Sen. Rockefeller Says Games Need To Eliminate "Obscene Violence"

Despite the fact that absolutely zero evidence exists that ties mass murderer Adam Lanza to video games, the media persists. This can be called nothing but a smear campaign at this point.

In response to that Daily News report calling the Sandy Hook elementary shooter a "deranged gamer," US senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has called for the game developers (and entertainment in general) to tone down the "obscene levels of violence" that exist in our culture today.

In another report by the New York Daily News, Rockefeller stated that the onus cannot fall squarely on parents. He says it's "unrealistic" for parents to control the content their children see and hear in this media-soaked culture. Said Rockefeller:

"In today’s world, where kids can access content across a variety of devices often without parental supervision, it is unrealistic to assume that overworked and stressed parents can prevent their kids from viewing inappropriate content. The only real solution is for the entertainment industry to reduce the often obscene levels of violence in the products they sell."

Well, there's no doubt that he has a point. However, the mere fact that Lanza continues to be branded as a gamer (and even if he was, it's obviously being put forth that games made him perpetrate such an evil act) is based on nothing. And I just can't believe intelligent people are taking this seriously. This would be comical if it wasn't so embarrasing.

Tags: sandy hook shooting, sandy hook tragedy, violent video games, senator rockefeller

3/19/2013 10:38:35 PM Ben Dutka

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Comments (34 posts)

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maxpontiac
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 10:58:07 PM
Reply

You said it Ben.. he has a point. I only say this because I question the necessity for obscene violence such brutal decapitations and dismemberment.

For example, Fallout 3 wouldn't have been worse if you couldn't blow body parts off. Things like that ARE over the top.

Last edited by maxpontiac on 3/19/2013 10:58:23 PM

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Ben Dutka PSXE [Administrator]
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 10:59:12 PM

Yes, that much is true. It just upsets me that this is being built on a false foundation of assumptions stated as facts.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:07:39 PM

But Fallout 3 was so much better with that ability. I'm not paying for PG-13 in a game like that.

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maxpontiac
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:14:38 PM

Ben - I understand that, and yes, it is frustrating to see the hobby I love scapegoated like this. With that said, I honestly believe that precautionary steps should be taken. Gaming is in the spotlight now, no need to wear reflective clothing.

World - Plenty of M Rated games out there WITHOUT brain matter flying everywhere, yes?

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matt99
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:32:41 PM

One could argue that the brutality in Fallout 3 was warranted. It made the post apocalyptic setting that much more brutal and really gave the player a sense that humanity had gone to hell.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 12:55:39 AM

The setting is gritty with a comical undertone, and the battle system is based on targeting, if I can't blow off the arm about to fire at me or explode the head that contains a brain which must be shut down then that's a problem. It makes gore funny, something movies have been doing for a long time. :)

Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 3/20/2013 1:10:56 AM

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Cesar_ser_4
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:19:46 AM

I don't know why but this whole thing seems ripped straight out of a south park episode. Where one thing gets blown way out of proportion and they link it to something completely unrelated.

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WorldEndsWithMe
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:09:12 PM
Reply

Well the Supreme Court has already spoke Mr. Oldefeller, if the solution is for the entertainment industry to tone things down then that solution includes the end to the first amendment.

Now get off MY lawn.

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maxpontiac
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:17:04 PM

Or... games with gratuitous violence could be moved to the AO side of things!

2 up, 4 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:13:51 AM

The Mature rating is enough for most of them.

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Cesar_ser_4
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:17:55 AM

Wait world weren't you at the other side of the pond? meaning in the UK?

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WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:27:35 AM

Nope, I come from the frozen north of these United States, but you can be forgiven because I read the UK news and use words like "bloody" for my own amusement.

8 up, 0 down

Ichigo40
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:37:51 PM
Reply

Wow this is sad...surely there are people in the industry that can talk to these old blind idiots. We know how politicians can act like a dog with a new bone...once they grab on to something they wont let go of it until something new comes along.

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matt99
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:41:36 PM
Reply

The one responsibility I think gamers do have is to educate non-gamers about the FACTS (an unfortunately rare concept these days) and to educate parents about what games are appropriate or not for children.

But this "violent games make violent people" BS has got to stop. It's simply not true. If it were we would have seen a steady increase in violence as gaming became more mainstream, but overall we've seen the opposite.

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ProfPlayStation
Tuesday, March 19, 2013 @ 11:53:29 PM
Reply

Whatever else is attached to this story, I do believe that the games industry is guilty of reaching "obscene levels of violence."

We can talk about whether this influences behavior, or how it compares to other entertainment industries, all we want--that doesn't change the fact that things have been really getting out of hand. It's not a matter of protecting the children; it's a matter of good taste. By and large, good taste has left the gaming arena during this generation.

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maxpontiac
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:18:12 PM

You are absolutely right. I have to question why it is necessary to see someones insides all over the screen?

Going back to the orginal Alien movie, it didn't rely on over the top violence at every corner in order to raise the tension.

Gaming needs to follow this idea.

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Caanimal
Friday, March 22, 2013 @ 11:15:13 AM

I'm not sure if I agree or disagree w/ you two... I view most video game over-the-top violence in a comical way, I cracked up for the first few weeks when playing Fallout 3(and other games w/ such violence) every time a Raider or Supermutant exploded w/ body parts going everywhere, and I'm in my 30s.

I think the real issue isn't how violent a video game is but how people view that violence, for me(and most people I know) most over-the-top violence is comical and I believe THAT is the intended reaction from most game producers in such situations. As another example, my girlfriend and I went to the theatre to watch The Expendables 1 and 2, there was a whole lot of laughing going on from the absurd over-the-top violence... Most people realise that over-the-top violence is used and meant to be comical, not realistic...

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Jed
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 12:08:56 AM
Reply

I am so sick of these old farts talking about something they don't understand. I urge everyone here to subscribe to The ECA newsletters. They let you know when politicians try to pass legislation against videogames and make it very easy for you to contact your government representatives to tell them what you think.

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Temjin001
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:02:35 AM
Reply

I felt bad for the elephants in GoW:A. Like when doing the qte on them. Why does it have to show their eyes all helpless while you cut upon their head and the brain pulsates out? I'm okay with fighting the forces of evil and all, and yah, it can get bloody, but man sometimes the game makes me cringe.

Anyway, just finished GoW: A. Wow, those final chapters right after the Trial of Archimedes, like the boss and stuff, left me stunned. Really, I just sat there as the credits rolled thinking, "that, that was just amazing."
Not kidding, it was a real spectacular finish.

Last edited by Temjin001 on 3/20/2013 1:03:38 AM

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WorldEndsWithMe
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:32:27 AM

I'm not overly fond of having to kill the dogs in Ninja Gaiden 3 because I'm a dog lover but amazingly I haven't become an animal killer or involved PETA in any way.

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Snorge
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 9:58:44 AM

Yeah Temjin, the Elephants were bad...but the Gorgon were worst IMO!

Either way, I agree there is an insane amount of violence in gaming, BUT if movies can portray just about the same (comical or not) then why attack videogames? Oh, my bad, I forgot, these out of touch politicians (whose grand kids probably play the same stuff they're trying to ban/nerf) need to realize videogames AREN'T just for kids anymore....it's been that way for a while now

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maxpontiac
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:20:54 PM

Snorge - It's because video games have a spotlight on them. Not making noise, especially with the new generation of hardware on the horizon should be on the forefront of every studio and publisher.

Get OUT of the limelight!

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Kryten1029a
Thursday, March 21, 2013 @ 7:44:41 AM

Max,
You may believe that just laying low is the solution but you're wrong. The reason that politicians and demagogues go after videogames is because they're perceived as a soft target. Senator Rockefailure is just using a convenient scapegoat and by remaining silent we're just helping him. We don't need to go quiet, we need to get loud!
You may remember a couple of years ago when PETA took a cheap shot at Mario and his Tanooki suit? They brought so much grief down on themselves from gamers for doing it, that they couldn't backpedal fast enough to end that controversy. The thing to do-as with PETA-is to let them know that we're not an easy target and that we'll fight back.
If critics can produce credible studies and actually prove that games are harmful, then we can talk but not until then. If we make a mockery of this tool, then the next camera whore looking for some easy exposure will look elsewhere.

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Cesar_ser_4
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:15:45 AM
Reply

Heh, good luck telling Quentin Tarantino to tone down the violence.

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PSN French
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 1:20:36 AM
Reply

How can we give credit to a person who has a global agenda? If he says violence needs to be out of games, then I am going to have to say we need more violence. Can't stand this man and what he stands for with a moral facade to fool his constituents.

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Huey
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 8:09:01 AM
Reply

I don't understand this. Having played video games for over 30 years now, and retired from law enforcement this kind of thing leaves me dumb founded. What influenced Dahmer, Gacy, Bundy, Speck. The list goes on and on. Who or what was the blame for their actions. It makes me wonder if having common sense is a pre requisite for holding office.

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Caanimal
Friday, March 22, 2013 @ 11:17:27 AM

Sad to say this but having common sense isn't a pre requisite for ANYTHING anymore, not even for living long enough to reproduce...

Oh natural selection where have ye gone?

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Teddie9
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 9:43:12 AM
Reply

Wait, why are parents overworked and too stressed that they can't parent their children properly?

Is that not a problem...

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Temjin001
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 11:03:58 AM

When you get inexperienced citizens, who parent children, and are too complacent to educate themselves with skills with both parents placing themselves in debt over frivolous materials and unwise financial decisions, like debt-phones or early premature mortages, they find themselves in situations that may mean sending their kids to day cares while they both work full-time for low end incomes. After which they're both too tired to give their family the attention it deserves, and furthermore may find it very difficult to break themselves from the mold they placed themselves in.
Problem is, the government can't keep people from making poor choices that foster bad consequences. Having the government attack societies ails on media is just fruitlessly chopping at the branches of a more real problem. Sometimes I wish the government would just stick to their basic role and let the citizens work out their problems amongst their community and families.

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Twistedfloyd
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 3:27:10 PM
Reply

People who do commit violent acts don't do it just because they play video games. There's a whole other side to it. Their psychological makeup and their relationships with their parents/ how they're raised has a huge effect on how someone turns out.

Violence in games does not translate to violence in reality. There are so many other factors. People need to get off TV/film/video games as the cause for blame.

Guess what if parents can't take two seconds to tell their kids there's a difference between reality and virtual reality and talk to their kids and figure out what's appropriate for them then they don't deserve to be parents. Sure you can't monitor every single thing a kid looks at. However, a parent must take it upon his or herself to be able to communicate and establish the boundaries of reality and what is appropriate for their children so that they get the message.

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tes37
Wednesday, March 20, 2013 @ 6:35:05 PM
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I don't suppose Sen. Rockefeller would care to tone down the Osiris and masonic symbols that seem to be popping up in a lot of games lately. I'd rather have the violence than that sh*t.

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JROD0823
Thursday, March 21, 2013 @ 1:26:08 AM
Reply

I don't mind kids being deprived of violent and mature content for their own good, but I refuse to just stand idly by and let these geriatric know-nothings whose time has long since past them by take away my right to play games as the developers intended me to play them.

Violent games make up just one of the many types of games I like to play, and while they do only make up a small percentage of the overall total, I have a right as both a consumer AND as an adult gamer to get ALL of the varying types content I desire.

I like video games that feature gratuitous violence at times, because I like having a virtual outlet to take out my real-life problems and frustrations on.

Last edited by JROD0823 on 3/21/2013 1:45:24 AM

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ChloeAngelCat
Thursday, March 21, 2013 @ 12:53:28 PM
Reply

I will tell to my felow gamers why politicians are using our hobby as scrapegoat and are the reason 1 our gaming is an easy target to attack instead of these politicians finding way to fund money for mentally ill people like the shooter and NRA have some these polticians as memeber in their club and we know NRA also blaming the shooting on the game industry and us gamers and all these politicians are ignoring the shooter mother refuse to get her trouble son help before it was to late and that she took unstable son to shooting range with her and she also stock up on guns and had easy access to guns were her son could get them

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LowKey
Saturday, March 23, 2013 @ 3:47:10 AM
Reply

To hell with anyone named Rockefeller.... My rage is building, just having heard that eliteist, scumbag name....

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Sen. Rockefeller Says Games Need To Eliminate "Obscene Violence"

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