatened with losing power. Look at Venezuela. The military recently ran over protesters with an armored vehicle. Or the Cambodian genocide or the holocaust whatever.. people just don't understand history. If you did you would understand why we like guns and will keep them.

Two_FacedPosted:

ZTG
Mario350 now i see why people dont like politics in video games because these people are just pure retards and need to learn that mental illness and lack of parenting being bulled in school and being in the middle of no where where theres nothing is the cause of psycopaths and murrders, not games, since 90% of people know the difference between real life and a game, i was only 5 or 6 when i started getting into m rated games from being a scare for seeing blood which is why i never played zelda oot until late 2012, games have nothing to do with the mass shootings its the lack of laws that allow civs to be able to buy guns without a license in the us thats the cause of them, here in canada and in montreal we had the major collage shooting and that masque shooting if i recall it was in quebec, but as you can see the pattern that in canada that shootings are rare, so when the us fking smartens up and follows canada's way of handling guns aka must be 18+ and have a full license to own a gun, and only allow pistols to the license holders, but i can go to the us get an ak ar15 m16(if its not military only) ect without a license and without being id because i look 14 at the age of 24, why because you are allowed to buy a gun in the us, well not really sure about the age for it in the us but yeah its real easy to buy guns.

just do what we do here in the not so great white north since we arent the north pole is license needing to own a gun which these are pretty hard to get, and you arent allowed to walk with them outside so thats a plus, unless you have another license for it im not sure how the whole license sh*t works but all i do know is license owning=less shootings less shootings=us becomes a good country that i wouldnt be scared to visit.

when will americans learn that you dont need a gun for self defence, but knifes are also illegal to carry as well here as far as i am aware that law might have been changed or someone told me a lie about knifes being illegal to carry but not to own, but yeah we do have a knifing issue more but thats also rare same with the mass and normal shootings, once in like 10 or more years there will be a shooting here in canada again well maybe in montreal but there might be somewhere else in canada but if there is i never heard of any and this is a guy that watches canadian news which also covers american news for some reason.

but again america doesnt need guns to feel safe they need to learn that from us canadians, do we need guns to feel safe no do we need self defense yes do we really need guns no leave guns to the military and cops only, they should be the only ones allowed to have guns, not civs, this is why im a strong license needing guy and i know all americans hate me because im all for restricting guns to needing a license and harder to buy.

just because i say i say im gonna do so and so doesnt mean im gonna do it irl, so no its not the games fault its the persons fault that they werent loved as a child and or their parents dont care and their mental health


Wrong https://youtu.be/-l4s901oOUY?t=664



Mario350, you have no idea what you are talking about. You can't compare two completely different countries. US has like 6x the population of Canada. And for one, you do need to be 18+ to purchase a firearm and you also need a license. Why don't you compare Mexico to US instead? Oh yeah, because it doesn't fit your narrative. Mexico has like 100,000 gun violence deaths a year, literally has cartels that routinely fight with the government in gun battles. And they have EXTREMELY strict gun laws.

AspiPosted:

Judging by that logic, If i punched a tree it'd fall down because i play minecraft :')

DeftonesPosted:

Mario350 now i see why people dont like politics in video games because these people are just pure retards and need to learn that mental illness and lack of parenting being bulled in school and being in the middle of no where where theres nothing is the cause of psycopaths and murrders, not games, since 90% of people know the difference between real life and a game, i was only 5 or 6 when i started getting into m rated games from being a scare for seeing blood which is why i never played zelda oot until late 2012, games have nothing to do with the mass shootings its the lack of laws that allow civs to be able to buy guns without a license in the us thats the cause of them, here in canada and in montreal we had the major collage shooting and that masque shooting if i recall it was in quebec, but as you can see the pattern that in canada that shootings are rare, so when the us fking smartens up and follows canada's way of handling guns aka must be 18+ and have a full license to own a gun, and only allow pistols to the license holders, but i can go to the us get an ak ar15 m16(if its not military only) ect without a license and without being id because i look 14 at the age of 24, why because you are allowed to buy a gun in the us, well not really sure about the age for it in the us but yeah its real easy to buy guns.

just do what we do here in the not so great white north since we arent the north pole is license needing to own a gun which these are pretty hard to get, and you arent allowed to walk with them outside so thats a plus, unless you have another license for it im not sure how the whole license sh*t works but all i do know is license owning=less shootings less shootings=us becomes a good country that i wouldnt be scared to visit.

when will americans learn that you dont need a gun for self defence, but knifes are also illegal to carry as well here as far as i am aware that law might have been changed or someone told me a lie about knifes being illegal to carry but not to own, but yeah we do have a knifing issue more but thats also rare same with the mass and normal shootings, once in like 10 or more years there will be a shooting here in canada again well maybe in montreal but there might be somewhere else in canada but if there is i never heard of any and this is a guy that watches canadian news which also covers american news for some reason.

but again america doesnt need guns to feel safe they need to learn that from us canadians, do we need guns to feel safe no do we need self defense yes do we really need guns no leave guns to the military and cops only, they should be the only ones allowed to have guns, not civs, this is why im a strong license needing guy and i know all americans hate me because im all for restricting guns to needing a license and harder to buy.

just because i say i say im gonna do so and so doesnt mean im gonna do it irl, so no its not the games fault its the persons fault that they werent loved as a child and or their parents dont care and their mental health


Wrong https://youtu.be/-l4s901oOUY?t=664

DeftonesPosted:

They're so braindead and they know it, they try to shift the blame on something else to make people look away for their incompentency.

RedactedPosted:

I blame the gun laws. Ain't no shootings over here. The mentally ill can just go buy a gun.

Darklord1488Posted:

Mario350

just do what we do here in the not so great white north since we arent the north pole is license needing to own a gun which these are pretty hard to get, and you arent allowed to walk with them outside so thats a plus, unless you have another license for it im not sure how the whole license sh*t works but all i do know is license owning=less shootings less shootings=us becomes a good country that i wouldnt be scared to visit.


I know what you're trying to say, but just to clarify, getting a gun in Canada is pretty simple. You do a one day course for shotguns and rifles, and another one day course if you want a restricted firearm like a pistol or more "scary" gun.

Do the courses, paperwork and wait a few months for the license to come and then you're good to go.

As for carrying a gun in public, I'm sure you are referring to one on your hip etc, that's not allowed, but you can technically carry guns in public. It's a good way to get shot, but I can drive around town with my tactical Mossberg 500 chainsaw on my front seat with me, as long as it's not loaded. I can then take said firearm into the hunting store and talk to them about mods or repairs etc. Not the same as just carrying it with you - I know. Just meaning you can have your guns openly viewable in your vehicle etc (you just have to be stupid af to do so) lol

I actually called the gun store in town because I needed help with my first firearm and asked if I was allowed to bring it in the store, and she was like "um...yea...? Why wouldn't you be allowed to?" I just didn't want to walk in a store with a shotgun and scare people or get arrested for not knowing


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