Bowling for Columbine

Hey everyone-

I found this editorial online and thought it was great! The movie "Bowling for Columbine" is a must-see, and this guy's prespective is very entertaining! Enjoy!


FUN WITH GUNS!!!!
Oct 25 '02

The Bottom Line Man, I hate guns.

A dear friend of mine recently saw Michael Moore's BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE and that started a dialogue between my circle of "friends" concerning gun control. Some of these, for lack of a better word, friends actually belonged to the NRA, a right wing fascist group that scares me a little more than the American Nazi Party. This meant there was no logical reasoning with these people. As a result I turned my energies to write this piece of crap:

A real man settles things with his mind, then inevitably when that fails, his fists. Anyone can pull their index finger back but it takes a real man to get hand to hand with a guy and scramble his brains with brute strength.
Guns are for the weak.

There are generally these arguments for allowing guns in America:

It's in the Constitution.

Law Enforcement.

Home security.

Hunting.


The Constitutional argument: If ever there was an Amendment of any country's Constitution that was outdated and totally out of context its our 2nd one. That was written in order to make sure those Limey Imperialists wouldn't know when they could get wasted by some squirrel eating colonist during the Revolutionary War. That gave our tax dodging, pot growing, slave owning forefathers the upper hand in that war forever altering human history. And thank God they had the upper hand because if we still lived under British Rule we'd be no better than Canada. A country with Zero crime, vast stretches of land unspoiled by man and Universal Health Care! Whew, we dodged a bullet there!
And keep in mind PROHIBITION was once part of the Constitution. Now, if that doesn't make you look at that document twice you're hopeless.

Some argue we need guns to keep the peace. Well, as far as law enforcement goes in Great Britain the cops don't even carry guns and their crime rate is negligible compared to ours. Because the criminals don't have them either. NO ONE does. (Well, almost no one. Bear with me here). However on this point I will concead a little by saying that the only people that should be allowed firearms are law enforcement officials. Just the good ones though, not the ones on the take. In this case the cat is out of the bag. Guns are plentiful in this country and the people brave enough to protect lilly white college boys such as myself need them to keep the peace. In a perfect world though, even police officers would not need firearms but admittedly as the wise sage Huey Lewis once pointed out, "There ain't no perfect world".

Home protection? What would you need a gun in the house for if no one else had one? I know this is a rose tinted view of the situation but at its root that is the argument. Why have some fatality waiting to happen in your home if you don't need it. And when the sh*t goes down someone’s getting killed or at least seriously wounded. It may not be a popular opinion but the life of an intruder is just as valuable in the cosmic scheme of things as anyone else's. And anyway if we have an armed police force then let them handle the situation. Most fatalities during robberies happen because the victim (for whatever reason) decided material possessions are worth dying or killing for. That's a sad statement on the society we live in. Even sadder than the fact Sandra Bullock runs her own production company.

Hunting? Well we humans are being hunted down in Maryland and everyone's crying about it. This has only been going on for three weeks. We've been shooting defenseless animals for centuries! When the tables are turned and we get randomly gunned down by a superior adversary we get our panties in a bunch! And why would you need a handgun to hunt? You're gonna sneak up on a flock of ducks pretending to be feeding them bread crumbs then -BAM BAM BAM?!!? That shows those ducks! Let's be fair, these poor animals don't stand a chance. Let's make the playing field level. Want to kill a deer? Wait in a tree until one comes underneath you and pounce - like a man! Then engage the deer in some hand to hand combat. If you can't beat it with your bare hands, like a man, don't cheat with a gun, just let Bambi's mother roam free for the love of Jeff. That's why I don't eat deer meat or bear meat; because I acknowledge a deer or a bear would tear me limb from limb. However, a cow and a pig? Well Christ, I'm pretty sure I can take a cow (especially if it’s asleep) and I ain't goin down to no punkass swine! That's why I eat steak and ham only. Oh, and chicken. But c'mon, fighting a chicken is like fighting Gerry Cooney.

RANT ABOUT MICHAEL MOORE:
And Michael Moore is a hypocrite. He's a member of the NRA. An association which pressures lobbyists and senators to vote against ballistics fingerprinting. If this law were enacted a year ago when it came up to vote this sniper would've been caught after the first shot was fire. This is an association more concerned with keeping their special interests protected then helping to catch a madman who's threatening the lives of children. He's also a hypocrite cause his follow-ups on the issues he presents is nil. After he gets his name in the press and his ego stroked, he moves on. He could've nailed Phil Knight and NIKE to a wall four years ago but he backed down because the story faded away. His name got in the press so it was time for him to move on to another topic. Meanwhile, little Haddish is still working for Phil Knight in Indonesia for 13 cents an hour and Phil charges some kid in Peoria 175 bucks for those shoes. Good job, Mike. You really made a difference there.
RANT OVER

I admit this is a simple argument on my side, but hell, I'm a pretty simple guy. I could've put in a bunch of stats about how every 24 seconds someone gets shot in America or that in the past ten years more people were killed by guns in the US than American soldiers were killed in Vietnam but I'll leave that to Bono. Simply, nothing good has ever come from a gun. A gun can not create life, it can only take it away, but didn't Edwin Star say something to this effect years ago? If Edwin couldn't convince this nation then some simple farmer's son from Nebraska doesn't stand a chance.

Yes, guns are bad but any idiot will tell you that. But if we abolished guns and the NRA we wouldn't have the laughs that go with gun apologists twisting the facts and just plain lying to us on CNN by saying gun availability is not the cause of destruction anytime some p*ssed off punk kid shoots up a school. And what would Charlton Heston do? THE TEN COMMANDMENTS alone is reason to allow him to stay in the public eye.

So, we'll give it 4 stars out of 5 for Gun Control. Hell, it works for Canada! Next, we'll discuss Socialized Health Care, Neil Young and other great Canadian elements!

Wow, that was a lot of really pretentious sh*t.

Link

Guns and Movies

Greetings! If you like movies, especially violent ones, and ESPECIALLY Star Wars, you'll find this story as fun, yet insightful, as I did. I would also like to add I am a member of the NRA, and although many of you may not agree with my beliefs about gun control, we all agree that gun violence can and needs to be prevented. I hope you like the article.


The Required Gun
You Can't Have A Movie Without One

Submitted by George Hill
3/19/99

Being a NRA Certified Pistol and Personel Protection Instructor, as well as a life long shooter, I am fluent in over 6 million forms of Weapon Systems. As such, I am often questioned about guns in movies - and gun movies.

I say STAR WARS is of paramount importance to film making and to the shooting community in general. Not only is it an escape from the hum drum of life taking us to other worlds we would love to go to, it proves the premise that Germany has the best gun makers in the world and in galaxies far far away. The movie just wouldn't be the same without the German guns. What would Han Solo do with Greedo if Han wasn't armed with his Mouser-Blaster? Luke too...

Looking at Solo's Handi Blaster, you see that it is topped with a type of scope. Some have asked me "Why? - He never uses it!" Let me go out on a limb here. I have read that Solo's blaster has been less than ATF approved modifications, such as military grade energy packs and what not. His gun is capable of doing a great deal more damage. Should Han want to deliver this damage precisely, he would use the scope. When we have seen him use his Blaster in combat, no, he didn't use the scope. He might have even been killed if he tried to use it. "What?" you say. Let me explain.

Scopes on handguns are not fast devices to use, and in the shooting community it is debated on whether or not any sites are fast enough to use in combat, and there are to schools of thought on this. One school is the "Point Shooting" group, who believe in keeping your eyes on the target and pointing the gun naturally. A prime example of this is in the scene when Luke yells "No!" after seeing Ben get hacked. Look at his stance, feet wide apart, knees bent, arms out forming a triangle. Classic point shooting there. This is touted as been the fastest method of shooting and is also some times called the "Israeli Technique". The other side of the shooting coin is more concentrating on the front site - for accurate shot placement, you take a second and aim. Han uses neither styles in any strict sense. He uses an older point shooting method that is a throw back to the old western style of index shooting. This is actually very in character with Solo, whos primary style is "Just Blast it". Back to the scope, technically it is correct that he didn't use it in any of the depicted situations.

And quite often you observed Stormies packing MG-42s all over the place - never mind the dressing up on the MG, STOCK works just fine even in a galaxy far, far away. Mostly the Stormies are packing the DL-44, which is actually a dressed up British Sterling submachine gun - one of the finest subguns ever made. The Sterling, and the resulting DL-44, has a folding stock. The stock folds up under barrel on the bottom and can snap out to full extension very quickly. Of course, we never saw a trooper shoulder his blaster. If one had, then the movie would have ended rather abruptly. Fire from a shouldered weapon is on average much much more accurate and easier and faster to shoot as well. I like the Stormies - they have a Key Stone Cop feel to them when they are all firing. One of the worst insults I have heard on the firing ranges is "Your Shooting Like A Storm Trooper!" I laugh at Ben's line "Only Imperial Storm Troopers are so precise." This makes me believe a Fire Arms Instructor would make a great living there on Tatooine. That, and Imperial Trainers need a good butt kicking.

So, this leaves the question "Who is the best shot in Star Wars?" I am not sure, but I think Leia. She took out a Stormie with her modified Luger, one in the beginning of Episode 4, with a single shot right to the heart (just before she gets stunned), and two of them in episode 6, while on the forest moon of Endor. Not to mention the troopers she picks off with the DL-44 while covering Lukes butt while he's playing Tarzan after he blasted the controls to extend the bridge. You Go Girl!

There are lots of other noteworthy items to talk about. Like the Maxim Machine gun on Hoth and the Sheridan tank turrets there too. This hardware gives SW a lot of credibility. Look at these guns, Real Guns, then look at the latest Star Trek film. Just what the heck is a "Phaser?" That doesn't sound like a weapon to me. Think of this: You alone in a parking lot - a big hair thug is charging you before you can get in you car and drive away, this guy eats raw hobbits. Do you want to PHASE him? Or Blast him?

I thought so.

(George Hill, Jedi Knight. Age 29. Married to a lovely young dancer. 4 boys under the age of 6 And was only able to bestow one of them with a Star Wars name. Works in computers now after spending time in Military (Light Infantry), Law Enforcement and Fugitive Recovery. Has the day of the Episode One opening off from work. (Cause the Bosses wouldn't dare say no.)

Link

Gun Safety Quiz

Before you think about owning a handgun-you should pass this quiz!

Handgun Safety Quiz
Gilman Mayfield Guns Invites You to Come and Visit Us.

Your Name:
Your Email Address:
1) Safety Rule Number Two is to keep the gun pointed:
2) Safety Rule Number Five is know how to properly:
3) Which of the following safety points should you remember when handling a gun?
4) The number of beers you can have while shooting a gun would be?
5) A safe practice when handling a gun is to rest your finger on the outside of the trigger guard or along the side of the gun until you are ready to shoot.
6) To "know your target, its surroundings and beyond," you must consider that if the bullet misses or completely passes through the the target, it could strike a person or object.
7) The four safety "Rules for Kids" if they see a gun are:
8) It is important for you to be a positive role model by always practicing the basic gun safety rules and displaying a positive safety attitude all the time.
9) If you keep a loaded firearm where a child obtains and improperly uses it, you may face misdemeanor or felony charges.
10) There is no such thing as being too careful with children and guns.
11) An important lesson children should learn is that guns are not toys.
12) Child safety precautions only apply if you have children.
13) A magazine is part of a:
14) Firearm or ammunition caliber refers to:
15) After ensuring a double-action revolver is pointed in a safe direction and with your finger off the trigger, you begin unloading the handgun by:
16) The two most common types of handguns are:
17) Just because a cartridge fits into your firearm does not necessarily mean it is safe to shoot.
18) The safety on a semi-automatic pistol is not foolproof.
19) The importance of the "dangerous range" is that a bullet can travel far beyond the intended target.
20) Which of the following steps should be taken to "childproof" your handgun?
21) It is safe to store a loaded handgun in:
22) It is important to carefully read all instructional material you receive with your handgun.
23) Certain modifications, when made to a firearm, may void its warranty.
24) A convicted felon can only legally purchase a handgun from:
25) To legally purchase a handgun you must be:

Answers at:
http://www.gilmanmayfieldguns.com/quiz/quiz.html

NRA Story

Hello! I found this story refreshing because it is about an 8 year-old who finds a gun and knows how to respond safely. It is imperative we all teach our children what to do if they stumble upon a gun, whether it is ours or someone else's.

Tennessee 3rd Grader Finds Gun,
Follows Eddie Eagle's Safety Message

Last month, eight-year old Billy Thornton was with his father, Daryl, at the TVA Employees Credit Union in Knoxville when he encountered a potentially dangerous situation. While his father was waiting in line, Billy went to the restroom and spotted a handgun in plain view pointed directly at him. More than a year before, Education Officer Katy Davis of the Knox County Sheriff's Office had taught Billy's class the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, which teaches children in pre-K through the third grades that if they find a gun, they should: STOP! Don't Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult. And that's exactly what Billy did. He returned to his father and told him what he had found. Mr. Thornton retrieved the loaded gun and turned it over to the credit union's manager.

Accidental deaths with firearms have been decreasing for decades and are now at an all-time low in the U.S. Among children, fatal firearm accidents in the Eddie Eagle age group have been reduced by more than two-thirds since the program's inception, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. NRA feels that gun accident prevention programs such as Eddie Eagle® are a significant factor in that decline.

Past NRA President Marion P. Hammer created the program in consultation with child psychologists, elementary schoolteachers, and law enforcement officers. Now in its 17th year, the program has reached over 18 million children nationwide. The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program has been endorsed by The National Sheriffs' Association and recognized by the National Safety Council. It is also a recipient of The American Legion's National Education Award, and has been praised by a host of national and community organizations, governors and state legislatures for its effectiveness.

The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun safety awareness within their local communities. Schools, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and others interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program should call the Edd

http://www.nra.org/Article.aspx?id=2570

A Mother's Testimony

The following story really made struck an emotional chord with me and I think everyone shoud read this. Sometimes people don't realize how large of a problem gun safety is until someone in their family, or a friend, is a victim. Read on, this woman has some really important things to say.

My life was blessed with two sons, Eddie and Jason. Eddie was born May 1, 1968.
This memorial to Jason Green Fuller was created by his mother, Judy Harper. Jason's mom tells of her son's unfortunate death, and the crusade she leads as a result today.

Jason was born July 28, 1973, and became a handgun victim in 1987.

Jason was killed while playing at his father's home, by a 38 caliber handgun that was left loaded and accessible. We've all read these all too familiar stories in the newspapers.

Jason's father and I were divorced, and Jason was left "alone" at his father's home where his stepmother collected handguns, and apparently left them loaded and unsecured. I've never dealt much with guns. I was a pacifist in the 60s, and never allowed my sons to play with "toy" guns! It just never occurred to me that my sons would be exposed to weapons elsewhere! I now warn every parent I meet, please ask the question... "Do you have guns in your home, and are they secured?"

It has been 13 years now, (1987 - 2000), and I've spoken to civic groups, been on national television (CNN), and made a PBS "safety announcement," all about the responsibility of handguns in the home. I've demonstrated how you can secure the weapons in the home by using a simple padlock and key in the trigger hole. It's inexpensive and simple to use.

I joined Handgun Control, Inc., Georgian's Against Gun Violence (GAGV), and the Million Mom March to attempt to stop this madness.

I've begged, pleaded, and argued with the Georgia Legislature about a bill to protect children in Georgia and punish people who don't take gun ownership seriously... but to no avail. The owner of the gun that killed my son was never punished or even reprimanded, and the guns are still there in her house, loaded and accessible to anyone. Like many gun owners, she never thinks of the consequences of her carelessness.

I will continue my crusade to educate America about the RESPONSIBILITY of gun ownership.
I will continue to HONOR Jason's memory by telling his story.
I will continue to PRAY that we can stop the killing of our children with carelessness and ignorance.
My message to the world at large: If you own guns, secure them with trigger locks, or lock-boxes, and put the ammunition somewhere else. GUNS KILL. Don't let the next person who finds/uses your handgun be someone's CHILD, maybe even your own! TAKE THE TIME TO PROTECT OUR CHILDREN.

On Mother's Day, May 14, 2000, President Clinton, Mrs. Clinton, Rosie O'Donnell, and thousands of mothers, fathers, and families will march in Washington DC to let the politicians who debate gun laws see the faces of those we have lost, and share the pain of losing a child. Hopefully then Congress will act to protect the future of all of our children.

OWNING A GUN OF ANY KIND IS A RESPONSIBILITY. AS ADULTS WE ARE HERE TO PROTECT THE CHILDREN. GUNS KILL.

-http://www.tf.org/tf/violence/gunmem/Fuller_Jason_Green.shtml

Response to 'Gun Violence in Wisconsin'

Here's some comments from readers of the Badger Herald:

Mr. Hunter (November 23, 2004 @ 10:36 PM):
Being a hunter and talking to many more hunters, we are not, I repeat NOT in favor of banning semi automatic guns. What we want, is when a gun is used as a weapon against another person, the PERSON USING THE gun as said weapon to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. It was not the gun doing the hideous heinous crime but the person PULLING THE TRIGER. Also, this looks like a hate crime. If the gunman was white and the victims were Asian or another ethnic group it would be called a hate crime. But because this was reversed and the shooter was a minority and the victims were not a minority it’s called a shooting and the gun is to blame.
Jeri Bonavia, and state Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, are once again on the wrong side calling for a statewide ban on such guns. We should ban the trial lawyers that will represent the animal that was pulling the trigger and would blame a gun on such a crime. I could only hope that the voters will look at Rep. Christine Sinicki in the next election and vote in a thinking person into her current position. For her to think a gun committed this crime or a law would have prevented it is utterly stupid.


Anonymous:
In this case "the person PULLING THE TRIGER" had modified the gun with a 20 round magazine. You are definitely right about the "hate crime" aspect - but only white people were killed so it's just a regular crime.
Anonymous:
That's not true. Hate crimes go both ways--the Supreme Court case in which hate crime legislation was upheld as constitutional had black defendants.
"We should ban the lawyers..." Yeah, that's solid thinking. No defense lawyers, for anyone!
"Once they start banning..." I don't see a slippery slope here. The majority of Americans have no interest in banning shotguns, etc. I'm not sure why someone needs a semiautomatic to hunt deer, but given how terrified Democrats are of this issue, you can bet that a comprehensive gun ban is DOA.
Anonymous:
I am convinced that 50% of the people in this city could not accurately define "semiautomatic".
Anonymous:
My condolences to the family members, this certainly is a terrible tragedy.
However, despite what the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort would like you to think, the "Assault Weapon Ban" would have done nothing to prevent this crime.
1) the rifle was not on the list of weapons banned2) the guy was from MN, so a WI ban that they are pushing wouldn't do anything to stop this either
and finally, there they are again, throwing around the term "assault rifle." The real definition of an "assault rifle" is a select fire (auto or burst fire) military rifle. The AWB definition is one with a pistol grip, bayonet lug, flash hider, etc etc
Now an SKS is an "assault rifle." These people need to stick with one definition instead of changing it as it best suits their interests.
If the guy had used a single shot muzzle loader to kill 6 people, they would have been calling it an "assault rifle."
If this guy is truly guilty, he should fry. However, taking away SKS rifles which are used by thousands of hunters will not solve any problems.
-Adrian AndrijasevicSecretary, SAFERUW-Madison Gun Clubhttp://safer.rso.wisc.edu
Anonymous:
"2) the guy was from MN, so a WI ban that they are pushing wouldn't do anything to stop this either"
Not true. The ban would apply to all such weapons in the State of Wisconsin, regardless of where the owners of the weapons live. The rest of your post makes a lot of sense, though.
Anonymous:
Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and their family's. Lets hope that our elected officials focus on the criminal and not the tool used to commit this horrific event. Fellow hunters and countrymen from Rhode Island

-From Badgerherald.com
http://badgerherald.com/news/2004/11/23/6th_person_dies_afte.php

Gun Violence in Wisconsin

In case you haven't heard, 5 hunters were recently killed in Wisconson. I've attached the story. We need to stop this! From the Badger Herald:

6th person dies after killing spree
by Ryan Masse

Tuesday, November 23, 2004
New details emerged Monday surrounding the shocking killing of a group of hunters in remote Sawyer County in northwestern Wisconsin.
Authorities identified the suspect, Chai Soua Vang, a 36-year-old from St. Paul, Minn., as the culprit of the multiple homicides. Police apprehended Vang around 5 p.m. Sunday, hours after he allegedly shot and killed five hunters and seriously injured three others upon being told to leave a tree stand on private property.
One of the three survivors, Denny Drew, died late Monday, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. Lauren Hesebeck was held at Lakeview Medical Center in Rice Lake in stable condition with a single gunshot wound.
The third, Terry Willers, suffered more serious injuries and was transported to the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, Wis. Hospital spokesperson Carla David said Willers was in serious but stable condition.
Officials, hunters react
Each of the eight victims hailed from Barron County, an area directly southwest of Sawyer County.
Barron County Sheriff Thomas Richie said the community is in a “state of mourning.”
“It’s hit the county hard,” Richie said. “It’s really made people think, asking how such a thing [could] happen, and I don’t think there’s any answers.”
In Rice Lake, with a population of 8,312 and the largest city in the county, the Dairy State Bank established a fund for donations Monday in remembrance of the victims. Pam Skowzgird, spokesperson for the bank, said the Rice Lake Hunters Survivors and Victims Fund received “quite a bit of support” just hours after being started.
Hunters expressed amazement that such an event could take place in the sparsely populated portion of the state. Third-year University of Wisconsin pharmacy student and hunter Brandon Ordway was shocked to find out so many people had been killed in a community nearby his hometown of Cumberland.
“Occasionally you hear about someone falling off a tree stand or something, but this was extraordinary,” said Ordway, who hunts in an area 30 miles away from the scene of Sunday’s killing spree.
Still, Ordway said the incident would not deter him from hunting in the future.
“It will definitely not stop me. I think people realize it was one of those weird things that happens and nobody knows why.”
Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Northern Region Warden Mike Bartz said the shooting stood in contrast with what had been a remarkably safe pastime in recent years. And while a few fatalities occur each year in Wisconsin in connection with the sport, a homicide like what happened in Sawyer County is completely unprecedented, he said.
“Typically we are involved in shooting accidents that are fatal, and those are tragic, but the word accident is usually in there someplace,” Bartz said. “This was one of those things where what should have been a great tradition was just shattered.”
Weapon
The gun Vang allegedly used in the murders, an SKS semi-automatic assault rifle, has gained popularity among hunters in recent years, according to Bartz.
“This particular model is relatively cheap — it’s easy to get ammunition and we’re seeing it more and more in the last 10 years,” he said.
Bartz noted the gun’s low recoil also makes it a popular choice for hunters.
Gun-control advocacy groups were quick to renew pleas for an assault-rifle ban in the wake of Sunday’s slayings. Jeri Bonavia, executive director of the Wisconsin Anti-Violence Effort, touted a proposal from state Rep. Christine Sinicki, D-Milwaukee, calling for a statewide ban on such guns.
“A shooting like this, unfortunately, does bring the issue back into the limelight,” Bonavia said.
A 10-year federal ban on certain semi-automatic assault rifles expired in September of this year. However, the SKS Vang used was not among the guns prohibited under the ban.
Bonavia said the incident should influence the state Legislature to act in the interests of those opposed to the prevalence of semi-automatics.
“The vast majority of gun owners, including hunters, are in favor of a ban, so the incentive is there to compel lawmakers to enact a ban at state level,” she said.

-From Badgerherald.com
http://badgerherald.com/news/2004/11/23/6th_person_dies_afte.php

Video Game Violence

I read this story in the news recently and it really opened my eyes about the influence of video games on our youth. I will certainly censor my children's access to video games from now on. I hope you all find it interesting.

Video game hostility raises concern
by Lindsay Mosher

Friday, February 4, 2005
Recent advancements in video game realism and graphics have increased the ability of video game manufacturers to depict gratuitous bloodshed and violence. The aggression generally associated with popular video games has been met with concern throughout the country and on the University of Wisconsin campus.
“Technology has made video games much more realistic and vivid,” James Gee, professor of educational psychology in the School of Education, said.
Gee added improved graphics and interfaces have “made it drastically easier to show blood and gore.”
According to Joanne Cantor, UW professor emerita of Communication Arts, “repeated exposure to video games can make violence less disturbing and upsetting.”
Canton said she feels video games are often played for extended periods of time and the effects of such violent games are more pronounced if played for such a duration.
“Violent video games desensitize people no matter what their age,” Cantor said.
Statistics from a Wheeling Jesuit University study on violence in video games reported playing video games can actually help distract people from the stresses of everyday life, regardless of the content.
Gee conducted a similar study at UW that supported evidence from the Wheeling Jesuit study. His study concluded that the majority of research on the possible negative effects of violent video games has not provided any real link between the actions of game-players and the games they play.
Gee cited Japan as the prime example for the overstatement of the negative effects of video games.
“Japan engages in more violent video play [than America] … and yet it has much less violence,” Gee said.
While critics oftentimes focus on the negative effects of violent video games on children, many have disregarded college students and other older demographics.
The older demographics playing games such as Half-Life and Grand Theft Auto have an alternate way to execute complex, planned thought processes and do not represent attitudes of brute violence, Gee noted.
The abundance of research surrounding video game effects has been aimed toward children, but recent research has begun to include the college-age demographic into findings as well.
The average video game consumer is 28 years old. According to Game-Research.com, consumers over the age of 18 were responsible for 97 percent of the total $7 billion dollars in sales for the video-gaming industry.
“Chess is a game with a strategy based on war,” Gee said in noting similarities to violent videogames. “[N]o one thinks of chess as a violent game; the focus is on strategy.”
Repeatedly playing games where much of the focus is on carnage and bloodshed socializes people to shoot now, think later according to Cantor.
“The effects are quite strong and negative [and] most of the research out there is accurate,” Canton said.
Both Gee and Cantor agreed restrictions should be placed on allowing children to play M-Rated games.
“Small children shouldn’t be playing horror games,” Gee said. “It is the parent’s responsibility [to limit them from doing so].”

-From Badgerherald.com
http://badgerherald.com/news/2005/02/04/video_game_hostility.php