Police Boycott Popular Video Game

[Janice]

http://www.wusa9.com/rss/videonews_a...?storyid=46915

Police Boycott Popular Video Game

Nearly 100,000 signatures nationwide are calling for a boycott of the video game "25 to Life" which rewards gamers for killing cops.

It's a game, but authorities are concerned it could erode a player's respect for law enforcement, and for life.

In Florida, the head of Jacksonville's Police Officers Union, Nelson Cuba, told First Coast News "25 to Life" begins with players making a choice.

"You can either be a criminal or you can be the police," said Cuba.

"The way the game is set up is you kill as many police officers as you can to move up in the ranks."

The concern for law enforcement is real. A concern that a player of the game today might act on the fantasy tomorrow.

"Hopefully that this doesn't turn a kid that's maybe not a criminal or murderer into one. That thinks it's OK," said Cuba.

So law enforcement has an on-line petition with nearly 100,000 signatures gathered in the three weeks since the game's debut on US shores from its native England to boycott "25 to Life."

"We don't know what our kids are buying or seeing and we want them (parents)to know, 'if you see your son or daughter buying this game, know that that's what it's about."

That won't be an issue for Dads like Dave Harper.

"I look at whether it's for [adults, if] it says, 'Mature Audiences Only?' -- then I know it's not for my kids," said Harper.

He says he works hard to monitor everything his three children watch or play.

"I have two young daughters and I don't want them watching something that I feel is inappropriate," said Harper.

As a parent, Dave Harper doesn't go by the suggested rating, he tries to read up and learn about movies or games before renting them, and he checks the suggested age.

"I hope that all parents do that in this day and age when everybody works. I work two jobs and it's kind of difficult, so I instill in my kids the right direction, what to watch, and what NOT to watch, and I hope that every parent does that."

Cuba and thousands of law enforcement personnel across tha nation worry about games like "25 to Life" leading kids to disrespect authority.

"Can you imagine if we get to the point where its OK to kill a police officer?" said Cuba.

"What does it matter [then] to kill the citizen walking down the street?"

[T_ID]

How narrowminded to actually think such a game turns people into murderers.

It takes an IQ of below 70 to confuse games with reality, so what a catastophic risk is this game going to pose.

Did Carmageddon cause hundreds of kids to drive around in dad's car hunting pedestrians? No.

Did Postal cause kids to run around shooting at everything that moves? No.

Did Command&Conquer prompt dozens of kids to develop strategic genius and become generals? No.

Did Soldier Of Fortune cause hundreds of kids to grab combat shotguns to try and shoot off limbs of innocent bystanders? No.


So does it make any possible sense to criticise this game and fear people do it in real life?

No.

[TheGenius]

It ain't like there still wouldn't be GTA and all the other violent games where you kill cops. This stuff is too popular, it's never goin away

[staypuftman2004]

that just crazy i like playing those games

[Hollow]

no, playing a video game won't likely turn anyone into a murderer, but it often does subconsciously influence teenagers. they won't necessarily think it's okay/cool to shoot cops, but virtually doing so simply discourages the idea that it isn't someone one should do. that's just psychology for you. it's similar to that of anti drug advertisements; typically if a teenager who avidly uses drugs and doesn't care about the dangers of them sees one, they're not likely to think "damn, that's sad, i think i'm going to check into rehab tomorrow" but it helps them maintain the idea in their subconscious that what they're doing is bad, while as we can all figure, any advertisements saying "**** all the sober *******, DRUGS ARE A LIFESAVER!" will strongly encourage them to continue doing drugs. the influence violent video games has on teenagers is similar to the former; it's not like it will teach or convince them to kill people in real life, but it may somewhat discourage the idea in their subconscious that they shouldn't. if someone is already on the verge of killing someone, a game like that certainly would convince them to do so more than not.

everyone go ahead and throw your rocks and call me a *****; i didn't state my opinion on the issue, all i presented were the facts.

[Janice]

You make good and valid points Sarah. My memory is sketchy on this, but I remember something about a game or movie...something...that two students were heavily into....the ones who shot up Columbine.

I agree that if someone is tinkering on the edge emotionally, certain things can set them off. Something that would have no effect on a stable minded person.

The guy who shot Reagan was obsessed with Jodie Foster and her role in the movie, Taxi Driver. The book, Catcher In The Rye, set off the guy who killed John Lennon.

[Brad Russ]

I think it's really sad how popular these kinds of video games have become. What's sadder, is how so many parents let there children buy, and in some cases, even buy these games for their children. I personally don't mind your good old fashion kill the bad guy kinds of games, but Iv'e never really understood why a person would want to pretend to kill the people who serve and protect us, or why a person would want to play a game where the idea is to rob an innocent citizen of his car. This is the kind of thing we condemn in real life, yet after we do, we go and play them in video games as if it's okay. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Also kind of sets a double standard for our children if you ask me. I don't know, to each his own I guess. Personally, I wouldn't be sad if they banned every game where the idea was to kill good, and decent people, but that's just my view.

[T_ID]

A lot of people seem to be wondering why games with violent themes are so popular..

Well, that has everything to do with why we play video games. Entertainment, and with that entertainment, stress relief.

We all know the feeling that when something goes wrong badly, and frustrations mount, we'd want to relief our anger upon something asociated with that.

If the mail never arrives on time, I could feel like I want to strangle the mailman. Not because the mailman is the cause, not because it'll get better if I would, not because the mailman should be 'punished' for my mail not being there, but simple because the idea of doing it relieves frustration.

Now it's a bit hard to relief stress in such a way in real life. For some strange reason it's seen as disproportional to kill a police officer for getting a few parking tickets.

Videogames offer a solution to that. There you can do things that are otherwise only possible in imagination.



Then we come to the scenario where people are driven berserk for some reason, grab daddies legal guns and go shooting up their school, house, neighbourhood or other things.


What makes people do that?

For a start you need to be desperate. No-one with any kind of perspective in life does such things. Desperate enough, anyone can be brought to snap and turn violent.


What makes people desperate?

A great variety of things. Daily frustrations and lack of hope for the future, as well as feelings of being repressed are the most likely causes.
A requirement is also the lack of means to relief the stress that builds up because of that. Otherwise it's not possible to build up enough anger to actually do extreme things.


So do videogames add to that?

I doubt it really. Games as I already said serve as entertainment and stress relief from the things that build up. If anything, games lessen the chance of people going insane.

Simple because if you get home all frustrated because of school, work, or anything else, starting up that computer and running over a few hundred virtual pedestrians improves your mood. You get less angry, less stressed out, less likely to snap at the next person you find annoying and punch them in the face.


So what question remains? Do videogames cause violent behaviour? I think the question should rather be how much violence games have prevented.

Banning games is only going to achieve three things:
-people will feel that censorship is even more ridiculous than it already is
-people won't be able to relief themselves and will build up more stress and anger
-the banned videogames can rejoice in a load of free publicity an attention, and sales will soar, be it by legal or illegal means.

[Brian Damage]

While I don't think video games will make an average person go out and kill, I do believe that it can provoke violence amongst youth. There is a reason why these games are rated M for mature. Video games can relieve stress for an adult, but for young impressional kids, it can make them more hyper and susceptable to violent outbreaks. Professional wrestling has done it, violent movies have done it, why not video games? It is up to the parents to be more responsible and monitor what their children are playing and doing. The problem is, a lot of parents use video games and tv as babysitters. Therein lies the problem.

[Brian]

Brian has a valid point. Violent games are rated M for the same reason that movies are rated R. It is sad when parents use video games as a scapegoat for their children's behavior when it is their sole responsibility for what their kids play and what they are exposed to.

I'll digress a little but it is relevant to the topic. When I was in elementary school, my parents would screen R-rated movies before they allowed me to watch them and in most cases they were vetoed. That is what parents should do not only with movies but with video games. And stores should make sure that M-rated games don't get sold to minors unless there is a responsible parent with them. In fact states have made laws about sales of M-rated games to minors but it's been in the courts for a while.

[T_ID]

Originally Posted by Brian Damage

While I don't think video games will make an average person go out and kill, I do believe that it can provoke violence amongst youth. There is a reason why these games are rated M for mature. Video games can relieve stress for an adult, but for young impressional kids, it can make them more hyper and susceptable to violent outbreaks. Professional wrestling has done it, violent movies have done it, why not video games? It is up to the parents to be more responsible and monitor what their children are playing and doing. The problem is, a lot of parents use video games and tv as babysitters. Therein lies the problem.

A bit of circular reasoning by saying it's rated mature, but hey.

Either way, you have a point, and you also exposed the real cause of people getting violent outbreaks: the lack of something to counter such an outbreak.


You can play all the games and watch all the movies you want, but if you're a reasonably intelligent person who is cared for well by your parents, the chances of you suddenly going crazy and doing violent things is nil.

So better spend the attention on making sure that people don't get into family situations in which they feel frustrated or supressed, that works lots better than trying to outlaw movies and videogames.