NRA Likens Videogames to "the Filthiest Form of Pornography"

[mjc0961]

Says the gun nuts who actually had a hand in causing this tragedy while video games are 100% not responsible. I don't think "ban teh gunz" will solve the problem of shootings by any means, but on the other side of the coin, it doesn't help that clowns like these try to keep it so you can walk into Walmart and get guns in the same building where you do your Christmas shopping for your kids. (And yeah, I'm sure Walmart follows all the laws and whatnot, but come on why does Walmart have a gun section of all things?)

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to go play Killzone 3 as promised a few days ago because fuck not playing shooter games and letting idiots like the NRA blame games for a shooting that games had nothing to do with.

 

[Emiscary]

Proof once again that moralistic idiots will believe ANYTHING if it makes them feel superior. Most especially if they can blatantly dismiss something they obviously know nothing about while they're at it.

And more importantly- Mortal Kombat? Mortal Kombat hasn't been relevant to mainstream gaming since the LATE NINETIES for Christ Sakes. They might as well have picked on violent films and then brought up "The Matrix".

Oh, and games are not even CLOSE to the filthiest form of pornography. I've *seen* the filthiest form of pornography, and trust me, its much worse than point and click interfaces and exploding heads. Spoiler: it involves a morbidly obese man with tiny genitals, 4 jars of peanut butter, an innocent looking arab girl and the creative use of every orifice and appendage imaginable by both parties.

(Why did I put that image in your head? Because I'm as bothered by petty semi coherent jackasses whining from atop a high horse as you are by that image. Misery loves company.)

 

[rebelscum]

And more importantly- Mortal Kombat? Mortal Kombat hasn't been relevant to mainstream gaming since the LATE NINETIES for Christ Sakes. They might as well have picked on violent films and then brought up "The Matrix".

They brought up Natural Born Killers, which came out an incredibly relevant 18 years ago.

 

[Casual Shinji]

So instead of advocating exposing children to guns and violence in a controlled, rational virtual space, the NRA would rather expose them to real guns and potentially real violence every single day they walk into school?

Well ofcourse!

You see, by giving all those children guns, they can protect themselves when a kid snaps and goes on a shooting spree.

Totally logical, isn't it?

 

[AntiChri5]

Nobody was ever killed with a nonexistent gun, man.

 

[Beryl77]

Ah yes, the good old "let's find a scapegoat so no one will hate us".

There are multiple facets as to why someone would do such a horrible thing and I don't claim to understand all of them but it sure as hell isn't as easy as pointing fingers to only a certain group.
This also means that there are multiple things we have to do to try and prevent such things from happening and yes, in my opinion stricter gun laws are part of that. It's not all of course, just one of many things. For example, stop fucking glorifying those killers.
One thing I don't understand in between all this finger-pointing, is why so few people seem to question the mental health part of this whole story, as was mentioned above. That seems like one of the most important parts to me.

But hey, what do I know. I'm just some random guy on the internet.

 

[Smooth Operator]

This is why people think most Americans don't have all their nuts in one basket, or in his case any nuts at all.

The amount of stupidity that one man can utter truly astounds me.

 

[The Material Sheep]

I love it. A group that has been the butt off tons upon tons of hyperbolic reactionary arguments over the years, some legitimate some otherwise, turning around and trying to deflect the criticism to video games. I don't know if they understand how many of their counter arguments are invalidated by in turn making a hyperbolic and reactionary argument aimed at another group of people.


Couldn't we all just say... crazy people do what crazy people do and that this grasping at straws for someone to blame in the wake of a tragedy is just a witch hunt that solves none of the problems which ultimately caused it.

No... too much... gotta blame someone other then the creep that actually perpetrated the crime. Le sigh

 

[Zombie_Moogle]

My fellow Gamers,
Our preferred for of art and entertainment has been attacked many times in the last few days, and I can now say that it has reached a point beyond tolerating. In the wake of a terrible tragedy, the corrupt have once again begun herding the ignorant into formation against us & our beloved art-form.

I thought these days were behind us. After the Supreme Court ruled that videogames were protected as free speech under the 1st Amendment of the United States constitution, I was foolish enough to think that we had evolved as a society. When the Library of Congress started to preserve digital interactive media, I thought the future was bright. I was woefully mistaken

But we do not have to stand idly by. When both political parties & every corporate lobby threw their support to the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), we were the ones that drew a line in the sand and said "No". When Jeff Gerstmann was fired for doing his job as a journalist, we were the ones who left with him in such droves that CNET was bought & sold within months. We've done it before & we will do it again.

Brothers and Sisters, I call to you to do what you do best. We are people with a passion rarely seen today. We are the people who's vitriolic fury has brought down lawyers, pundits, corporations, & politicians. I ask you to write letters, emails, blogs, petitions; to send out cupcakes once again. Now is the time harness the power of the great and terrible collective troll that we create when backed into a corner.

We have accomplished amazing things before, and I have faith that we will do it again

 

[Groenteman]

Oooh unambiguous target of mockery and disdain! We realy need this here, to collectively hate on something thats just wrong in every way possible.

Im very glad I dont live on the same continent as this lot. Then again, I do live on the same continent as the pope... which im sure would get along quite fine with the folks from NRA.

So heres the deal, you ship yours to the northpole and we ship ours there, make the world a much less hypocritic, bigoted and hateful place in one go.

 

[cerebus23]

The NRA would appear to be very silly people indeed.
...but then I'm English and, as far as I've been told, am utterly unqualified to talk about guns whatsoever.

I think you are qualified to have an opinion but i think also you have to concede the fact that the USA is a massive county with a enormous border, vs most countries in europe. Probihition has never worked here, making it more restrictive the more money pours into the illegal gun trade, or insert drugs, tobbacco, fast food.....

That and you have to recognize that fact that the founding fathers that framed the nation just threw off an oppressive government, having seen over and over again having come from europe how government corrupts, their intent of providing the common man the right to bear arms was directly related to the fact the british banned that right when they tried to crack down on the colonies.

Have you seen how our federal government acts? Any wonder why some of us take that 2nd amendment right fairly seriously.

 

[Aureliano]

Seriously, NRA, here's a reminder: porno is a transmission device for other people to watch, hear, read about, etc., porn stars having sex without actually having to go through the relatively dangerous and likely expensive trouble of having sex with a porn star/prostitute yourself. Video games are about entertaining people. Guns, yes, can hold down papers, be used to pry open doors and decorate walls. But mostly they're designed to murder the fuck out of anybody you point them at. That's why they're the only thing on this list that comes with a place to put ammunition, a trigger, a rifled barrel and sights.

For a group of people whose sole reason to congregate is to protect their right to shove shards of lead traveling faster than the speed of sound through the brains of whatever random animals, strangers and children they feel like whenever they feel like, the NRA sure doesn't seem to understand how killing works.

 

[major_chaos]

I'm not even going to read the comments as this debate never goes pleasantly and this site's violent (if justified) reaction to accusations like this against video games isn't going to help, but I do want to give credit to the Escapist reporter on this one for taking a neutral stance and remembering that not everyone who owns a gun is a hard liner that automatically eats up everything the NRA says.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Now when do we point out to the NRA the logical fallacy that even if videogames did turn people into violent killers then they would still need to get hold of a real gun before any mass shooting can start? So would be easier to ignore their perceived middle man of murder and just ban/restrict the guns.

Furthermore the NRA here are ignoring the fact that in Lanza's case that part of the problem was that he very much had access and exposure to guns. Also if the NRA wants to put guns in the hands of the good guys, who are these good guys? Because that is quite subjective and let's not forget the old adage "he was such a nice person. I'm shocked he did such a thing," outward appearance can be deceptive. So probably given the "good guys" guns is not going to help very much and could take a turn for the worse if one of those guys decides he'd like to shot a place up after a bad day.

Also thinking about if the NRA got their way and everyone had guns, what would happen if this shooting situation happens again? I think you could run into the problem where the people with the guns could in the heat of the moment be confused about who the gunman is because everyone has a gun, then a hasty decision gets made and then the situation could get a whole lot more messy.

 

[ThisGuyLikesNoTacos]

Isn't fantasizing about killing people as a way to get your kicks really the filthiest form of pornography?

Fantasizing about someone killing you sounds more like it. I'm looking at you horror.

Well, I guess NRA blaming others makes sense. What else are they going to do, admit that guns are bad and should be banned? Just stay quiet when everybody is talking about gun control?

 

[sethisjimmy]

They're clearly just trying to shift the blame off of themselves in the aftermath of Sandy. Nothing to see here.

 

[Tireseas_v1legacy]

I just watched his statment on the news, the BBC, who are (mostly) unbiased were taking the piss out of this guy and shaking their head at the all the stupid coming from him. How can anyone buy this crap? Seriously please tell me that most Americans do not buy this. Most of the Americans I have talked to on The Escapist have been cool, you guys don't buy this right?

Political scientists point to the NRA as the textbook model of a political group in US politics. They have several million members who donate and there is a perception that they wield significant power within the beltway (there's been some debate within the political science community as to whether this is actually true, but more often than not perception is reality in politics). They have a regular web broadcast where they claim that "the war on the second amendment" is just beyond the horizon and claim that guns are to be used if the government "attacks their freedoms."

Wayne LaPierre in particular has flouted conspiracy theories along the lines of "president Obama has done nothing to restrict guns during his first term, ergo he must be plotting to ban guns in his second term."

 

[Scars Unseen]

Do you hear that? That's the sound of the NRA throwing us under the bus.

And zero fucks were given.