Roberts' trial has not yet been set, but Trujillo will testify against him as part of her plea agreement.

Teen avoids prison time in sister's 'Mortal Kombat' death [9 News]

"It was determined that they were emulating the character in that Grand Theft Auto game, going on a crime spree" using weapons and tactics inspired by the controversial video game, said Det. Sgt. Anthony Repalone, a Nassau police spokesman.

"We got certain admissions" from the boys, Repalone said.

Good luck on using the old GTA defense boys. It might just work, unless of course the prosecutors play the "You are all obviously f***ing morons" card.

Cops: Video game inspired crime spree [Newsday.com]

Shortly after coming aboard here one of the first things I did was set up a filter to capture and set aside Jack Thompson's bullshit from all the tips cc'd to me. After the preamble to his professional obituary two weeks ago, I went back looking through the "Crazy Fucker" queue to see if I could find some kicking-and-screaming ravings that, even if they didn't deserve to run under the Kotaku nameplate, would at least be fun to read. Instead, I found something unexpected.

It was a news release from mid-May, and in it, Jack was up to his usual schtick of making hay off others’ misery — in this case claiming a murder defendant in North Carolina was motivated by Grand Theft Auto of course. But the story Thompson was citing was published in Fayetteville, by a paper I interned for 15 years ago. And it was written by my housemate that year, a friend and a guy who introduced me to some excellent video games himself.

So I emailed the writer, Paul Woolverton of The Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer, to dig deeper into this story.

Here’s the backstory: James Christopher Stitt, 22, shot to death a soldier and his girlfriend in 2005. There was apparently little trouble proving his culpability. The defense put its efforts into sparing Stitt from the death penalty, focusing on Stitt’s emotionally disturbed past, such as the fact his father kicked him out at age 16, putting him in the kind of drifter’s life that led him to move in with this unfortunate couple.

During the sentencing phase, the psychiatrist the defense team hired testified Stitt claimed he was in a state where he was not in control of his actions at the time. Stitt claimed to have played Grand Theft Auto for four hours prior to the murder. Before his arrest, Stitt told a different version to his girlfriend that did not mention video games at all. Stitt said the murders stemmed from an argument he’d had that turned violent, and was watching television right before the killings. I’m sure we’ll find out later it was an infomercial for a Manhunt 2-themed timeshare.

This was enough for Thompson, of course, who littered our inbox with a release claiming a video-game defense won the day. It almost reads like an exoneration. “Part of Stitt’s defense was his obsessive play of the Grand Theft Auto video games, and it worked,” Thompson crowed. “It was put before the jury in a very clever fashion, and it worked.”

Is that really what did it?

“[The psychiatrist] never said there was a connection between the game playing and the shootings. No one asked her if there was a connection, and no one suggested or implied it," Paul wrote me. "In the course of the trial, her statement of the midnight to 4 a.m. hours was the only evidence of Stitt ever playing any video game in his entire life. Had he played video games before? Probably. But if video games were being offered as a defense or mitigator, I think we would have heard a lot more.”

That means whatever Stitt told his professional examiner — again, hired by his own defense — about video games, she did not find enough basis that they were a credibile mitigator for his actions. In their closing arguments to the jury, Stitt’s lawyers never mentioned video games. The psychiatrist herself never said she believed the games put Stitt into a state where he was not in control of his actions. She testified that she even questioned whether Stitt was telling the truth in that version of the killings.

As for the jurors, many left the court in tears. The lawyers spoke to them, but not the journalists. The lawyers didn't ask what the reasons were for sparing Stitt the death penalty.

So here’s the scorecard:

Stitt: Convicted double murderer. Invoked video games and a feeling he was not in control of his actions to save his ass from the death penalty. Honestly, I think he said Grand Theft Auto because it was the first thing that popped into his mind, in a setting where he knew he was trying for a psychiatric defense. Had he actually played, he would have specified the version. I'm serious. Anyway, he’s going to do life and die behind the walls of Raleigh’s Central Prison.

Thompson: Moral opportunist who portrays the fact a jury put a murderer away for life but did not sentence him to death as equivalent to an exoneration and miscarriage of justice. That’s classy. Death or nothing for the anti-(virtual) violence crusader. Completely ignores what has and has not been established by evidence and testimony — in other words, basic law. No wonder he can’t file a motion without adult supervision.

One blames video games to save his ass; the other to further a nutball agenda. They deserve each other.

As for Paul, he no longer games as much since his girlfriend moved in. He and I played X-Wing and Red Baron on his PC when I lived in his house in 1993. After that summer he played Thief 1, Thief 2, Tanarus and Duke Nukem 3D. He's never owned a game console and doesn't care to; he's waiting to get a decent Windows PC to get back into gaming seriously.

Paul also noted, dryly, that a recent survey rated Fayetteville the third-worst place in the U.S. to raise a child. So you could blame that, or you could blame Grand Theft Auto. Or you could blame the fact that we are a fucked-up ultraviolent society with easy access to deadly weapons, and while violent video games are a part of that stew, we’ve had senseless killings well before their arrival.

Stitt's Lawyers Shoot Down Video Game Defense [Fayetteville N.C. Observer]

"We try to stick to violence against small animals," said Kotick, (hopefully) joking, when Swisher asked him about the in-game violence issue:

Most of our users are over 18, they go to R-rated movies and we need to to cater to that preference. We are a broad-based medium today and we must appeal to as many demographics as we can. Part of that demographic audience enjoys in-game violence, and that includes gratuitous violence.

Bobby Kotick, Chairman and CEO of Guitar Hero-Maker Activision - D6 Highlights [All Things Digital]

The book Grand Theft Childhood got a good bit of attention upon its release, and the authors are back discussing reactions to the book, as well as issues that have cropped up (again) in the wake of GT IV. On the media frenzy, they have this to say:

This is strikingly similar to the concerns over and editorials against comic books, radio, gangster films and—back in the late 19th century—the evil influence of paperback novels on teenage girls. None of those bore out. Each time, the pundits and politicians said that earlier concerns may have been silly, but that this time it’s different. So far it hasn’t been.

It's repeated frequently, but probably worth repeating once more — everything from Hollywood films to Chinese classics like Peony Pavilion have been labeled as 'dangerous' at some point or another (with ferocity equal to or surpassing video game critics' utterances). Anyway, it's an interesting interview touching on a number of issues.

Grand Theft Childhood Author Weighs in on GTA IV [Open Education via GameSetWatch]

Authorities are currently looking for "a light skinned black man aged about 21, 6ft 5ins tall, of medium build wearing a light grey hooded top," while the mainstream media is currently seeking the best possible way to shock the living hell out of the non-gaming public with the headline for this story. I think we're going to have to give them this one. The assailant just picked a really inconvenient time to go apeshit.

Stab attack at Grand Theft queue [BBC News - Thanks g2dat]

Matt and I don't share the same views about violence in adult films, but we do see eye-to-eye on the importance of protecting children. We both support regulations to stop the marketing of violence in films to children through violent toys, products, and video games.

Game-industry critics object to any overt or implied elements of sex or racism that crop up in the course of play. Often, the gaming community's knee-jerk defense against these critics is to contend that they don't know what they're talking about. In many cases, this is true. But in their haste to polish their pet medium's reputation, gamers ignore the other side of the coin — namely that, in some instances, the bluenoses have a point.

The truth is that some games are irresponsible in regard to the fantasies they effectively promote. But instead of arguing for the validity of games on their merits, gamers may blindly lash out at their critics. Passionate advocacy means engaging our antagonists, not attacking them. It means not taking the bait. Unfortunately, that's easier said than done.

The unfortunate thing is the response to these types of articles is frequently the knee-jerk reaction Krpata and others are talking about. We'd all do well to keep some of these internal criticisms of the community in mind when the next scandal rolls around ...

Sex, Violence and Video Games [The Phoenix via GameSetWatch]

Funny thing about "Grand Theft Childhood." I had picked up the book expecting that a tome with such a provocative title would take a dimmer view of the influence games have on kids.

Olson said she and her husband wanted the title to be phrased as a question ("Grand Theft Childhood?"), but "publishers don't like question marks."

She said she hopes that folks who want to think there's a link between violence and video games read the book — if the title hooks them in, so much the better.

"We didn't want to preach to the choir," she said.

I guess that's one of the things about GTA — so much stuff written in the wake of a new release has precious little to do with the game itself. At least this one is a reasonably positive look at the beloved media topic of violent games and violent (or not) kids.

The Adult Crime Game Kids Love [The Washington Post]

They dealt with it with a videogame called Hitman that he used to watch, and it was a video game where you got impressions that you would kill somebody - hit them from their backside, where they were not aware that they were being killed.

CNN Video Report On Trial [CNN via GamePolitics ]

As a parent, which would you find most offensive in a video game?

"It hit the victim in the leg, causing a large, red welt and several puncture marks," said Senior Sgt Bruce Jenkins, in the North Island town of Whakatane.

NZ man 'used hedgehog as weapon' [BBC - Ninja Girlden]

Witnesses told authorities that Suarez then put the gun down on the kitchen counter and began saying, "This just didn't happen," according to court documents.

This is similar to the incident back in July, where a young boy stabbed his older brother to death for not letting him have his turn at a video game, in both situation and press reaction. Some of the headlines I have seen include:

Family: Game led to teen's murder - BostonHerald.com
Video game linked to fatal shooting in Brockton - The Patriot Ledger

Just don't be surprised if the major news outlets pick this up with accompanying inflammatory anti-video gaming headline.

Video game linked to fatal shooting of 15-year-old [Wicked Local Brockton]

The book is due out next month, but there's lots of information floating around out there on the new study. The articles are quite lengthy all told, but worth browsing if you're interested in the subject.

Shoot-em Up Video Games - The Cause of Greater Anti-social Behaviors in Teens?; Author Reveals "The Surprising Truth About Violent Video Games"; Experts State: Do Not Banish - Instead, Manage Violent Video Game Play [Open Education]

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/New_vest_allows_video_gamers_to_0317.html

"The Wii's fluffy flowers and bright peach-colored sunlight glorify chasing precious talking rabbits with plungers," Greer said. "What kind of message is that sending to our children? That it's 'cool' to act like some kind of electrical elf or banana fairy?"

Wii Video Games Blamed For Rise In Effeminate Violence [The Onion - Thanks Kenneth!]

A 15-year-old boy from Marble Falls is at Austin's Brackenridge Hospital after suffering a gunshot wound to the head. [...] The boy was playing a video game with a friend when that friend loaded a gun and shot him in the head.

Police said the 13-year-old shooter is being held at the juvenile detention center in Belton and is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The newspaper said the boys were playing a video game called "God of War".

Hopefully this won't lead to a media frenzy - news is sparse right now, but we'll see how it continues to develop.

13-year-old shoots friend in the head [News 8 Austin]

Captain Tim Guerrette of the Collier County, Florida Sheriff's Office, apparently referred extensively to video games and their influence during a conference, where Daily News reporter Victoria Macchi was in attendance. In her article, she refers to what Guerrette said, but also notes some of her own research:

An American Sociological Association report released in early 2007, however, dismissed the link between video game violence and homicidal behavior in children as unfounded.

Moreover, the report claimed that in the decade following the 1993 release of the first-person shooter game Doom — which Guerrette mentioned several times on Tuesday evening as a possible trigger of youth violence — juvenile arrest rates actually went down by 77 percent.

Police Official Blames Games, Reporter Calls Him On It [GamePolitics.com]

We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an '18' certificate to the game."

VAC Allows Appeal On Manhunt 2 The Video Appeals Committee today announced that the result of their reconsideration of the Manhunt 2 appeal remains that the appeal against the rejection of the work by the BBFC is upheld.

The Board's decision to refuse a certificate to Manhunt 2 was successfully challenged on appeal to the Video Appeals Committee. The Board challenged the VAC's decision by way of Judicial Review before the High Court, which quashed the decision on grounds of errors of law. The VAC has now reconsidered the appeal in the light of the High Court's directions on the law but has decided, again by a majority of four to three, to allow the appeal on the basis that Manhunt 2 should be given an '18' certificate.

In the light of legal advice the Board does not believe the VAC's judgement provides a realistic basis for a further challenge to its decision and has accordingly issued an '18' certificate.

David Cooke, Director of the BBFC said:
"As I have said previously, we never take rejection decisions lightly, and they always involve a complex balance of considerations. We twice rejected Manhunt 2, and then pursued a judicial review challenge, because we considered, after exceptionally thorough examination, that it posed a real potential harm risk. However, the Video Appeals Committee has again exercised its independent scrutiny. It is now clear, in the light of this decision, and our legal advice, that we have no alternative but to issue an '18' certificate to the game."

Until now, the most-publicized studies came from a small group of experimental psychologists, studying college students playing nonviolent or violent games for 15 minutes. It's debatable whether those studies are relevant to real children, playing self-selected games for their own reasons (not for cash or extra credit!), in social settings, over many years. But media reports and political rhetoric often ignore that distinction.

So how did the Harvard study differ? They polled over 1200 children between two states, asking them about their reasons for playing video games with an eye on how those motivations were different between different subgroups, such as children that showed signs of attention deficit disorder and depression. The findings indicate that many children see video games as a way to work out their aggression in a safe environment, or to help them feel less lonely and isolated. Poor lil guys.

The book, due out in April, also features chapters about parents themselves, as well as one chapter dedicated to explaining why all of the other studies are inaccurate, looking at how other researchers define aggressions, the games used, size of focus groups, etc.

As I said, I don't trust any of these studies at this point, but if you've got a parent worried about your game play habits or hell - even if you are a parent worried about your children's video game playing, nothing is quite as reassuring as having a big book by doctors on your beside table.

Hit the link below for a full interview with author Dr. Cheryl K. Olson at Game Couch!

Interview: Dr. Cheryl K. Olson co-author of Grand Theft Childhood [Game Couch via Game Politics]

[Tech Amok]

"There is a tremendous lack of imagination on the part of the games industry..."

For those that may not remember, my organization is sponsoring a video game contest in which the goal is to create a video game with a theme of Teen Dating Violence without actually using violence in the game itself. Obviously many games have absolutely no violence whatsoever but there are nonetheless some interesting points to be found in the original article.

Crazy Woody the mercenary shills for Army of Two [Montreal Gazette via GamePolitics.com]

Jeff, the uncle, recalls, "after seeing him laying there with all the tubes and hoses, cables and wires I think all my fears went away. My life was worth giving to save his, and if that's what it took, I was fine with that."

Six months later both Aiden and Jeff have recovered, with Shoemaker giving his nephew a gift that the child will never forget for as long as he lives.

Jeff Shoemaker is a gamer. He posted the story over on the SeasonGamers.com forums, understandably proud of his actions. In the midst of all of the negative press gaming has been getting recently from the likes of JC, Fox News, and the New York Post, a story like this comes along and none of those articles and accusations matter anymore.

Sure, it could have been anyone donating that liver, but this time it was a gamer. If the other media outlets want to focus on gaming in negative stories, I see no reason why we can't do it on the positive ones.

Baby gets first emergency living donor liver transplant at Cleveland Clinic [WKCY NBC - Thanks Brett]

There is a handy website that allows you to search the bible for content. Using this we find that the King James version has "harlot" in it 48 times, "sodomite" 5 times, "fornicator" 5 times, "smite" 133 times, "kill" 208 times and "maim" 7 times. This is shocking, you have to wonder what any right minded parent is doing exposing their children to this stuff.

The Bible Vs video games [BruceOnGames via GamePolitics]

Armed Boy Takes Classmate's Pokemon Cards [CBS13.com via DS Fanboy]

"Exposure to violent video games, even E rated video games, increases aggressive thoughts, increases pro-social behavior and increases general arousal," said Dr. Greg Snyder, a psychologist at Omaha's Children's Hospital.

Probably not what he meant mind you. Snyder went on to theorize that exposure to violent video games desensitize our children to the real thing.

"The more normal it is, the more likely it is they're going to activate or engage in those behaviors when provoked or even unprovoked," Snyder said.

"Just like any new media, it gets attacked. When any new genre of music comes out, it gets attacked. TV will, of course, get attacked. I'm sure, way back when, books got attacked," Miller said.

Video Games Normalize Killing, Doctors Say [KETV 7 - Thanks Everyone!]

More neat stats from the ESRB in 2007:

•94% of games were rated for children 13 and younger
•The 'E' (6+) category saw the biggest growth of all
•60% of ratings were 'E'

So it would seem that parents opposed to headshots can find plenty of alternative content for their children in today's video game market. So unless anyone feels like content has been mislabeled, it pretty much negates the bitchfest in my mind.

ESRB Newsletter Winter 2008 [ESRB via GoNintendo]

Want to see what Wii owners in Europe and Japan are missing out on, in terms of flowing rivers of blood, decapitations and amputations? Then watch xserothx's No More Heroes Death Scene Comparison clips for a study in regional censorship. This is grisly stuff, folks, and not for the faint of heart of virtual murder. Anyone wary of spoilers should skip 'em, as they're essentially every boss fight in the game.

No More Heroes Death Scene Comparisons [YouTube - thanks, Sidepocket!]

As his wife called 911, Galvanek pulled two injured passengers from the truck, assessed their wounds, and properly prioritized/administered treatment (direct pressure and elevation) to one of the accident's more brutal injuries, a mutilated hand. In short, he did things just as he should have in a circumstance that could have ended even worse. And yes, Galvanek thanks his training in a video game for his performance under pressure:

I have received no prior medical training and can honestly say that because of the training and presentations within America's Army, I was able to help and possibly save the injured men. As I look back on the events of that day, the training that I received in the America's Army video game keeps coming to mind."

I remember vividly in section four of the game's medic training, during the field medic scenarios, I had to evaluate the situation and place priority on the more critically wounded. In the case of this accident, I evaluated the situation and placed priority on the driver of the car who had missing fingers. I then recalled that in section two of the medic training, I learned about controlled bleeding. I noticed that the wounded man had severe bleeding that he could not control. I used a towel as a dressing and asked the man to hold the towel on his wound and to raise his hand above his head to lessen the blood flow which allowed me to evaluate his other injuries which included a cut on his head.

What's worse is this isn't the first Lineage II-related death in Russia. Back in January one player stomped another to death while he was trying to break up a fight sparked during a real life meet-up.

What's even more crazy is that members of the Coo-clocks continue to harass the dead man's family, going as far as to threaten the life of his sister. That's some pretty insane clan loyalty right there if you ask me. One isolated crazy I can understand, but once a member of your clan beats a man to death...that's generally when you want to back off on the team spirit. Hit up the link below for the full story. More fuel for the fire.

Online game rivalry ends with real life murder [Russia Today via Game Politics]

Since when have we let these Bollywood actors and socialites dictate what the citizens of India can or cannot do? Maybe it's time Mrs Tagore sorted out her own house, paid more attention to the kind of games her grandkids played especially when the games have big letters saying MA printed on them instead of urging the government to baby sit the nation's children at the expense of the tax payers hard earned money.

Why should others pay for her blatant ignorance and negligence?

Will the parliamentary proposal be successful? We'll find out soon - this doesn't seem like a huge surprise (everyone loves an easy target), but the family drama is enough to make my head spin.

Video Games Censorship Comes to India [GameGuru] and Government To Regulate Video Games in India [Desicritics] [both via GamePolitics]

"There are cultural implications for feeding porn to kids in this way," and "when you do this, you're teaching them a distorted lesson about human sexuality and human dignity. These are lessons that they will take with them into adulthood and ultimately society," Ruse said.

Could she be right? I certainly hope not, as it would be horrible for children to grow up thinking that one day they might form a deep bond with someone and engage in sexual activities - especially if said activities involve someone of another race or similiar gender. That would be terrible. Media specialist Bob Waliszewki with Focus on the Family agrees.

"We never shy away from sexuality in the media. It's just a question of how is that sexuality portrayed. One can use the media to portray some very healthy forms of sexuality. And when done wisely with taste and age-appropriateness, it can be done well."

"Unfortunately," he said, "Mass Effect doesn't do that and even goes so far as to allow homosexuality to be on par with heterosexuality and heterosexuality outside of its proper context of marriage."

The article continues predictably. Waliszewki cites various reports linking video games to violent behaivior. Ruse calls out BioWare for putting the sex scene in to generate revenue without regards to what happens to the children who shouldn't be playing it in the first place. Bob does manage to talk some sense towards the end, cautioning parents to take a hands-on approach to their children's entertainment, but then Cathy comes back in for one last bit of foaming outrage.

Ruse noted that "most states have what's called 'Harmful to Minors' laws on the books that say that selling sexual material that a jury would deem 'patently offensive to minors, which lacks literary, artistic, political or scientific value.' ... might be prosecutable."

First we have Gaston County North Carolina, where three 19 year-olds went on an arson spree, setting fire to eight cars and one vacant home before the police finally stopped the madness. The reason behind the suspects' burning ambitions? Postal 2. No really, Postal 2.

Police say three Gaston County teens—Sean Jones, David Ellington and Paul Jarrell charged with setting eight cars and one vacant home on fire—got the idea from a video game, "Postal 2".

Then a bit closer to (my) home, we have the Lafayette, Georgia arson at a water-sewage treatment plant. Police are saying that the suspects in the case - two 15 year-old boys - are linked to "a group of teens emulating the violent images portrayed in the movie "Fight Club" and a video game, "Tony Hawk's Underground 2." I know what you are thinking. It was only a matter of time before THUG2 made somebody crack.

In the video game, the mission is to complete what is called a "destruction tour." Characters are rewarded bonuses for destroying or stealing objects. The emphasis of the game is depicted as the more destruction created by the player, the more points he will accumulate.

All I can do here is breath a heavy sigh and point towards the geographic area of the United States map these two crimes took place in. We sure grow 'em stupid down here in the South, don't we?

Blame Game: Cops Finger Video Games in Separate Incidents [Game Politics]

Unbridled competition combined with no moral consequence eventually leads to a lack of compassion. And without compassion, humanity is lost.

What games risk instilling, not just in kids, but in anyone who plays them, is a kind of sociopathy: a dearth of conscience. Whether this might be imitated outside of gaming is beside the point. What we should be asking ourselves is if we really want to spend ever more time playing things that encourage these values. That's a moral question, one that's easily sidelined in favor of simply having fun, but it's something we all must consider as the pastime grows more popular.

I'm not sure that whatever moral shortcomings might come about from 'unbridled competition' in other areas is 'beside the point,' and I also think it's short sighted to ignore all the totally non-violent options out there. As pointed out at Game Politics, "Where's the moral ruthlessness in Mario Galaxy, Madden, Nintendogs and SimCity Societies?"

The moral cost of video games [Christian Science Monitor via Game Politics]

Lupe Fiasco - "Little Weapon" Talks About Video Game Violence & Real Life [GamerTag Radio]

A 37-year-old Tennessee man was arrested yesterday for allegedly stabbing his uncle in the head and stomach after the two got into a fight over a video game, Chattanooga Police say.

Antonio Castillo is charged with attempted first-degree murder and aggravated assault. He was also wanted on an outstanding warrant out of Philadelphia for aggravated assault. His uncle, Luis Alberto Santana, was listed in critical condition Thursday night.

Reports of the fight don't mention what game they were fighting over, referring to it just as a "Playstation game", or what started the argument. Brilliant reporting, screw the details, sensationalism full-steam ahead.

Man stabbed in fight over PlayStation [Times Free-Press]

There's a video game out there where you can run down prostitutes and kill them and beat them up and take their money. It feeds into the whole subculture of allowing the violence to continue. Violence against sex workers should not be normalized, but it is.

It's somewhat of an odd aside for the topic, but I suppose it warrants discussion. The beating of hookers is one of the Grand Theft Auto's focal points when discussing its level of violence, mostly due to the perception that one benefits greatly or is scored better somehow for the killing of the game's street workers. However, virtually any bystander can be beaten and killed for reward.

One might think that Rockstar would be better off dropping this gameplay aspect in Grand Theft Auto IV and future entries in the series.

Organization advocates end to violence against sex workers [Toronto Sun via GamePolitics]

"The BBFC is contesting the VAC judgment because in the Board's view, it is based on an approach to harm which is an incorrect interpretation of the Video Recordings Act. The VAC judgment, if allowed to stand, would have fundamental implications with regard to all the Board's decisions, including those turning upon questions of unacceptable levels of violence."

BBFC applies for judicial review [GamesIndustry.biz]

Such balancing judgments are inevitably complex and multi-faceted, and are made only after very careful consideration of the contents of a work. We played Manhunt 2 for well over 30 hours prior to our decision.

HH: NBC ran the Virginia Tech killer tape on the day they obtained it. Steve Capus, Brian Williams made that decision. Did they make the right decision?

TB: Yeah, they did.

HH: Do you not think it's going to incite other people to try to do the same thing?

TB: No, I don't. I think...to get back to something we were talking about earlier in general thematic terms, I don't think we're doing a very good job about talking about violence in this country, either. You know, Virginia Tech went away. We didn't have any ongoing dialogue in our communities or on the air about the corrosive effect of violence. It was not what he, what people saw of him on the air that will drive them, it's what they read in blog sites, and what they see in video games. It's that kind of stuff that I think is cancerous. And I'm a free speech absolutist, but I think that at the same time, we have to have free speech in some kind of a context. And part of that context is a discussion of the possible effects of it.

One might wonder, in light of Omaha mall shooter Robert Hawkins wishes to "go out in style", boasting in his suicide note that "just think tho I'm gonna be fuckin' famous", that the promise of having one's life dissected on broadcast television might have been influential on Hawkins interest in murdering eight people before his suicide. Hey, that's just me speculating. Perhaps if I had were a bit more of a wrinkly, silver-haired dinosaur, fumbling through a world I don't understand, like many video game critics, I'd be able to better understand the "context" of the situation.

Sorry, but there's little more I can add without letting loose with a string of expletives and looking forward to the passing of a generation of confused Luddites who divert blame from some of the world's genuine problems.

Ultimately, though, if Brokaw's right, the lot of Kotaku readers are totally screwed, basking in the carcinogenic rays of video games and blog posts. Sorry for causing you to die early, dear readers, if so.

Tom Brokaw: Airing VA Tech Killer Videos Okay, But Blogs, Video Games "Cancerous" [Game Politics]