Slashdot Mirror


Columbine Video-Games Suit Dismissed

Dr_LHA writes: "This story on Yahoo! reports that the federal judge on Monday dismissed a lawsuit that claimed the influence of video games and movies where what caused the Columbine High School massacre. Obvious to those of us who play GTA3 regularly but still manage to overcome the urge to plough over pedestrains on the way to work in the morning, but good to see someone high up showing some sense."

22 of 424 comments (clear)

  1. Finally, some common sense. by Tebriel · · Score: 2, Funny

    It's good to see the courts saying that games don't mitigate culpability.

    Now, who's up for a quick game of Global Thermonuclear War?

    --
    The Blaster Master Fighting for Truth, Justice, and Evil Pie since 1979
    1. Re:Finally, some common sense. by andyh1978 · · Score: 2, Funny
      Now, who's up for a quick game of Global Thermonuclear War?
      Wouldn't you prefer a good game of chess?
  2. Is THAT why I ran over all this school children? by Wizy · · Score: 1, Funny

    Its a miracle, next the DMCA will be overturned, the SSSCA will be thrown out, and the Windows source code will be GPL'd.

  3. Huh? by EricKrout.com · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obvious to those of us who play GTA3 regularly but still manage to overcome the urge to plough over pedestrains on the way to work in the morning, but good to see someone high up showing some sense.

    What the hell are you talking about? It's well-documented that no murders or school violence took place before Magnavox created the first videogame system thirty years ago.

    1. Re:Huh? by HCase · · Score: 3, Funny

      hell, i remember when pong came out. you shoulda seen how fast i got detention for throwing rocks at students and laughing at them when the rock didn't bounce back.

  4. A new video game idea by Deagol · · Score: 2, Funny
    Someone should make a game which is about shooting up a school. It would be as tacky as, say Deer Hunter, but I'm sure it would be a best seller.

    It should be very easy to skin "bad guys" so you can scan the yearbook and place specific cheerleader and football player skins on models.

    Man, if I had the capital, I'd fund the development of this game myself!

    1. Re:A new video game idea by bmajik · · Score: 2, Funny

      If you had the technology to scan year book photos of popular people, and easily apply it to 3d geometry in a lifelike manner, you'd blow all your time and money making a FPS game ?

      I don't think so.

      Where's your sense of adventure man ? I think a few quicktime VRs of the head cheerleader sucking off the principal would be a better use of technology.

      Not to mention the entire football team in an accordion-stack of anal sex 40+ people long, wearing YMCA outfits.

      _Thats_ putting technology to work.

      --
      My opinions are my own, and do not necessarily represent those of my employer.
  5. Obvious... by DA_MAN_DA_MYTH · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obvious to those of us who play GTA3 regularly but still manage to overcome the urge to plough over pedestrains on the way to work in the morning

    Let me tell you that urge is getting harder and harder. Thank God I don't have access to Rocket Launchers, M16's and Uzi's.

    --
    "It takes many nails to build a crib, but one screw to fill it."
    1. Re:Obvious... by garcia · · Score: 3, Funny

      uhh, nevermind that. what about the damn tank? :)

      Ok gradma, you somehow dodged the rocket, but you won't miss me running over you :)

      Ahh, thank god you still believe the depression is going to happen again. $618, woohoo.

  6. The true cause of violence. by jinx90277 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thought the evidence was more than clear:

    Videogames don't make people violent. Twinkies do.

    --
    "she says i'm lousy conversation. as if that's supposed to help."
  7. Re:Anyone else find it funny... by HCase · · Score: 2, Funny

    non-violent eh? the whole point is the beatup a bunch of cute little animals and stick them in little round 4" diameter prison cells so that you can make them your warrior slaves and beat up more animals. wait till some kid is found with a stick and his neighbors dead puppy, then nintendo's gonna get theirs.

  8. Re:Good but........ by fobbman · · Score: 4, Funny

    No kidding. Ever since the release of Pac Man and Burgertime the number of obese Americans has risen dramatically. Coincedence? I doubt it.

    Also consider the number of times that America has had to flex its millitary muscles since Battlezone and Missile Command. It's no wonder people are scared to death of video games.

    Now, if you'll excuse me I need to go threaten my supervisor with a joystick up-down-right-right-left-left high kick medium punch if she doesn't give me a performance bonus.

  9. Re:Good but........ by PaxTech · · Score: 3, Funny

    "Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." -- Anonymous Nintendo employee

    --
    All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
  10. Re:One more stupid lawsuit out of the way. by Winged+Cat · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do it for the children!

    Man, that phrase almost makes sense in this context. Wierd.

  11. Re:A new video game idea (bah!) by Quixadhal · · Score: 2, Funny

    The ultimate shooting game has already been created and if you didn't have an Amiga, you missed it.

    Smurf Hunt!

    You, a shotgun, and Papa Smurf... need I say more?

  12. Re:The moral question... by nate_drake · · Score: 2, Funny

    Its the fact that two teenage boys thought that it was OK to kill all of their buddies.

    Actually, I don't think the people that were killed were their "buddies".

  13. Re:Finally! by GungaDan · · Score: 2, Funny
    Either way, you'd have (1) been horribly jaundiced,(2) lost one finger from each hand, and (3) possessed some of the worlds worst hair. See, sometimes parents are right.

    --
    Eloi are stupid, throw morlocks at them!
  14. Re:Then what did it? by einer · · Score: 3, Funny

    Well DUH! EVERYBODY knows that Hitler had a PS2! er... wait... No, but he watched the Dukes of Hazard! er... He read Mad Magazine!!! no... Well, he had a moustache!! NO MORE MOUSTACHES!! Won't someone please think of the children?

  15. High Testosterone, Low Serotonin by uofa1993engrmath · · Score: 3, Funny

    I was watching the Discovery Channel, and "they" were taking about how baby monkeys that were separated from their mothers early, or raised without them grew up to be antisocial monkeys with low serotonin. They also said that a study of the really violent, troublemaking Marines also were found to have low serotonin. Being on paxil myself, I can tell you firsthand that increased levels of serotonin reduce any urges I might have to bring my rifle (Weatherby 'Walmart special' Vanguard 7mm Remmington magnum) somewhere to kill as many people as possible before I am brought down myself. I'd much rather be happy. I'm trying to get an attractive, loving girlfriend, which would increase my serotonin levels, but I haven't had much luck. So, instead I immerse myself in hobbies, like photography, MOHAA, UT, Serious Sam, Red Faction, RTCW, NOLF, and going to the shooting range. Oh yeah, and going to strip clubs, and occasionally getting a dirty magazine like Private. Paxil makes the world a better place for me. I don't seem to feel so depressed, lonely and hopeless while on it, even though nothing has changed. If people were happy, they wouldn't commit mass murder-suicides. I think if anything causes violence, it's low serotonin, which could becaused by lack of attenion or touch as a baby, abusive or neglectful parenting, a bad bunch of genes, or maybe being mistreated on the playground for years and years. Everything has a reason. It's nature's way of keeping it's own, sometimes objectionable balance. In this magazine I was reading, even baby hyenas will kill their siblings if food is scarce. It's all nature and chemicals. Don't feed your dog or cat or rat for a couple of days, and see if it affects their mood any.

  16. Re:Good but........ by cporter · · Score: 3, Funny
    I'm quoting Calvin and Hobbes here...

    "Graphic violence in the media...
    Does it glamorize violence?
    Sure.
    Does it desensitize us to violence?
    Of course.
    Does it help us tolerate violence?
    You bet.
    Does it stunt our empathy for our fellow beings?
    Heck yes.
    Does it *cause* violence?
    Well, that's hard to prove.
    The trick is to ask the right question."

  17. Re:video games don�t kill people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    "Have They'll just keep building bigger sticks with bigger nails, until one day, they build a stick with a nail so big that it will destroy them all!
    Bwhahahah hahahahaha hahahahah!"

  18. Re:Good but........ by maxpublic · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, no shit. After playing DOOM 50 or 60 times during the last ten years I have to admit that every time I run into an asshole I have an almost overwhelming urge to whip out a chainsaw and let the son of a bitch have it. Of course, the same urge hits me every time I run into a zombie, too.

    Max

    --
    My god carries a hammer. Your god died nailed to a tree. Any questions?