I agree we need to look at cultural worship of violence. But that position nearly always gets dragged into anecdotal 'evidence' that proves nothing and then it becomes a back-and-forth argument with nobody the wiser.

Everything needs to be on the table but guns need to be front and center.

he's looking at one of those problems, admitting that it actually might be a problem, and attempting to tackle that problem and provide some kind of solution.

Gun manufacturers, education professionals, mental health professionals, and yes, even video game designers all need to be at the table.

Even Hate Radio needs to be on the table.

If kids get them, then you have to put the blame where no politican wants to.

The parents.

I don't know. I DO know that we are surrounded by hate and gratuitous violence, 24/7.

Regardless of whether or not that contributes to already mentally disturbed individuals, it's something we need to address, IMO. Tone down the Hate Radio, the torture porn movies and, yes, the glorification of killing in videogames.

That doesn't mean taking anyone's games away from them. It's about finding ways to address the climate.

If the game has an M on it, that means anyone below a certian age cannot buy it.

If the parents buy it, so much for the rating system. The parent rumps the entire system.

Are you going to raid peoples houses, or ask for proof that no one under 18 lives in the house, and then deny them if they can't prove it or if there is?

Another thing that bothers me is the idea that we are automations, that we absorb everything with no thought as to how, why where when. We see violence, we must be violent in reaction.

I think that idea is bullshit.

But the climate of gratuitous violence and torture porn and hate radio can have an effect without being a primary cause of any specific action.

There are studies, of course, that point to either side of the issue.

And of course I don't support raiding people's homes. I meant penalties for sellers. I don't know what a perfect answer on this might be but I do think it's something that needs to be examined.

People who see 'gaming' as a way of life, IMO, give me pause. I don't think it's healthy for the individual and I don't think it's healthy for society.

Looking at the issue won't cost anything.

It's not "a way of life." it's a hobby.

One I partake in.

If I'm not at school, not doing homework, not responding on this board, not watching a show I like, not at work, not out with friends, not working on some other project, not sleeping or eating or playing with a pet, I'll probably be playing a game.

If you read somewhere, probably a lazy reporter who didn't take the time to step out the door, that it's a "way of life," it's just not true for MOST ALL gamers.

Of course, there are the obsessives, but then again, maybe you think they should find something more acceptable, like chasing celebrities in hollywood?

What's REALLY not healthy is our obsession with celebrities and being famous at any cost.

Maybe that has a part in things?

We have a lot of obsessions in this country, celebrities included. I think the best solution for most of them is to reduce our population to a point where we aren't competing quite so much for resources (jobs, property, etc.). But that doesn't appear too feasible, does it?

I didn't mean to imply that most gamers are obsessed with videogames, it's just a data point that gives me pause. I don't even have numbers on it.

I don't know what the answers to mass killings are but I do think that de-emphasizing violence and torture would help mitigate the problem in some way. It's nothing I can point to and say 'This will fix it.'

But, again, first and foremost come the guns. Then we can look at other factors.

Give a few pixels a wack, and I'm all better.

People have always been violent. We evolved to deal with a violent world, we just need ways to give an outlet to those emotions.

I could point out the many riots at and after sporting events.

When was the last time you heard about a riot at a video game convention?

Everyone knows what an R rating means for movies. Sure lots of people ignore the R and take the kids into the latest Saw film, but most parents won't let their kids watch the Saw movies.

You'd think that everyone would know that an M on a video game is the rough equivalent to an R rating on a movie, but never underestimate the stupidity of the average soccer mom...

If games had R ratings like movies, maybe a few more idiot parents would figure it out.

Maybe a red border around the box on R games.

Color coded would be good.