Is Violence in Video Games to Blame for Violence in Real Life?

A large majority of the American population believes that the content in some video games causes violent behavior in the people who play them. Take the highly controversial Grand Theft Auto franchise for example. Grand Theft Auto V had record breaking sales in its first day of being released. It is a game revolving around, chaos. It breaks the boundaries of the phrase “do whatever you want,” because in this game, you can buy a million dollar car one minute, and then the next, it explodes because you drove it straight into a taco truck. Or, the player could purchase a tank and go on a rampage through the streets. Now these are the kind of actions that cause many people to think that video games cause violent behavior, but this is simply not the case. Recent studies show that violent video games have nothing to do with the actions of people in real life. It is only mental defects that cause such actions.

I strongly agree with these studies. The fact that so many people blame video games for tragedies such as the Sandy Hook shooting is just absurd. These happenings are the result of mental illness, not because someone wanted to recreate a video game in real life. As I said earlier, Grand Theft Auto V had record-breaking sales in its first day. Basically, this means that millions upon millions of people bought the game, many not as mature as they ought to be. You don’t see these millions of people going out and carjacking someone do you? Didn’t think so. The only reason that these things might happen is that a few very impressionable kids that are WAY too young to be playing violent games, go and try and do what they saw in real life. But still, this isn’t the video games’ faults. It’s the result of parents that don’t care what their kids play or see on TV.

So now the problem stands, what can we do to make people see that video games are not at fault for violence? There are too  many people that need something to blame for violence in America, and unfortunately, their scapegoat is video games. Despite the large amounts of scientific research that disproves that video games cause violence in people, not enough of them will listen.

~Ethan

Knockout

A dangerous game called “knockout” might of reached Connecticut. In this game, usually young boys in their teens go up to strangers and punch them extremely hard in the face attempting to knock them out. The first assault that occurred in Connecticut was in West Hartford. The man was walking on an overpass and was accosted by 3 young men. Suddenly one of the boys sucker punched him right in the face, knocking him out.  The police say that the only objective of this game, or ruthless assault is for the attacker to knock out the victim in one punch to be crowned the “knockout king.”

The first time I heard about this incident happening, I thought it might’ve been between two different gangs. However, when I read through the article and watched the video, I realized that it wasn’t involving gangs at all. It was just a teenage kid walking up to a man he’d never met and punching him right in the face, knocking him out cold. I’ve been in West Hartford before and to know that there is a group of teenagers running around punching people is an odd feeling. If someone I know gets assaulted like this I would be so angry. I would want the police to look into the case immediately and bring the kid to justice. I think that the police should patrol the streets and install security cameras around the cities to prevent, or decrease the amount of these attacks.

~Ben

 

Taking Away the Lives of Innocent Children and Adults

 

What would you say about an elementary school shooting where 20 kids and 6 adults lost their lives? Most people would say, “That would never happen!” or “Who would even do such  a thing?” Well, unfortunately on December 14th, 2012 at Sandy Hook Elementary School, this is exactly what happened. Adam Lanza, 20 years old, broke into the school and opened fire. Within minutes he looked into the eyes of beautiful, innocent first graders and took away their lives. Teachers, like Victoria Soto who hid her kids in the closet and told the gunman they were in the gym, was also killed during this tragedy.

 
My main question about this shooting is, how could you look into the eyes of first graders and still be able to pull the trigger? And I think many people are wondering the same thing. These kids were so innocent, way too young for their lives to be over. Thinking about how the parents must’ve felt makes me sick. It was just like any other day in the morning, they gave their kids a hug and a kiss and sent them off to school where they thought they would be safe. Then about an hour later, they get a call saying there was a shooting at their child’s school. Hearing those words would make ANY parent sick to their stomach. Seeing their kid walk out of the school, probably was the happiest moment of their life. But then you think of the parents whose kids never returned. That was the last hug, the last kiss that they gave to their daughter or son. Words cannot describe how horrible I feel for these families and how I think this should never happen again.

~Allison Leonetti

Be Kind It Could be a Matter of Life and Death(Columbine)

Bullying has become more of a problem in the past 10 years then ever before. This has caused a lot of student suicides and not to forget the big Columbine High School incident. We, at Dodd Middle School, have a presentation each year on the occurrence but it is known to us as Rachel’s Challenge. This is a very emotional presentation. Multiple people (girls) cried because of this and those (all) who didn’t cry got teary eyed. Our school calls this Rachel’s Challenge because the first girl shot was a girl named Rachel Scott. She was a very big role-model to everyone in her school. She made new people welcome and was kind to everyone. One day just by being kind to a fellow student who was special needs saved his life that day. The boy was planning to commit suicide because he was teased, but Rachel’s act of kindness changed his mind. Even saying hello and  making small talk with someone who looks lonely can brighten their day or even cheer them up. She wrote this in her English paper only months before she was killed “I have this theory that if one can go out  of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same.”

This is a kindness that went unnoticed until a couple days after she was killed. Sadly this whole horrifying Columbine experience is what it took for a lot of people in our country to realize that kindness does count. You say to yourself I’m a nice person but do you go out of your way everyday to make sure someone else feel good. Most will say no, myself included. Even though you or I may not do that everyday we might as well try. You might as well try.

The two teens who were responsible for the Columbine shooting were Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. They went to the school and were bullied and wanted revenge on students who were “different” because that’s why they were bullied. But why take revenge on everyone…I don’t know.

~Meghan Dutchyshyn

Rachel’s Challenge

Today, December 6th, something changed me. I’ve always tried to fine the better in people, and try my best to accept everyone even though I might not want to. Today I learned that I can be a better person to everyone. Rachel Scott, the first victim shot in the Columbine High school, has made a big impact in every ones life. You may be thinking, so what, she was the first one; twelve others got shot too.  The other twelve were greatly remembered, but there was something special about Rachel. What Rachel had in here is something everyone should have just so we could spread a little more understanding and compassion around.

I never knew about this school shooting, and this is my first year attending Rachel’s challenge. I have learned that one person can make a difference in the world. Rachel Scott wrote in a diary and thought of a theory: “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same.” She had wrote many things about how she could make an impact on every ones lives, and that she knew she was going to die at an  early age. I will show compassion just like Rachel did, to anyone and everyone. I have learned that I can make a difference. I guess you learn something knew everyday.

~Alexzandra Bradley