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Trump's Meeting With The Video Game Industry To Talk Gun Violence Could Get Ugly (washingtonpost.com)
Anonymous readers share a report: President Trump is set to pit the video game industry against some of its harshest critics at a White House meeting on Thursday that's designed to explore the link between violent games [Editor's note: the Washington Post article may be paywalled], guns and tragedies such as last month's shooting in Parkland, Fla. Following the attack at Marjory Stoneman High School, which left 17 students dead, Trump has said violent games are "shaping young people's thoughts." The president has proposed that "we have to do something about maybe what they're seeing and how they're seeing it." Trump has invited video game executives like Robert Altman, the CEO of ZeniMax, the parent company for games such as Fallout; Strauss Zelnick, the chief executive of Take Two Interactive, which is known for Grand Theft Auto, and Michael Gallagher, the leader of the Entertainment Software Association, a Washington-focused lobbying organization for the industry.
Three people familiar with the White House's planning, but not authorized to speak on the record, confirmed those invitees. A spokeswoman for the White House declined to share a full list of participants on Wednesday. ESA confirmed its attendance this week, but the others did not respond to questions. Opposite of them are expected to be some of the video-game industry's toughest critics, including Brent Bozell, the founder of the Parents Television Council, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler, a Republican from Missouri, the three people said. After another shooting -- the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. -- they each called on government to focus its attention on violent media rather than just pursuing new gun restrictions.
Three people familiar with the White House's planning, but not authorized to speak on the record, confirmed those invitees. A spokeswoman for the White House declined to share a full list of participants on Wednesday. ESA confirmed its attendance this week, but the others did not respond to questions. Opposite of them are expected to be some of the video-game industry's toughest critics, including Brent Bozell, the founder of the Parents Television Council, and Rep. Vicky Hartzler, a Republican from Missouri, the three people said. After another shooting -- the 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn. -- they each called on government to focus its attention on violent media rather than just pursuing new gun restrictions.
The meeting shouldn't be any more interesting than the Take Two Interactive and the Entertainment Software Association showing the studies that violent video games do not increase violence, and then everyone else sticking their thumbs up their asses. Then again I doubt it will go that way.
-- All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. -- Edmund Burke
Like someone else said on the internet:
Real guns = Good
Fake guns = Bad
The President thinks he's getting good visibility / PR with these free form live discussions where he can say whatever he wants (without following through on anything). I would expect the same with this one as was done with gun session and the dreamers sessions - and expect more of this. Echoing back to the Apprentice and him talking at the board room scenes....he probably really likes this - even if nothing gets done legislatively. He's getting back to being able to be on talk TV again.
This is all just a classic misdirection technique. That campaign to call those kids who got shot up Crisis Actors in a False Flag operation was the same thing. The point is to steer the debate away from gun control and put the pro-gun control side on the defensive. Get them arguing about absurd things like violence in video games and conspiracy theories. Worked too. Even the left wing press picked up these stories and ran with them.
The funny thing is IIRC these techniques were invented by the Soviets. To be fair though it was Karl Rove that popularized their use in the Republican party.
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Any civilized country does not allow anyone to just walk in from the damn street and buy 6 fully automatic rifles along with a box of shie polish!
You can't do this in the US either. Not sure where you get your info from but maybe research a little before you spout next time.
I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
It's apparently completely acceptable to a sizable chunk of society for kids to play video games where they kill people
Before video games existed, kids played games like "Cowboys and Indians" where they pretended to kill each other. Somehow, they did not all turn into violent sociopaths.
Also, we're on our 3rd generation now where kids play video games where they kill people. So this isn't new. Also, crime and homicides have plummeted during this time.
What if someone made a video game that allowed you to simulate raping people?
Already exists.
Imagine if you could buy an artificial vagina or human head that integrates with your gaming console so that you could rape it.
Already exists.
Society is advancing in morals in some respects but declining in morals in others.
Since crime and homicides have massively fallen since the 1970s and 1980s, citation required.
I think firearms will always be necessary and dangerous. If we don't cull the deer population, they will cull us on the roads.
:facepalm:
You do realize deer exist in lots of countries with strict gun control, right? And that the roads in those countries are not deer-encrusted death traps?
Some people legitimately need firearms for self-defense. Therefore, people should be allowed to have the freedom to possess firearms, and the second amendment is a good thing.
You're missing a very large step in your logic. Specifically, why nearly unfettered access to firearms must be granted to untrained people in order to satisfy your self-defense issue.
If some people need guns for self-defense, they can get the training, licensing and insurance required to handle those guns properly.
To its credit, the NRA isn't defending bump stocks.
No, the NRA did not defend bump stocks in the immediate aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting. Now that there's legislation to actually ban bump stocks, and some time has passed, the NRA is defending bump stocks. See: NRA opposition to FL legislation.
Except, you're wrong and your link doesn't support your claim.
The GP said "fully automatic rifles," which are highly regulated at both the federal and state levels. They may not be transferred without getting federal approval (ATF Form 4) subject to fingerprinting and an extensive background check. Most states have additional regulation, if they allow transfer or possession at all. Only already registered firearms may be transferred, and none have been allowed to be registered since 1986. Buying 6 M-16s would set you back around $100,000.
"National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
You can't do this in the US either. Not sure where you get your info from but maybe research a little before you spout next time.
Sure you can so long as it is a private sale (except for a handful of states that regulate private sales). Typically only FFLs have to do background checks.
I'm not even American and I know this.
What you "know" is wrong. Fully automatic rifles (aka machine guns) are very tightly regulated, in three ways.
First, the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) requires that anyone attempting to purchase a fully automatic weapon must obtain a tax stamp from the federal government. The cost of the tax stamp isn't too bad, $200, since the price was set in the 1934 law and has never been increased, but the legal process to obtain one is long, and arduous, and definitely includes thorough background checks by both federal and local law enforcement. There are also stringent requirements on storage and movement... if you want to transport your machine gun across state lines you have to notify the federal government, for example.
Second, the Hughes amendment to the 1986 Firearm Owners Protection Act bans the transfer of any machine gun to a civilian, unless it was already in civilian hands before the law was passed. This means there is a fixed -- and fairly small -- supply of fully automatic weapons in civilian hands. Fixed supply and growing demand means growing prices. The price of a fully automatic Colt AR-15, for example, is upwards of $25,000.
Third, eleven states simply ban them entirely, so it's impossible to legally own one if you live in one of those states.
The result of these restrictions is that fully-automatic weapons are owned only by wealthy collectors with spotless backgrounds.
Now, if you want to talk about semi-automatic rifles, the story is very different. You can pick up Ruger 10/22 about $200 at any gun store, and at many department stores that sell guns, like Wal-mart. If you buy it from a store, of course you'll have to have an instant background check. If you buy one in a private sale, you won't.
So, what you said is accurate if you refer to semi-automatic, rather than fully automatic rifles. This terminology distinction isn't a nit. The legal and practical differences are enormous.
Note to ACs: I usually delete AC replies without reading them. If you want to talk to me, log in.
I bet you call up Switzerland every time a gun thing comes up without even realizing what their laws are.
Firstly, there have been two shootings: ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Mass_murder_in_Switzerland ). Switzerland has 8 million citizens, not 300 million. Additionally, only 20-30% have guns in their home, not all. It's an option to keep the gun, not
Secondly, would you be okay with Switzerland style gun control? Here's their laws: ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gun_laws_in_Switzerland )
- You cannot carry guns outside, with exception to security personel and army transport.
- Gun registry
- The entire population is required to go through military training for 2-3 years.
- No fully automatic guns
- You must have a permit, which disqualifies people with violent histories and mental issues..
- You must show ID when buying ammo, and you can only buy ammo for which you personally own the gun.
Most calls from the center / left are pretty cool with these restrictions. Yes, there are some left wingers who want an outright ban, but that's not the majority.
The kicker in pointing out Switzerland? If any of the mass shootings (clubs and schools) occured in Switzerland, the result would have been identical -- if not worse by most right wing logic (no regular citizen can carry, let alone conceal carry whereas in the states there's a chance)
In this sense, I totally agree with you. People kill people with guns... it's just the USA is fucked up more than any other peacetime country. Hell, I've heard of military incursions and terrorist strikes with less fatalities.
Don't forget the breakdown of institutions like marriage.
We should expect social order to break down when Biblical marriage (which is defined as a marriage between a man, his third wife and a porn star with a non-disclosure agreement) is under attack.
You are welcome on my lawn.
Remember, kids--stepping outside the libtard echo chamber is "flamebait" around here. These days, Slashdot is like Fark with a slightly more technical slant.
When you start using 'libtard', and also say uber-cynical content-free nonsense like assault nails and how blue states will probably require background checks for them, yeah, that's -1, Flamebait. It's needlessly antagonistic and stupid to boot, so quit crying.