MSNBC's Ed Schultz calls parents who allow there kids and 18+ to play GTA V lousy

[Lilani]

Well, yes, but I'm not sure "later" isn't going to have the same effect.

The same effect as what? Either way you're denying them something they want, and either way that very denial is going to make them more interested. The only thing you can really prevent is making sure you don't send the kid the message that images of sex and violence are inherently evil.

It reminds me of something I read recently about teaching kids about abstinence. Yes abstinence-only sex education is bullshit, but there is an even worse way to go about it that transcends simply denying children a working knowledge on how sex works. A common practice to illustrate the effects of having sex with multiple practice is to start with a clean and clear glass of water, and then go around the room and have every child spit in the glass. Or, have certain children eat something and then put some backwash into the glass after they drink. And yet another was to have some children chew gum, and then gather the gum and ask others if they wanted to chew the prechewed gum. The illustration is used to explain to children that having sex with multiple partners makes you dirty and undesirable--used by another, and thus unworthy to be used by anyone else.

However, there's something else going on there, too. You're basically telling kids that the very act of sex itself is one of dirtiness and shamefulness. Trying to couple that with the lesson that somehow getting married makes all of this "okay" is rather contradictory, and not helpful for having them develop a healthy perspective on sex. It's one thing to explain to your child they shouldn't have sex until a certain age, but it's another thing entirely to say that sex is like getting chewed up and spat out again, and that until you find the right person to chew you up and spit you out you shouldn't do it or else you'll be useless.

That's more or less what I was getting at, there. It's one thing to tell kids they simply aren't ready for something, it's another thing entirely to say that thing is evil on the whole and tell the kid how they should think of it before they even understand what it really is.

 

[Thaluikhain]

That's more or less what I was getting at, there. It's one thing to tell kids they simply aren't ready for something, it's another thing entirely to say that thing is evil on the whole and tell the kid how they should think of it before they even understand what it really is.

Ah, right, I see what you mean, I'd definitely agree with that.

 

[Bluestorm83]

He's incorrect; there are no Kids over 18 years old. There are men and women 18 years old and older.

I hate GTA. I hate everything about it. Even more, I hate when adults are not allowed to buy what they want or do what they want, because some dick who has no information says "you're bad!"

 

[Something Amyss]

Ezra Klein is awesome.

And reminds me of Scarecrow from Batman Begins. Ergo, he needs his own show a supply of fear gas, and a mask.

Aaaaanyway, I dislike Ed Schultz. He's a douche. And saying that parents suck if their 18+ kid is "watching" GTAV is just ridiculous. But really, from a more reasonable person, I wouldn't have trouble with a complaint that kids are playing these games.

 

[Berny Marcus]

Disclaimer: My first post ever on escapist. So sorry if I broke any rules.

You broke ALL The rules.

You are a terrible person. I drew you a picture to commemorate your terriblenessniness!

I know it's hard to see, but strain your eyes, and you'll see he put Judas down so he could gnaw on YOU! You're awful! You're everything McCarthy fought against in the 50's!!

OT: I know he meant to say, "Xbox 360 game," but he left out game, so here I am thinking, "Damn, they've gotten so much more portable."

Plus, the whole, if you allow your now adult child to own or watch this, you're a terrible parent. God forbid if parents were actually judged for what people did after they were out of their sphere of control. There'd be no such thing as a good parent.

Holy fuck! I'm going to hell! Spare me god and mods of escapists! Don't take me Grim reaper spider!

Joking aside, wow, I didn't know Xbox 360s were now a portable game, Microsoft hid it under our noses the whole time! Geniuses!

 

[Berny Marcus]

Ed Schultz is an ass. I never did like him or his show. MSNBC really oughta give him the boot, and give Ezra Klein a show. Ezra Klein is awesome.

Even given how much an ass Schultz is, I had to go to the source, just to make sure the clip hadn't been strategically edited. It just seemed too over the top, even for Ed Schultz. Nope. There it was right there on the Ed Show's own website. He said it just like that. What an ass.

BTW folks, write your congresscritters. It's not that hard. Just politely let them know that "violent video games cause violence" is bullshit.

Ed Schultz wasn't the only one attacking video games, but he was more direct. Morning Joke, Al Sharptan, Chris Hayes, and Maddow all went after them. What a joke of a news network, same as Fox and CNN

 

[Andrew_Eisen]

"If you're a parent and you allow your son or daughter to watch this ? even if they?re beyond 18-years-old, you?re a lousy parent in my opinion." -Ed Schultz

I called my mom to see what she thought. I think you'll get a kick out of her response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCgZpIomGok


Andrew Eisen

 

[Carpenter]

Where to start.
You say "the news media has predictably pointed the finger at video games"
First of all "predictably" is a bit of an overstatement when you consider how old that cliche is by now. Nobody in the mainstream is making the case that video games make you violent yet people argue against it as if that argument has already been made.
Second, I have yet to see one single news program discussing the "tragedy" so much as mention video games or movies so this really comes off as one of those situations where YOU CHOSE to look up news relating to video games and shootings, meaning you set off from the beginning to find something you disagree with, making your outrage over the "issue" even more petty than it would be on it's own.

I am just so sick of kids whining about how the horrible media is talking bad about their precious video games. Hey some guy that happens to be on tv doesn't have the same opinion as you, get over it.

Funny that most escapist forum users are more than happy to defend Mr.Tito's review using the argument that it's his opinion and you should never be mad about an opinion, yet here we are and that same community seems to be in agreement that we should attack this guy because he thinks that letting children play GTA 5 makes you a lousy parent.

I wish people could get this angry about something that actually matters. Our government kills people using unmanned drones and without going through the legal process to declare war? Who cares, those are scary foreigners and they are just being killed.
Someone in the news said my video games and energy drinks are not great for me? OUTRAGE!

 

[Berny Marcus]

"If you're a parent and you allow your son or daughter to watch this ? even if they?re beyond 18-years-old, you?re a lousy parent in my opinion." -Ed Schultz

I called my mom to see what she thought. I think you'll get a kick out of her response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCgZpIomGok


Andrew Eisen

Ah yeah I watched your video when I was looking for the clip I posted, classy response to Ed's rants. You and your mom rock!

 

[Carpenter]

Media causally responsible for a lot of what's wrong in politics including ruining lives for no reason than it looks good on teasers, advocating thought censoring, and the idea that the loudest person is right, et al is calling something else evil. It must be a day that ends in 'y'. But hey, their constitutionally protected lies just HAVE to be more valid than something that's... NEWER THAN THEM *Gasp*

Nobody's constitutional rights are being violated when some guy on the news says video games suck. Quit being so dramatic, you are acting like they are hypocrites because they protect their right to free speech. Guess what, criticism of a person's work or speech does not infringe on that person's right to free speech.

I am so sick of people using the "free speech" argument on ignorant little issues like this, especially when they talk about how vital that right is while at the same time starting to argue that we need to somehow limit what people are allowed to say in public regarding our precious video games.

If you can't enjoy GTA after seeing a guy on the news say it's bad, you were probably too immature or mentally unstable to handle it right anyways.

 

[Thaluikhain]

First of all "predictably" is a bit of an overstatement when you consider how old that cliche is by now. Nobody in the mainstream is making the case that video games make you violent yet people argue against it as if that argument has already been made.

Well, yes and no. On the one hand, that is often implied rather heavily, if rarely actually stated.

OTOH, it is a very tiresome strawman used during attempts at a more serious discussion about the effects of games.

I wish people could get this angry about something that actually matters.

Yeah, there's very much an element of that. Similarly, gets tiresome when people say that Australia has a terrible society/government because of the problems with video games classifications.

 

[Fox12]

Whatever, there's a reason I don't watch MSNBC.

That said, I love how he's waving the game in front of the screen yelling "you see this? Right here? Don't but this. Can you see it properly? It's called Grand Theft Auto FIVE. The new one, not four. Five. Don't buy it at you local Gamestop or Target. Grand Theft Auto."

Rock Star execs are crying their way to the bank, I'm sure.

 

[Chapter11]

I actually agree with him. Its rated 17 and 18+ for a reason. We all know a ton of parents use video games as babysitters.

 

[MCerberus]

I am so sick of people using the "free speech" argument on ignorant little issues like this, especially when they talk about how vital that right is while at the same time starting to argue that we need to somehow limit what people are allowed to say in public regarding our precious video games.

If you can't enjoy GTA after seeing a guy on the news say it's bad, you were probably too immature or mentally unstable to handle it right anyways.

No, the point is they have the constitutional right to yell, scream, and lie as long as it doesn't cross the line into libel (and that's difficult in the US). So they have cart blanche to do this. They're actively hurting public discourse while wanting to censor other people.

 

[Berny Marcus]

I actually agree with him. Its rated 17 and 18+ for a reason. We all know a ton of parents use video games as babysitters.

I actually do agree with him, that kids shouldn't be playing GTA V in the first place. The problem is that he went further and attacked those even older, 18 and over, and even went as to advocating some form of censorship.

Plus the shooter is 34, how and why did kids get into this conversation now is beyond me.

 

[verdant monkai]

This Ed is right.

If you buy a GTA game without any research and then give it to an under age kid you are a shitty parent.

 

[Berny Marcus]

Where to start.
You say "the news media has predictably pointed the finger at video games"
First of all "predictably" is a bit of an overstatement when you consider how old that cliche is by now. Nobody in the mainstream is making the case that video games make you violent yet people argue against it as if that argument has already been made.
Second, I have yet to see one single news program discussing the "tragedy" so much as mention video games or movies so this really comes off as one of those situations where YOU CHOSE to look up news relating to video games and shootings, meaning you set off from the beginning to find something you disagree with, making your outrage over the "issue" even more petty than it would be on it's own.

I am just so sick of kids whining about how the horrible media is talking bad about their precious video games. Hey some guy that happens to be on tv doesn't have the same opinion as you, get over it.

Funny that most escapist forum users are more than happy to defend Mr.Tito's review using the argument that it's his opinion and you should never be mad about an opinion, yet here we are and that same community seems to be in agreement that we should attack this guy because he thinks that letting children play GTA 5 makes you a lousy parent.

I wish people could get this angry about something that actually matters. Our government kills people using unmanned drones and without going through the legal process to declare war? Who cares, those are scary foreigners and they are just being killed.
Someone in the news said my video games and energy drinks are not great for me? OUTRAGE!

A couple of points I want to make.
1. I actually said I do agreed with him kids shouldn't be playing video games like GTA V
2. I was someone who kept up with the news networks like MSNBC, o trust me the topic of video games were often brought up. Al Sharpton brought in n FBI pro filer who immediately went off on this topic as predictable.
3. If Schultz had gave his opinion in a less insulting way, and gave his belief that kids shouldn't be playing these kinds of games, then I wouldn't have made this topic. However he delved further by insulting even gamers who aren't kids. And as I said I do agree with him kid's shouldn't play GTA V, so I agree with that portion of his opinion, but a personal attack on millions of people and there parents warrants a response.
4. He was advocating some form of censorship, and you don't think people like him don't hold any sway with the politicians in congress? He does.
5. As I said I could've easily ignored him. Fox News likes to make this into a tradition every time theirs a shooting, so nit picking and going after every anchor or pundit who spews this argument would be pointless and idiotic. I brought this to light because he was going even more over board, think about it.

The shooter, Aaron Alexis, isn't a child, how or why did he had to mention kids is beyond me. Alexis was old enough to take care of himself, and not from mommy or daddy. Ed Schultz seems to imply gamers are kids, and parents need to parent there 18 plus sons or daughters.

He was being insulting, hardly an opinion when you're being personal.

 

[Berny Marcus]

This Ed is right.

If you buy a GTA game without any research and then give it to an under age kid you are a shitty parent.

He is right about giving GTA V to kids, but he was wrong about 18 year olds and over.