Town Holds Violent Videogame Buyback Program

[MikeWehner]

Town Holds Violent Videogame Buyback Program

Town holds event to lessen the number of violent videogames in citizens' homes.

As memories of the recent shooting continue to linger, community members in Southington, Connecticut are targeting what they see as a potential problem: violent videogames. A group called SouthingtonSOS will be holding a violent game buyback program on January 12, offering gift certificates to citizens who hand over their interactive entertainment.

"There is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety," the group said in a statement, adding that the content "is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying."

The group is quick to note that the event isn't intended to suggest that videogames were the cause of the Sandy Hook incident. The program is being promoted by the Southington Board of Education, which sent out emails to residents to notify them of the event.

Source: WFSB [http://www.wfsb.com/story/20485373/southington-to-hold-violent-video-game-return-program]

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[Falterfire]

I love the rapid backpedaling here: "We think violent video games cause violence, but we don't want to point to any specific incidents so we can't be proven wrong"

 

[Harker067]

So what are they going to do with all the accumulated buy backs. Book err Game burning anyone?

 

[Falterfire]

So what are they going to do with all the accumulated buy backs. Book err Game burning anyone?

Obviously they're going to hold the most hypocritical school fundraiser in the history of EVER. Duh.

 

[thisbymaster]

Hmm. I wonder what their prices are. Time to turn in those old N64 games.

 

[tmande2nd]

Bah.

They can take my games when they pry them out of my cold dead hands.

 

[Lucem712]

Is there a gun buy back program?[footnote]I am not pro or anti-gun. Nor am I a supporter of put guns in every home or ban all guns.[/footnote] I'm just curious as it would be slightly silly to blame virtual guns instead of..you know...real ones.

Also, since it's all 'violent' media, are they have a tv seasons buy back? Movie buy back? Or, perhaps a book buy back? Or, that got damn rap music that all the kids are listening to these days??

No? Huh. How strange that they would choose to villainize a new media over well established ones.

 

[The Artificially Prolonged]

Well at least there not just singling out videogames, that's something. However...

Members of SouthingtonSOS said the group's action is not intended to be construed as a statement declaring that violent video games were the cause of school shooting, but said "there is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety and is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying," according to a news release sent out by SouthingtonSOS.

Then why have the drive on the first place? Parents could easily get rid of the games they don't want their children to play anyway. Plus aren't you just slightly contradicting yourself by saying you don't intend this drive to be statement that violent media was the cause of a massacre but then say violent media leads to increased aggression in your press release?

Also I wonder how many people are just going to give them the cases with blank CD-Rs in them just to get the vouchers.

 

[Living Contradiction]

According to the article, they're planning to offer gift certificates for the local chamber of commerce in exchange for the games, so if you want to buy anything with the money they give you, you'll have to stay in town to do it.

That being said, there is a Gamestop in Southington. Hmmm. If I were to raid the bargain bin and then head to this city-appointed trash can, I could probably double my money at least and use the extra cash to treat myself to a new suit and a decent lunch at a fancy Italian restaurant. The world doesn't need all those copies of Brink and Duke Nukem Forever, does it?

 

[Roxas1359]

Wonder what kind of deals they are giving. Plus this seems highly hypocritical.

So what are they going to do with all the accumulated buy backs. Book err Game burning anyone?

Massive bonfire yay.

As for the whole thing "violent video games cause kids to be violent" thing there is only one case in which that may be true and it is very shaky at that, and it is if they are unable to determine reality from fantasy due to mental disturbances. Again that one is shaky because I'm mentally disabled and still know reality from fantasy. But overall games are just the scapegoat just like how Rock and Roll, comics, and television were used as scapegoats.

 

[Coach Morrison]

So are they going to burn the games or take them to the nearby gamestop to make a profit (assuming they offer like 5$ gift cards for games)?

also captcha is burning oil, it's starting to get a bit creepy now.

 

[Falterfire]

The world doesn't need all those copies of Brink and Duke Nukem Forever, does it?

I think delivering copies of Brink and Duke Nukem Forever to an organization likely to destroy them actually qualifies as a public service actually.

 

[Pink Gregory]

Well...at least it's not mandatory.

If a parent thinks 'hmm, maybe my kid shouldn't be exposed to this kind of violent imagery at this time', then that's a decision that needs to be made at the store counter, so to speak, not 1/2 years down the line.

I can't deny that perhaps their hearts are in the right place, but they are quite openly admitting that they ignored the PEGI (or whatever it is) rating - that's after all there for a reason - so really it's just too little too late if they don't want their kids playing videogames with violent imagery.

 

[The Youth Counselor]

Is there a gun buy back program?[footnote]I am not pro or anti-gun. Nor am I a supporter of put guns in every home or ban all guns.[/footnote] I'm just curious as it would be slightly silly to blame virtual guns instead of..you know...real ones.

Also, since it's all 'violent' media, are they have a tv seasons buy back? Movie buy back? Or, perhaps a book buy back? Or, that got damn rap music that all the kids are listening to these days??

No? Huh. How strange that they would choose to villainize a new media over well established ones.

Have you been keeping up with the news? After the recent shootings there have been massive turnouts in gun buyback programs all around the country.

Here's a recent one:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/2-rocket-launchers-turned_n_2373069.html

East of where I live in Oakland, they have gun buybacks at least annually. The guns turned in are usually junk saturday night specials, that are worth far less than the programs pay and gun stores sometimes throw in for free with purchases. But every now so often, a real collector's item of questionable origins and legal status is turned in. These programs often don't require ID, and it's believed that many of these guns are stolen or inventory from dealers and collectors being cleared. So they're criticized as welfare programs for criminals and cheats.

I wish this video game buyback program was happening where I live. I wonder if they'll take in any of the dozen or so crap M-Rated games I own and can't trade in or sell.

 

[RonHiler]

"There is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety," the group said in a statement, adding that the content "is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying."

I challenge that statement. I've seen no such evidence reported. In fact, every study I've ever seen from a reputable source indicates there is no such connection. I think if they are going to say things like that, they need to back them up with references.

[EDIT: Ninja'd by FargoDog! Nice one, man ]

 

[Lucem712]

Is there a gun buy back program?[footnote]I am not pro or anti-gun. Nor am I a supporter of put guns in every home or ban all guns.[/footnote] I'm just curious as it would be slightly silly to blame virtual guns instead of..you know...real ones.

Also, since it's all 'violent' media, are they have a tv seasons buy back? Movie buy back? Or, perhaps a book buy back? Or, that got damn rap music that all the kids are listening to these days??

No? Huh. How strange that they would choose to villainize a new media over well established ones.

Have you been keeping up with the news? After the recent shootings there have been massive turnouts in gun buyback programs all around the country.

Here's a recent one:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/27/2-rocket-launchers-turned_n_2373069.html

East of where I live in Oakland, they have gun buybacks at least annually. The guns turned in are usually junk saturday night specials, that are worth far less than the programs pay and gun stores sometimes throw in for free with purchases. But every now so often, a real collector's item of questionable origins and legal status is turned in. These programs often don't require ID, and it's believed that many of these guns are stolen or inventory from dealers and collectors being cleared. So they're criticized as welfare programs for criminals and cheats.

I wish this video game buyback program was happening where I live. I wonder if they'll take in any of the dozen or so crap M-Rated games I own and can't trade in or sell.

Indeed, I have. Well, semi. But I did recall hearing about the RPG thing, on the YouTubes, probably.

I meant within the same town, like in addition to the video game buy back.