New Jersey Governor: I Don't Allow Call of Duty in My Home

[MikeWehner]

New Jersey Governor: I Don't Allow Call of Duty in My Home

Governor Chris Christie calls out videogames, but notes that no one issue is to blame for frequent shootings.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie recently appeared on CBS This Morning to discuss his state's gun control agenda and - wouldn't you know it? - Call of Duty somehow made it into the conversation. When listing the factors that he believes play a role in the all-too-frequent shootings that pop up around the nation, Christie notes that Activision's popular shooter franchise has no place in his home.

"We've got to talk about the violence in these videogames," Christie explains. "I have four kids at home. I don't allow Call of Duty and these other games in. We've got to start talking about that, as parents."

But while the quote may appear to use gaming as a scapegoat, Christie also listed several other categories that he believes warrant review, including the stigma surrounding mental illness, substance abuse, and tighter control on firearms. For the record, gaming was the last topic he brought up.

This is obviously a touchy subject for just about everyone, and there are deeply entrenched opinions on both sides, but I think just about everyone can agree that a tragic event like what happened in Connecticut doesn't have a singular cause. Whether you believe that videogames play a role - along with other "violent" media like movies and even news reports - is of course up to you.

Source: CBS

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[UltraXan]

Yeah, there is no "one" issue that is to blame for all the shootings. But here's the thing: Prevention is hard, and pretty much impossible. If someone wants to get a gun bad enough and wants to shoot up some area bad enough, he WILL do it. And no one will know about it until he pulls the damn trigger, and by that point, someone's already dead. Response definitely needs the attention. But if I had to blame SOMETHING, you know what I would blame? I wouldn't blame gun control, I wouldn't blame the media, I wouldn't blame video games... I'd blame the guy with the gun who decided to shoot whatever up, but hey, that's just me.

 

[Scars Unseen]

Scars Unseen to New Jersey Governor: "Great. Now have the courtesy to allow parents to make that decision for their own children rather than try to cram your ideals(read political agenda) down their throats."

 

[Pink Gregory]

But isn't that what, y'know, the age ratings are for?

Do parents typically completely ignore them?



By the way, kind of a nitpick, but you used 'roll' in place of 'role'.

 

[frobalt]

When listing the factors that he believes play a roll in the all-too-frequent shootings that pop up around the nation,

As grammar nazi as this sounds, surely that should be role, right?


From the sounds of it, he's at least mentioning it as a parent point of view rather than saying the games should be banned full stop, but that's only basing it on the quote that's been mentioned in the article itself.

 

[InsanityRequiem]

Scars Unseen to New Jersey Governor: "Great. Now have the courtesy to allow parents to make that decision for their own children rather than try to cram your ideals(read political agenda) down their throats."

But isn't that what, y'know, the age ratings are for?

Do parents typically completely ignore them?



By the way, kind of a nitpick, but you used 'roll' in place of 'role'.

Having seen that part of the interview, he doesn't say that he wants legislation to regulate/ban violence in the media. He said that the parents needs to talk to their children about the material and that it is mainly the parents responsibility.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Scars Unseen to New Jersey Governor: "Great. Now have the courtesy to allow parents to make that decision for their own children rather than try to cram your ideals(read political agenda) down their throats."

But isn't that what, y'know, the age ratings are for?

Do parents typically completely ignore them?



By the way, kind of a nitpick, but you used 'roll' in place of 'role'.

Having seen that part of the interview, he doesn't say that he wants legislation to regulate/ban violence in the media. He said that the parents needs to talk to their children about the material and that it is mainly the parents responsibility.

Well that I can get behind; quite a few parents do seem to be having difficulty talking to their kids about things that they've traditionally controlled exposure to - control of which no longer applies, thanks to the internet. That's understandable.

 

[roushutsu]

But isn't that what, y'know, the age ratings are for?

Do parents typically completely ignore them?

I've found that most parents aren't even aware that they exist. They were simply going to buy the game because their kid wanted it. I think some sort of education for the parents could easily solve that problem at least.

I do gotta say, kudos to the governor for admitting there are multiple problems that need addressing rather than zeroing in on one and ignoring the others.

 

[The White Hunter]

But isn't that what, y'know, the age ratings are for?

Do parents typically completely ignore them?



By the way, kind of a nitpick, but you used 'roll' in place of 'role'.

Was that 3 replies in and the thread won?

Age ratings exist for a reason and it disgusted me when I was in a school on placement and 9 year olds were discussing their call of duty antics from the night before, and their parents will be the very ones complaining about violent games influencing children.

Edit: The senator is right, he has 4 kids, presumably under the recommended age for Call of Duty, thus he has exercised his judgement and deemed the games inappropriate for his children.

This is not news.

 

[Krantos]

I actually applaud this guy.

Not only is he taking responsibility for what games his kids play, not only is he calling other parents to do the same, he's also acknowledging that there are other factors to be considered as well.

I see nothing wrong with his stance on this. At least as it's portrayed here.

 

[Kargathia]

Having seen that part of the interview, he doesn't say that he wants legislation to regulate/ban violence in the media. He said that the parents needs to talk to their children about the material and that it is mainly the parents responsibility.

Something which quite honestly they should - both parents and kids stand to gain a lot from some actual discussion on this.

It also appears that as soon as somebody even mentions video games, it's borderline flame-bait.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

What this makes me wonder is, vague scapegoating aside, why is it that this parent can actually claim to keep Call of Duty out of his house while other parents keep ranting about violent games in their household?

I mean, I'm no parent. But I actually have seen other parents exercising their parental powers in such regards by not allowing their very young kids to play violent games. How hard can it really be?

 

[Epidemiix]

I do not see any hint of an "anti-violent video game calling-out.....thing" in what he said. Mostly because he is putting the responsibility of violent video games and youth on who it should be on.

I don't allow Call of Duty and these other games in. We've got to start talking about that, as parents

Talking about how the responsibility does not lie on the developers, the publishers, or the distributors.
Nor does it lie on "family groups", lawmakers, and government as a whole to "protect" children from these games.

This would not be shifting blame. It's reminding who's responsibility it really is.

 

[bearlotz]

You know, if the Republicans have the brains to put Christie up as their 2016 candidate I would totally vote Republican for the first time. Christie is one of the few politicians that I honestly believe is in it to make things better rather than for his own gain, here's hoping he keeps making my home state proud.

 

[surg3n]

I never censored a single game that my son played, if he wanted to play a violent game, well that's fine, because I know that he understands the difference between a videogame and real life, hell - we played through the original Halo about 6 times just to be sure. Frankly, the things he got upto in Dungeon Keeper and Black & White were more disturbing than anything involving a gun .

Now my son is 17 and a well adjusted kid with a job and girlfriend and is happy - I wish I was as happy as he is, at his age.

The way I see it, there has to be something mentally wrong with you to do those things, take a firearm into a school yard... but hold on - anyone remember Dunblane?
1 guy, 16 kids shot dead. The result of that was a nationwide ban on firearm ownership in the UK. Has that done any good?, of course - god only knows how many lives have been saved by that law being passed.

But the US won't do what the UK knew was the right thing in 1996, because it might upset some tax payers, some voters, some retards who think that they are the solution, when the whole time they are the problem. The #1 problem in America isn't gun control, it's the fact that it's government can't admit it's wrong, it can't grow a pair and make real changes.
People will say, more gun control = more illegal guns, but that's strange, living in the poorest, crimiest are of Scotland, and I don't have a fricken clue how I would aquire a handgun. Funny that, in a country where you really can't get a handgun legally, there aren't a whole lot more illegal options.

 

[ASnogarD]

Translation : Another politician jumping on the bandwagon to garner more positive press instead of tackling the issue at hand.

Politicians wouldnt attack the reporting media streams, they want publicity (positive at least) and they dont want to be ignored so standing up and saying, hey stop glamorizing the killers and focus on the real issue.

CoD didnt kill anyone, some nutter with a gun went on a shooting spree... the gun itself didnt do the killing either, it was the nutter.
How did the nutter get hold of the weapons ? Ask that question instead.

... I have been playing games since pong and I can tell you I dont own a single weapon, I rated terribly on the shooting range during my military service (1yr in South Africa - compulsory service) and despite my size and looks... I dislike fighting.
If violent media and games in particular caused violent tendencies I should be by definition a gun loving psycho that cant go a night without a fight.

 

[Britisheagle]

That's cool, I wouldn't let my kids have CoD either. Other games, sure, but if they were thinking of baording that hype train.. Boy do they have something coming.

In all seriousness, 18 games plaid by minors, who are influenced by what they see and hear could probably benefit from not playing violent games. If they do, they probably won't grow up to violent themselves, but it's still taking their innocence especially when playing online as racist, sexist and homphobic trolls are all too present.

 

[Cyrus Hanley]

But I bet he still let's his kids watch the Jersey Shore.

Actually, he hates that show. [http://www.politico.com/blogs/politicolive/0710/Christie_hates_Jersey_Shore__just_a_bunch_of_NYers.html]