These debates always seem to go in more or less the same direction. Crazy person(s) goes off and does something crazy relating to video games, then video game journalists are more or less obligated to come out as Jim does and denounce it in the strongest possible terms. But you still have people who think with good intentions that we shouldn't make a big deal out of it, that it lends it more credence than it deserves to prompt a loud and outraged response, because people are just going to keep doing it for the attention or whatever.
It is a difficult puzzle. People have brought up dedicated fanbases in other mediums- your One Direction or Bieber or any other pop idol of the day fanatics. But think about it, do any of them have really good public perceptions? We just sort of assume that boy band fanatics are crazed and willing to do crazy things if it means getting to see their favorite band, and go as far as threatening them with violence if they show up at a concert late.
We also have seen this dynamic with much bigger and more impacting issues, as well- take the old American south or the current perspective on Muslims in America. Not every person in the old south was a KKK member, many even believed that things had to change, but when confronted with these issues they either stayed silent or tried to shift the issue to how many things in the south were good (see: "Sweet Home Alabama")- which of course didn't erase the gross injustices. We also see the current debate on terrorism, while the vast majority of Muslims obviously don't support what the terrorists do and may denounce it, they also try to switch the subject, talk about damaging foreign policy and how Christians have done some terrible things, as well. They don't like getting lumped in with the crazies, but they also go on the defensive, and then the attack about other matters. As such, people see them, many times unfairly as defending or sympathizing with the terrorists, when all they really had to do is say "that is wrong and not Islam" very loudly and leave it at that.
In the end, people don't see "gamers" as those that play iOS/Android games and play Madden every once in a while, we're talking about, well, us. Avid gamers that devote a lot of time to them, and yes these crazies are seen as gamers just as the rest of us, even if they are crazy and hiding behind relative anonymity. If we all come out with a deafening roar to say these things are not okay, with no qualifications, no unrelated tangents, no attacking of the victims, no decrying of "political correctness" or something in that vein, just a loud, resounding, and undeniable denouncement. If we don't- if we have 400 post debates about an issue that should be so simple, we will be seen as a "well yes that is wrong, BUT" kind of a culture that we have seen many times before, and they always work against themselves.
It is a difficult puzzle. People have brought up dedicated fanbases in other mediums- your One Direction or Bieber or any other pop idol of the day fanatics. But think about it, do any of them have really good public perceptions? We just sort of assume that boy band fanatics are crazed and willing to do crazy things if it means getting to see their favorite band, and go as far as threatening them with violence if they show up at a concert late.
We also have seen this dynamic with much bigger and more impacting issues, as well- take the old American south or the current perspective on Muslims in America. Not every person in the old south was a KKK member, many even believed that things had to change, but when confronted with these issues they either stayed silent or tried to shift the issue to how many things in the south were good (see: "Sweet Home Alabama")- which of course didn't erase the gross injustices. We also see the current debate on terrorism, while the vast majority of Muslims obviously don't support what the terrorists do and may denounce it, they also try to switch the subject, talk about damaging foreign policy and how Christians have done some terrible things, as well. They don't like getting lumped in with the crazies, but they also go on the defensive, and then the attack about other matters. As such, people see them, many times unfairly as defending or sympathizing with the terrorists, when all they really had to do is say "that is wrong and not Islam" very loudly and leave it at that.
In the end, people don't see "gamers" as those that play iOS/Android games and play Madden every once in a while, we're talking about, well, us. Avid gamers that devote a lot of time to them, and yes these crazies are seen as gamers just as the rest of us, even if they are crazy and hiding behind relative anonymity. If we all come out with a deafening roar to say these things are not okay, with no qualifications, no unrelated tangents, no attacking of the victims, no decrying of "political correctness" or something in that vein, just a loud, resounding, and undeniable denouncement. If we don't- if we have 400 post debates about an issue that should be so simple, we will be seen as a "well yes that is wrong, BUT" kind of a culture that we have seen many times before, and they always work against themselves.