Unless you've been under a rock the last few days, you know the story of the week...and probably the year right now. I'm not going into details because of the nature of this forum, but needless to say it's a tragedy the likes of which you don't want to see ever happen.

But almost as tragic as the event itself was the kneejerk reaction of the media as a whole. Rather than report on the events with the facts provided, they decided to start playing the blame game. Was it the school's fault? Did local authorities mess up? Or, as is the case with any tragedy of this nature, were video games to blame?

It seems these days that blaming the entertainment industry has become the popular means of sluffing blame off of any except the person who committed the atrocity themselves. It doesn't matter how many people in the world are able to play games, watch movies or TV shows, or listen to music without flying off the handle and doing something terrible...if one "kid" does something, it immediately becomes the target of fingerpointing.

I surf around the 'Net, and one of the gaming blogs I frequent (don't know if I can name it here since it has discussion boards of sort) posted what I thought was a very interesting letter of sorts for gamers to present to their friends and family following this tragedy. Because I'm unsure if I can link to it, I will instead repost it here. If you wish to know where it came from, you may contact me via PM. Or if a Blog Leader gives me the okay I'll add it to this post.

Dear ____________,

 

In light of the recent tragedy, you might have heard some people saying that violent games are partially to blame for real life violence. To put your minds at ease about these games, I, ____________, make the following declarations:

• I know the difference between right and wrong.
• I know the difference between fantasy and reality.
• I know where the game ends and real life begins.
• I know the difference between aliens/zombies/monsters and people.
• I know the difference between digital people and real people.
• I know the pain real violence can cause.
• I know the pain real crime can cause.
• I know that people who commit real crimes go to real jail.
• I know that people have played Cops and Robbers for generations without becoming real robbers.
• I know that millions of people play violent games without ever committing a violent act.
• I know that video games are a safe way to let out my aggression without hurting anyone.
• I know that pressing a button isn't the same as pulling a trigger.
• I know that no amount of virtual deaths will make me comfortable seeing real death.
• I know that virtual death and real death are worlds apart.
• I know that, in real life, you get one life and there's no reset button.
• I know, in the end, that these are only games

I'd like to have been able to come up with something as eloquent as this myself, but I saw this prior to writing my entry today. And I decided that after seeing this, anything I would've written would've only been built off of these statements anyway. So during this time of recovery, while we search for answers, remember that it's important to know the facts before reaching out to place blame.

And remember that regardless of who committs a crime, it doesn't mean that all people of a certain type are suddenly just as capable. That kind of distrust and suspicion will never lead to anything but paranoia.