Obama Calls on Congress to Fund Research on Effects of Violent Videogames
Obama calls on Congress to fund research on the effects of violent media.
While Joe Biden's meeting with the videogame industry went as well as one could hope, as the vice president seemed to conclude that violent videogames were not to blame for events like the one at Sandy Hook, President Obama wants to look further into the effects of violent videogames on children.
One of the 23 executive orders he signed recently calls for the CDC to do further research on violent behavior, which includes looking into violent media.
Obama isn't pointing the finger of blame at anyone. “We don’t benefit from ignorance. We don’t benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence," said the President. “Congress should fund research into the effects violent video games have on young minds.”
Despite signing the executive orders, Obama reminded the American people that in order for these actions to truly be carried out, he would need Congress's help. "“As important as these steps are, they are in no way a substitute for action from Congress,” Obama said.
The president wants to allocate $10 million of the nation's budget on the study on the effects of violent media and called for a bill to require background checks on firearm purchases, limit assault weapons, and maintain a 10-round maximum on ammo magazines. No doubt the president's call for such a bill angered many gun-rights supporters.
Whatever the case, it seems like Biden's reassurance to the videogames industry that there was no "silver bullet" for the issue holds true for the POTUS as well. Gamers can take a step back and sigh in relief that the government won't be levying bills against violent videogames just yet.
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wanderer11 Violent video games are M rated meaning you have to be 17+ years old to buy it. This is equivalent to children watching R rated movies. All they are doing is testing the effects of a product on an age group it isn't intended for in the first place.Reply -
fnh Seems like a waste of a cool $10 million.Reply
Like Chris Rock's character in the movie 'Head of State': "How do we limit violent material? Turn it off." -
Antimatter79 wanderer11Violent video games are M rated meaning you have to be 17+ years old to buy it. This is equivalent to children watching R rated movies. All they are doing is testing the effects of a product on an age group it isn't intended for in the first place.Reply
+1. I wish I could give you 19 more thumbs up. Also, I'm curious what they'd even use as a control group b/c the shooters are usually not of sound mind to begin with.
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Here's how to prevent what happened at Sandy Hook: mothers of medically-documented, emotionally challenged individuals should not let their sons have access to guns. You'd think that this is obvious.Reply
Doctor: "Ma'am, your son cannot comprehend the feelings of other people."
Mother: "I know how to deal with this, I'LL TEACH MY SON HOW TO SHOOT GUNS!"
And then later, mother and son and dozens of others are dead. Great job, mom!
The primary culprit in this is the shooter, followed closely by the mother who made the crazy choice above. Video games, the gun industry, "violent culture" or whatever are at best third- or fourth-degree culprits. -
house70 wanderer11Violent video games are M rated meaning you have to be 17+ years old to buy it. This is equivalent to children watching R rated movies. All they are doing is testing the effects of a product on an age group it isn't intended for in the first place.Spot on. The results of this study will be useless. Furthermore, it can not be used against videogames manufacturers, because it will be invalidated.Reply
Just another waste of taxpayer money. -
sa1nt santiagoandersA waste of 10 million in tax dollars doesn't make me sigh in relief.Compared to other projects wasting 10 million per project is bloody genius.Reply -
happyballz I really disliked Romney for being an obvious crook... but this guy lately is just acting beyond dumb. Major waste of money to make himself look good and say the typical" Look I did something for the children".Reply -
merikafyeah This is a good thing. Now they can finally put to rest any notion of a correlation between violent video games and violent behavior. Spoiler alert: It's been done before.Reply