Computer game prohibition demanded

Posted on:March 12 2009

The first thing I thought when I heard the news yesterday about the rampage in Germany (german link) - a 17 year old ex-pupil killed 15 people - was: How long until they blame computer games for it again? Not very long: Of course the spree killer was a CounterStrike gamer and a lot of politicans are now calling for a total prohibition of 'killer' computer games (german link). Stupid idiots. I guess the fact that the parents of this guy seem to have had dozens of weapons laying around in their house has nothing to do with the spree killing.





Comments:


"I guess the fact that the parents of this guy seem to have had dozens of weapons laying around in their house has nothing to do with the spree killing."

That would be too obvious, wouldn't it?
Also I doubt his depressions had anything to do with it.
(Warning: Could contain irony ;))

The "funniest" thing I saw related to the rampage was an interview with a "friend" of him saying he was a freak and only played computer games. Well he looked like the typical HipHop guy and from my experiences gamers and hoppers are mostly everything but friends...

Wondering how much money he got for this interview...
Sylence
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2009-03-12 17:21:00


Same thing with the fact, that the guy had a serious depression not too long ago and should have been in some kind of treatment. But for whatever reason he decided to cancel it and no one stopped him from doing so.

Long story short: we have a depressive guy in a house full of weapons who seems to be extremly unhappy with his life and goes on a rampage. Only a fool wouldn't see that all those people died because he played Counterstrike *sigh*
Marcus
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2009-03-12 17:27:00


This guys has been in psychiatric attendance 5 times.
The other guy who did the same some time ago also had been in psychiatric attendances.

I don't know what they did with them ( electric shock maybe... and yes, they ARE still doing this TODAY) but maybe I better don't want to.
kleeney
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2009-03-12 18:07:00


Well, politicians like easy "solutions". It's publicity for them and at least they "do something". They would appear redundant otherwise.
Blah
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2009-03-12 21:10:00


With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.
Captain Picard
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2009-03-12 21:39:00


Let's turn it around and just blame the politicians for his rampage. Makes as much sense as blaming "games". In the end politicians send people to war and manage weapon laws.
Navid
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2009-03-12 23:14:00


+1 for "blame the politicians"!
juantar
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2009-03-13 02:20:00


I had the same thought when I heard about it: are Computer games guilty again? I guess I read a more dramatic fact in the c't a few years ago: most people doing that kind of things have at eaten something at least 48 hours before, and - this is a fact - all (when I write "all" I mean *ALL*) of them had parents. Maybe they should do something about that.
Brainsaw
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2009-03-13 07:39:00


@matthias: sorry, I deleted your comment by accident. Just clicked the wrong button, sorry. :)
niko
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2009-03-13 11:56:00


@niko: No problem. What's wrong with your blog software btw? I thought the invisible comments happen when you use an umlaut or something. Mine was invisible and didnt have any special characters in it, iirc. I hope this one will show up- ;)
Matthias
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2009-03-13 12:23:00


no idea, to be honest :)
niko
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2009-03-13 13:31:00


the moment i saw this news on msnbc, i knew the bulk of the blame would go to games and the gaming culture - it wasnt a suprise to me, i only wondered why they didnt blame the usual suspects i.e GrandTheft Auto :P

i mean the folks these days - not only in europe or the USA have the wrong notion of games and gamers, i work in nigeria and i could recall the stare and side - talk i got when i was playing "silent hill:origins" on my psp in the bus..now imagine what these so-called politicians would do..
Ayotunde
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2009-03-14 11:32:00


"He was freaky and a gamer" seems the general view of most peoples. What about majority who see voilent movies and serials on TV for more then 15 hrs, they are treated as normal by society though. Again weapons lying in house + psychatric condition is alrady enough for a rampage. Funnily the terrorist caught alive who did attack on Mumbai station in India some days ago, is class 4th pass, was trained to use staelite phone, was repeatedly shown videos of hindu people killing muslims in Gujarat riots but not muslims killing hindus. His father sent him for training so that his poor boy could earn like others and his sisters get married. And this lad was perfecctly normal, only had very less education, yet did killed load of people at railway station without even thinking for one second, including muslims, and now feel guilty. Where are games in this, Already pakistani terrorists hate USA games, except may be prince of Persia :)
kinjalkishor
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2009-03-14 15:33:00


Germany may bbecome a police state like this, and I will then never consider to immigrate there or visit. Though I feel germany is full of good and intelligent people and all this stupid politics and restraint is not going to survive long. It is a democracy after all. Hope it does not become subject for a third movie of snake pliskin title escape from berlin, after NY and LA.
kinjalkishor
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2009-03-14 15:44:00


Even bigger than this kid playing Counterstrike!!! Even bigger than this kid having access to many weapons at home!!! Even bigger than this kid's depression!!! IS...

WHERE were the parents? Why did they not see the signs???? They just blow it off as his depression??? Did they not believe in keeping their weapons secure??? Where they not involved in his life???? Parents involved in a child's life DRASTICALLY reduces tendancies for depression, suicide (yeah, these same types that blame games, started out blaming music for suicides) AND harmful and dangerous behaviors.

It's the Blame Game instead of placing the blame on the parents (God forbid that they admidt the parents are at fault) for NOT keeping their weapons secure, for NOT keeping a closer eye on their child who was known to be unstable, for not being more involved in his life!!!

It's NOT the games, it's NOT the music, it's NOT weapons, its the kid's mental health AND parental involvement.

AMAZING how many freedoms will be freely surrendered [forever] in the name of "security."
William
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2009-03-18 01:17:00


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