# Video Games 7, Parenting 0 **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2001, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681 "2001-12-03T20:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2001, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/21 "2001-12-04T21:28:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Guinastasia \* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Rachelle \* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > > > Yes, we all know it was the dreaded video game that left the gun out where the kids could get their mitts on it… > > > > So it’s the parent’s fault because they had a gun in their house? > > Um, no. > > It was their fault, however, that they were lax with their guns, and did not educate their children about it, or left the gun in a place where small children had access to it, loaded, etc etc. Damn straight. I’ve got a two-year-old in a house filled with dangerous stuff, and I make sure everything is (a) stuck on a high shelf, (b) enclosed in a kid-proof container, © placed in rooms and drawers that are locked and secured, or (d) all of the above. It shouldn’t take two brain cells to realize that a gun left in an easily-accessible location is begging for trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/22 "2001-12-05T04:33:52Z")
Another applicable Penny Arcade: > **[Penny Arcade](https://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3?date=2001-04-23)** > > Videogaming-related online strip by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins. Includes news and commentary. I’m getting to like the comic. ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/23 "2001-12-05T04:46:06Z")
**Me:** > [@](#): > > Let’s all deny that the world is a complicated, bewildering place and believe that complex and horrifying situations can be ascribed to simplistic black/white causes. **You:** > [@](#): > > Let’s imagine a world where we don’t have a scapegoat for everything. I’m trying to imagine a situation in which you would not realize that **you and I posted the exact same thing**. I figure it involves 180 proof alcohol or some sort of blow to the head on your part. ---
**Author:** ![broccoli](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@broccoli](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/broccoli)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2001, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/24 "2001-12-05T19:23:32Z")
Oops! Well i’m grown enough to admit when i’m wrong, **thegrimspectreofdeath**. The reason I posted that is because they way you had posted looked like you were taking the side of blaming the video games. So, I’m sorry. ☹ [sub]…and yes, it’s been quite a few blows to the head and a large amount of alcohol over the years.[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/db5fbb/32.png) [@Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fred)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/25 "2001-12-06T04:08:13Z")
Apology accepted. And since you apologized, you = champ 😃 You are a better man than I. ---
**Author:** ![JustAskAnyone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b4bc9f/32.png) [@JustAskAnyone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JustAskAnyone)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/26 "2001-12-06T05:06:33Z")
[Homer Simpson] I was raised on TV, and I turned out TV! [/Homer Simpson] ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/27 "2001-12-06T05:39:48Z")
All kids play video games. Some kids are screwed up. They blame video games for screwing up kids. Why aren’t all kids screwed up? Some video games can even provide a very important outlet for letting out agression that could otherwise come out in public against other people. There are screwed up people in the world, but let’s refrain from blaming the modern entertainment industry… -Loopus ---
**Author:** ![arachnidlove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@arachnidlove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arachnidlove)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/28 "2001-12-06T17:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rachelle \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by rjung \* > > \*\*Yes, we all know it was the dreaded video game that left the gun out where the kids could get their mitts on it… \*\* > > So it’s the parent’s fault because they had a gun in their house? Something had to happen to make this kid think that it was o.k. to go _get_ that gun and shoot his friend and I don’t think it was the parents unless he comes from a violent home or something. You can only blame the parents for so much and I don’t blame parents for having a gun in their house. I blame parents who don’t pay attention to their kids, who don’t spend time with their kids, who don’t talk to their kids, and who don’t teach their kids that guns aren’t fucking toys and you don’t use them to kill people just because they piss you off or tease you or whatever the fuck the reason was. The only time you point a gun at someone is in self defense. > > I’d like a link to that article if you have it **broccoli!** \*\* I saw this thing on 20/20 a while back. There was this mother who was so proud because she taught her 5 year old to NEVER play with guns. She didn’t let him play violent video games and sheltered him from violent stuff. When the 5 year old was asked about guns he said they were bad and to never touch them. So what did they do? They put 3 unloaded hand guns in a play room with about four 5 year olds. The 5 year old that knew it was bad to play with guns,picked up the handgun and started “shooting” the other kids. So much for teaching your children something. ---
**Author:** ![arachnidlove](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@arachnidlove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arachnidlove)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2001, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681/29 "2001-12-06T17:25:50Z")
BTW… The bookshelf that the gun was on top of(the story that broccoli! was talking about)was 4ft high. Guess the parents thought an 8 year old couldn’t reach that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-7-parenting-0/96681.md?page=1)