As a matter of fact, studies showed the opposite. In many of the military studies, video games bolstered logic and problem solving, hand-eye coordination, and reaction time while violant video games served as a form of catharsis, allowing the child to relieve frustration in a safe and virtual environment. With this said, that means that any child that is able to use this as a cathartic technique will be more civil when interacting with their peers.

I would also like to comment on findings involving crime rates in children and teens following the release of violent video games. Upon researching the U.S. violent crime rates, which include rape, assault, and homicide, there is actually a steady decrease in rate of violent crimes among persons under the age of 18 following the release of violent video games as far back as Mortal Kombat for the Super Nintendo.

My final comment is in reference to this statement by Mr. Thompson: “Any kid can go right to little Strauss’ corporate web site and buy GTA IV with no age verification.” First off, the link on Take-Two’s website redirects you to Rockstar Games, which requires that you input your age prior to even accessing anything aside from the title. Secondly, parents have the option of turning on parental controls to block things listed as inappropriate for persons under the age of 14, which will block this site. Lastly, online purchases tend to require a credit card or some other form of non-cash payment method. As such, a child does not have the capability to obtain a credit card without a parent, thereby placing blame on the parent for buying a game that was inappropriate for their child.

I too would like to use the Provebs 29:15 quote to make mention of the parents. It is easy to blame an outside source for failure, as is the case for blaming video games for violent children, but the thing most parents fail to mention is where they were the entire time these events were happening. Were they not sparing their children the rod by not punishing them for bringing any violence within the game to the outside world. Did they not monitor their children to prevent them from getting the wrong idea from any of these games? The answer is that they obviously left their children to fend for themselves and thereby made others to suffer from it, and persons such as Mr. Thompson to profit from the children’s actions. I know that I was allowed to play practically any game that I chose, but I was informed of the nature of games: that they aren’t real. They are nothing more than digital fairy tales meant for entertainment. To take them as anything else is the same as saying that there was a talking deer named Bambi. You don’t see children getting mauled by wild deer because they thought Bambi was there. Why is this? Parents tell them that it isn’t real. They should do the same thing for their children’s gaming habits.

Jack Thompson has done more to create an even more cohesive group of gamers than anyone outside of G4 by his rants regarding his stance on video games and gamers.

I will grant that there are undoubtedly people out there who have committed crimes after playing video games, but these folks more than likely had extensive psychological problems that lent more to the violence than the gaming did.

There are games out there that I think are bloody beyond belief and I’d never in a million years play them. Do the creators have the right to create them? Yup. Do I have to buy them? Nope. If a game is marked “M” it should be behind a locked door and the person buying the game should have to show valid identification to prove that they are 18 or over before purchasing it. Game sellers need to step up to the plate. So do parents. Know what your kids are playing. If the child is below 17, either take the game away from them or get rid of the system. That’s your right as a parent. If they’re over 17, they are adults and can make up their own minds.

Trying to reason with someone like Jack Thompson is like trying to get a politician to be honest. Impossible. He vents. He rants. He rages. He doesn’t hear what anyone has to say. You can’t argue with a jackass. It’s just a waste of time.

Until and unless I hear from a legitimate scientific or collegiate group that has done EXTENSIVE research into the topic of game violence and they can prove to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that violence in video games always leads to crimes being committed, I will ignore ignorant, loudmouthed bigots such as Jack Thompson.

It took me forever to win though, because the other guy had previously used the Konami code.