@mav_destroyer @Aumakua LOL. I'd call that "Takin' one for the team.'

Here's another gem: "We can no longer point the finger of blame at other areas of society without examining our own impact as well."

The only reason that this debate rages on is because the finger of blame was pointed at the gaming industry, instead of the gun control issue.

Hey, Gamespot. Does Tom get a paycheck from the NRA?

The fact is, the ESRB is more strict than any system imposed to rate movies with regard to sex and violence. The onus is on the parents who completely disregard said rating system and allow their underage kids to be exposed to age-inappropriate game content. Once again, games have been chosen as the scapegoat in a gun-control debate. Violence and violent people have and always will exist.

Let's apply the thought process of game content opponents to other aspects of American life. By their flawed logic, boxing must now be outlawed. After all, the sport of boxing simulates a violent act. If boxing were eliminated, no one would ever engage in hand-to-hand violence.

Way to cave, Tom. This from the Editor, no less. I may just be done with this site.

"There's no proven correlation between the fictionalized portrayal of horrific scenes and real-world atrocities."

Open mouth, insert foot.

@Ishiban @Aumakua The crux of the problem is not wiping out an inherent quality of humanity, violent acts in this case, but in minimizing their occurrence. Wiping out said attacks is impossible. Subtracting guns from gun violence is the solution and a no-brainer. Per the implications in my original post, removing games from the problem will not minimize gun-fueled violence as much as removing guns from gun-fueled acts of violence. Guns are made to kill and that is an incontrovertible fact.

@Ishiban @Aumakua End violent acts? That option was never on the table, especially with regard to humans.

I prefer considering the following: what element (or alleged element) of gun violence could be removed such that the event in question would not occur: guns or video games?

@thenephariouson You're a genius. Do you remember when Americans actually burned copies of 'Fahrenheit 451' because they confused it with Michael Moore's documentary 'Fahrenheit 911,' never guessing that book-burning was what 'Fahrenheit 451' was justly condemning?

Rampant, rampant oxygen thievery. It never ceases to amaze me.

I know a horrible video game that not only promotes negative Italian stereotypes, but advocates violence toward turtles and the consumption of mood and body-altering mushrooms. Turn'em in guys, I've had it!

This is modern-day book-burning. The First Amendment protects media you don't like. If people never had a problem with media, we wouldn't need the First Amendment. Let's turn in all our bibles because that book advocates violence, misogyny, rape, murder, slavery and genocide. Furthermore, the tenants put forth in the bible have caused more strife, death and suffering than any media item. The fact is, we can't deny sane people liberties because insane people can't handle them. COD 3 was the highest selling media item so far. If it and games like it are causing people to murder eachother, we'd all be dead. These people are cowards, and they don't belong in America.