If It’s Not Guns, It’s Not Video Games
The case against video games causing school shootings is the exact same one against guns.
After the latest school shooting in Florida, things seemed to be changing in the usual gun control cycle. The teenage survivors decided they had enough of thoughts and prayers without action, and pushed for gun control legislation.
President Trump has decided to go another route. Aside from a wavering suggestion to raise the purchasing age of rifles to 21, Trump has avoided bringing up the elephant in the room. Instead, he’s drawn his ire toward violence in video games as a chief influence. Today, the president scheduled a meeting with members of the video game industry to make his suggestions in person.
While airing my own grievances in private, I realized they were no different from someone’s defense of their guns. To be clear, I’m not trying to impose gun control here. But the arguments against altering those laws square up with the reasons to not touch video games.
They’re Protected By The Constitution
The largest and loudest argument against changing gun laws is that it’ll infringe on 2nd Amendment rights. Any law could be a slippery slope to banning guns to fend off an overreaching government or assailant. Counterpoints aside, the right to bear arms is a legally protected one.
Thing is, messing with video games tramples on another constitutional amendment. A few years ago, California tried to ban violent video games from minors, but the Supreme Court voted against this move by 7–2. In the majority opinion, Justice Scalia laid out how video games are protected by the 1st Amendment:
Video games qualify for First Amendment protection. Like protected books, plays, and movies, they communicate ideas through familiar literary devices and features distinctive to the medium. And “the basic principles of freedom of speech . . . do not vary” with a new and different communication medium […] a legislature cannot create new categories of unprotected speech simply by weighing the value of a particular category against its social costs and then punishing it if it fails the test.
As Trump has high praise for Scalia, this seems like the type of thing he might consider.
Just Enforce The Laws Already In Place
Upon investigating the case, law enforcement admitted to missing red flags that could have prevented the Parkland shooter from legally purchasing the AR-15 used at the scene. If the FBI and local law enforcement were more diligent, the shooting might not have happened.
To this point, Trump’s most tangible idea for video games and movies is to set up a ratings system. He’ll be happy to know that the ESRB already has one in place. While it’s not illegal to sell Mature rated games to a minor, most vendors require ID before purchases. If we could enforce those requirements already on the books, seems like this problem would solve itself, right?
It gets deeper than that. Folks arguing that the ratings have a high tolerance for violence aren’t much different than those wanting restrictions on bump stocks. Worrying that children can just play violent games at a friends house is a useful metaphor for how those infamous Chicago gun laws aren’t as tough as you think.
Most People Aren’t Shooting Up Schools
Another talking point that the NRA and even David Hogg agree on is that the majority of gun owners are responsible with their weapons and shouldn’t be judged by misguided media portrayals. As someone with melanin, this is a stance I can get down with.
The NRA by its own account has “nearly five million members,” but unit sales of Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto alone top that total by a wide margin. By that metric, one would make the case that only a small percentage of gamers act out Grand Theft Auto in real life. But since anecdotes aren’t facts, I’ll just point to one of the many scientific studies saying the same.
The REAL Issue Is Mental Illness
Seems like a prerequisite for any post on shootings. As of late, there’s less of a stigma on mental health in society. This is a great thing. Most people would do well for a mental check.
And since most don’t get beyond the vague “something must be done,” it serves as a good distraction from the initial objection. See? I bet you forgot all about gaming for a second there.
In Conclusion…
While the Trump administration will make a big stink about video games, it probably won’t come to taking that controller from your cold, dead hands.
Dejen should use Twitter more often. Feel free to encourage him, @DejOaf.
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