Rush Limbaugh Doesn't Buy Video Game Excuse

[Aggressor Prime]

The recent gun debate is also concerning itself with a topic that never dies: Do Violent Video Games Cause Violent Behavior?

While big media loves to blame video games and tries to draw our time away from our computers and onto the TV (to maximize their profits), at least some of the voices out there still ring with reason. In addition to tech sites (especially HardOCP) not buying video games as the cause for bad behavior, radio host Rush Limbaugh also showed common sense while taking a call from a video gamer.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/ ... ideo_gamer

Granted, this is not a universal conservative position, as even the NRA has blamed violent video games recently, despite developing games with gun practice. (Of course how to interpret this is up for grabs, as the games do not feature killing other humans.)

[Will Robinson]

The recent gun debate is also concerning itself with a topic that never dies: Do Violent Video Games Cause Violent Behavior?

While big media loves to blame video games and tries to draw our time away from our computers and onto the TV (to maximize their profits), at least some of the voices out there still ring with reason. In addition to tech sites (especially HardOCP) not buying video games as the cause for bad behavior, radio host Rush Limbaugh also showed common sense while taking a call from a video gamer.

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/ ... ideo_gamer

Granted, this is not a universal conservative position, as even the NRA has blamed violent video games recently, despite developing games with gun practice. (Of course how to interpret this is up for grabs, as the games do not feature killing other humans.)

I think a lot of people are purposely taking the comments about video games, violence in movies etc. to an extreme. It is brought up as an alternative to the ridiculous assertion that a bayonet lug on a rifle or a 30 round magazine versus a 10 rounder is the problem instead of the CULTURE. I think it is an attempt to steer the debate toward reality more than a claim to have found the sole cause of violence.

Letting your kids raise themselves on the streets IS a bigger cause than improperly rationing how many bullets they can fire before they have to reload while murdering their friends...

[Burlyman]

Does police/military training cause violent behavior?

[Tunnelcat]

Going to war may cause violence, in some.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/17/us/vetera ... index.html

[CobGobbler]

America is the perfect mix.

The culture has become an overly medicated, tense group of people that became heavily desensitized to violence via every medium and the ones that act out in violent ways can readily get powerful weapons to do harm. I loved playing COD but I dont feel the need to shoot up a school or a theater. The vast majority of people in this country are reasonable, hard-working people. The only problem is that the small minority is still pretty big and they are hard to identify. There is no one thing that causes people to snap and inflict these damages...I think we're kinda screwed with all of this actually. We should just all hope that neither we nor our families are at the wrong spot at the wrong time.

[Sergeant Thorne]

Would you like a tissue (or some depends)? I hope I'm in the wrong spot at the wrong time, because I'll tear the would-be shooter's arms off and beat him to death. Then the news can run with that one.

EDIT: I just had an idea for a creative solution! You could deal with this issue without touching a single gun, or changing mental health regulations. It would require the involvement of the news media and the entertainment industry. Start popularizing the idea that hero's overcome and kill mass-murders. Make a few movies where the villains die in agony, portrayed as useless, stupid, losers. Run a few false incidents (I'm sure the CIA could handle that, if they were so inclined), and put it all over the news. After that, total national media blackout of these kinds of stories. Problem solved, Thorne for President.

Or the Federal Government might just sue me for using a copyrighted approach to social engineering.

[Sergeant Thorne]

Actually, in all seriousness, I would probably do just that to curb this problem, if I were in charge. The media aggravates and creates the problem, it would be the tool to get rid of it. This is all assuming that the present administration or CIA doesn't already have a hand in the issue, in the other direction.

[callmeslick]

Actually, in all seriousness, I would probably do just that to curb this problem, if I were in charge. The media aggravates and creates the problem, it would be the tool to get rid of it. This is all assuming that the present administration or CIA doesn't already have a hand in the issue, in the other direction.

[Top Gun]

Would you like a tissue (or some depends)? I hope I'm in the wrong spot at the wrong time, because I'll tear the would-be shooter's arms off and beat him to death. Then the news can run with that one.

Does that sort of chest-thumping help you sleep at night? Because those of us who don't live in la-la land understand that we have no real clue how we'd react in a situation like that...and far more importantly, if we'd even be in a position to act in the first place. I don't think even someone who was carrying could have done much during those first few moments in that darkened theater in Aurora.

[flip]

I disagree TG. I think we have to decide what kind of people we are going to be and hope we live up to our own standards. There are worse things than death.

[Will Robinson]

... Because those of us who don't live in la-la land understand that we have no real clue how we'd react in a situation like that...and far more importantly, if we'd even be in a position to act in the first place. I don't think even someone who was carrying could have done much during those first few moments in that darkened theater in Aurora.

I don't know how I'd react but I know I've tried to train my brain to work under stress and thought about as many bad outcomes and collateral damage scenarios as I could just in case I find myself in that spot. The odds of being in the right spot are way slim but I can't take my family in a place like that without thinking it through and at least trying to be ready.

I take a very powerful light with me now. I always carry a flashlight 24/7 but going out with the family, especially to a theater, I take 1000 lumen light it will stun you for a second or two if your eyes are adjusted to a dark space when I light you up. The idea is to draw their attention your way, light them up, they flinch and blink, put a hand up to try and shade their eyes, light off and move quick, light on again/off again while you move again... I've experimented with friends. They lose tracking of your movements pretty easily.... they know your general location obviously but their eyes lag behind your moves. They cant see anything that you are doing with your hands and it's hard to judge the distance closing between us as I move toward them.

The other night my family and I were at the Hobbit midnight screening and just before the feature started this guy comes in wearing a black trench coat, it wasn't any where nearly cold enough to be wearing that coat. He stops at the bottom and starts scanning the audience. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, we were in a bad location if he was going to do anything, it was surreal. Seemed like slow motion then I realized he was black so it made me relax just a touch, I've never heard of a black psycho killer. A few seconds later he spotted his date a few rows behind us and life became normal except for the rush. I barely even got my hand on the light before it was over....

[Spidey]

Yes young padawan, my first reaction would be to spray bullets in the direction of that light.

[Will Robinson]

Yes young padawan, my first reaction would be to spray bullets in the direction of that light.

You would be surprised how far off target your first shots would be, we tried hitting the light bearer with hand thrown projectiles and it was comical... and if I get off the X and move your aim from my family I'm halfway to mission accomplished. If I get my pistol on you I have as much chance as you do at that point. Not great I know but it sure beats sitting there going OMFG!!!!

[flip]

Everytime I go to a theatre, circus...etc, First thing I look for is all the fire exits and make sure I have a clear path to one. My first responsibility is to ensure the survival of my family members. Also, growing up in a small, redneck town, I have been in at least 30 fist fights. I have barely been stabbed in my side and just able to deflect it, and cut across my arm. In my experience, you have very little time to think anyways when attacked, so really the only thing you can do is prepare your mind to react ahead of time. I agree with Spidey on the light issue. If in Aurora, you instantly draw attention to yourself and draw fire. I say hit the floor, crawl as fast as you can towards an exit.

EDIT: This is just my suggestion, and I can shoot a shotgun casing at 100 yards offhand with a Marlin 39d. I always combat fire. Never fire just one shot, always pull the trigger at least 3 times and fire while moving to your left and right. Very difficult . The main thing you have to learn to do is control your breathing and take a measured shot under duress. I have never been put in the position to have to, but you have to train your mind to take an aimed shot and let the cards fall where they may.

[Will Robinson]

... I agree with Spidey on the light issue. If in Aurora, you instantly draw attention to yourself and draw fire. I say hit the floor, crawl as fast as you can towards an exit.

Keep in mind the flashlight drill I described is supposed to draw fire toward you after you jump up and start moving away from your family. The idea is to make them safer by taking he shooters attention as he first figures out what you are and where you are going. I figure if I can get him trying to track a moving target with a painfully bright light alternating to blackness in his eyes I can get 20 feet away from the family and draw my weapon at the same time. After that I start shooting unless there is a conga line of toddlers behind him.
My girls know that if Dad starts the routine they need to lay down fast behind some fat people in the row ahead of us.

. ...

I have never been put in the position to have to, but you have to train your mind to take an aimed shot and let the cards fall where they may.

One aimed shot is worth a dozen sprayed!

[flip]

Well, in that scenario, I'd still hit the ground, crawl beside the seats until I had a shot and make one well placed shot he never saw coming. Honestly, and after playing an immense amount of paintball, the first thing I would be looking for is cover. Man, that brings back good memories! I'd travel to play some paintball!!

EDIT: You guys should get some paintball guns. We will find some woods and hunt each other up

[CUDA]

Well, in that scenario, I'd still hit the ground, crawl beside the seats until I had a shot and make one well placed shot he never saw coming. Honestly, and after playing an immense amount of paintball, the first thing I would be looking for is cover. Man, that brings back good memories! I'd travel to play some paintball!!

EDIT: You guys should get some paintball guns. We will find some woods and hunt each other up

been there done that. that and airsoft. that stuff hurts too. especially if you get hit in the ear or a knuckle with the airsoft

[callmeslick]

went to a paintball place a couple years back for a godson's 16th birthday party. Was in agony for a couple days, with serious bruising.




....I'm a big, slow target.

[flip]

Heh, we first started playing when it was still custom guns (about 20 of us). All were pump action and hard hitters. I remember we were all camoed up, piled into one pickup truck and someone called the police and said there was a truck full of armed men riding down the road. One police car was sent! Well, we had 3 different places we would play. An old waterworks building with alot of woods, an old abandoned goldmine with alot of woods, and this other place that had a bunch of huge hills. After a few years, we all got pretty dang good. Well, to make a long story short, We were playing at the goldmines one day. There was some old concrete walls about 6 feet tall, about 4 of them and they were about 3 feet apart. They used to hold the sluiceboxes. A friend of mine was behind one. So I took off running at him. I ran past this big rock, ran past this huge tree and moved right down on him. He stepped out and shot me right in the neck. Had a blood blister come up about 1/2 inch tall and big around as a 50 cent piece! Lol, man that hurt. Moral of the story. Slow down, advance with cover and keep low and advance like that together, each man taking a little more ground each time. You can usually get the kill that way and still survive.

[Will Robinson]

and never play against those rednecks in Aynor SC who keep their balls in the freezer until right before the match!

[flip]

Lol! Yep, that happened once or twice! You know you could regulate the pressure on those guns too. Standing rule was "righty, tighty!"

[Sergeant Thorne]

I almost went paintballing once with a friend. Which is better for practice, do you think? Paintball or Airsoft?

[CUDA]

Different games


I played paintball in side.airsoft i played on a farm a night. That was a challenge

[flip]

I'd say paintball is more realistic. Unfortunately, paintball fields don't really lend themselves well to "actual play." Playing in the woods with a group of friends is as realistic and fun as it can be. I've never played on a commercial paintball field and the ones I looked at were disappointing compared to a few 100 acres to play on. Get some friends together is the best fun you can have. I wasn't kidding either. If there was a resurgence in paintball and someone had a suitable field, I'm packed up and on a plane

[woodchip]

Back before paintball, we used bb guns.

[Heretic]

back before BB Guns we used darts.

[CUDA]

darts were after my time. we used rocks

[woodchip]

Funny how back in the 50's all us kids had cap guns (I had a nice fanner fifty with a real leather holster) and we played cowboys and indians, practiced our quick draw and shot each other endlessly. Back then we didn't have mass shootings. Today you have schools supending 5 year old kids for saying they will shoot someone with their Hello Kitty bubble shooting gun:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/01/19/pe ... z2IR6JNHry

Heck, maybe it is the attempt to control behavior that is at fault as it slowly drives little boys mad that they can't be...well, boys. Don't think I'd want to grow up in todays mind control atmosphere.

[Heretic]

Next they will inject G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate into the air to calm us.

[woodchip]

Funny Heretic, I was listening to NPR and their panel on gun control. Conversation got around to the mentally ill part and how anyone who was on any psychotic medication at any part of their life should not be allowed to own firearms. The the talk centered on all the kids who were put on Riddlin and other mood changing drugs and would that disqualify them? Someone on the pro gun side said how that would be a slick way to prevent a large portion of society from ever owning guns. It does seem Riddlin is prescribe like candy in schools now-a-days but again back in the fifty's, boisterous children were allowed to be, well...boisterous.

[Burlyman]

America is the perfect mix.

Being peaceful and ignorant isn't much better than being violent and ignorant, because it will all come back to you. Don't hate America just because the human cattle "over there" are in "peace time."