In case you were not aware, on Thursday President Donald Trump had an hour-long meeting with Congressional leaders and video game industry leaders behind closed doors in the Roosevelt Room at the White House. Attendees included company representatives from Bethesda, Take-Two, Rockstar, and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), as well as critics of violent media from the Parents Television Council (PTC), Media Research Council (MRC), Representative Vicky Hartzler, a Republican Congresswoman from Missouri, among others. The meeting, which the White House describes as one of many with the game industry and other stakeholders in a national discussion surrounding school shootings, was closed to the press. However, some of the attendees revealed what went down in post-meeting statements and press interviews.

The meeting kicked-off with the screening of the following 88-second video that depicts violent scenes from game franchises like Call of Duty, Sniper Elite, and Fallout:

Unlisted video from The White House’s YouTube channel​

Following the footage Rep. Hartzler said that the president would ask, “This is violent isn’t it?”, asking for comments and thoughts among those present.

"I think for many of us there, there was a shocked silence," Melissa Henson, a spokesperson for the PTC, said during a press call following the meeting. "Those from the video game industry were quick to defend [the video games] saying they were meant for a mature audience and that they weren't intended for kids to see."

“I think he’s deeply disturbed by some of the things you see in these video games that are so darn violent, viciously violent, and clearly inappropriate for children, and I think he’s bothered by that,” said Brent Bozell of the MRC.

In a press statement following the meeting, the White House added that “the President acknowledged some studies have indicated there is a correlation between video game violence and real violence. The conversation centered on whether violent video games, including games that graphically simulate killing, desensitize our community to violence.”

It is not the first time that President Trump made a connection between violence in video games and real violence. He has been quite vocal about his thoughts on the matter in the past...

Video game violence & glorification must be stopped—it is creating monsters!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 17, 2012

​

... even if studies showed no correlation between the two, as the ESA pointed out: "We discussed the numerous scientific studies establishing that there is no connection between video games and violence, First Amendment protection of video games, and how our industry’s rating system effectively helps parents make informed entertainment choices."

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who was also at the meeting, also acknowledged that there is no evidence linking violent video games to the tragedy in Parkland. But he said he wanted to ensure “parents are aware of the resources available to them to monitor and control the entertainment their children are exposed to.”

"The tone of the meeting was that it was for information gathering, fact finding," the PTC's Melissa Henson said. "I don't believe anyone came in there with a policy outcome in mind. The President was not walking in there with his mind already made up. I am under the impression there will be future conversations, though no next steps were discussed."

___________________________________________​

While nothing consequential went down during this specific meeting, similar ones are bound to happen, especially in the wake of increasing reports of public violence. Decisions might then be made that will have a heavy impact on the video game industry.

Views are highly divided regarding the issue of violence and video games. This will probably remain the case in the foreseeable future until a consensus is met, however unlikely that may be. But what do you think? Is there a correlation? Are there any changes that need to be made within the video game industry that can help to curb real-world violence?

 

[TotalInsanity4]

https://www.vox.com/2016/8/22/12559364/second-amendment-tyranny-militia-constitution-founders

In Federalist No. 46, James Madison reassured the public that the many checks and balances in the Constitution — the separation of powers between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches, for example — made it very unlikely that a tyrant could seize power. If a tyrant did, he would speedily be deposed by the state governments, who would lead the armed people in the militias.

Madison wrote, "the existence of subordinate governments, to which the people are attached, and by which the militia officers are appointed, forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition, more insurmountable than any which a simple government of any form can admit of." By "simple," Madison meant a unitary government, such as France, as opposed to the US Constitution’s system of dividing sovereignty between the federal government and the states.

Sounds like the National Guard, my dude.
(Edit: The article even says exactly that at the end lol

In a modern sense, the organized portion of the state militia is the State National Guard, and the unorganized portion of the militia is able-bodied males. So we might think of today’s mechanism as governors, hopefully with legislative backing, calling forth whatever parts of their state militias were considered appropriate under the circumstances. As in Madison’s day, militiamen by themselves can rarely defeat a professional army in direct battle. But in modern times as in Madison's day, neither can a professional army always succeed in imposing a dictator’s will throughout a vast and well-armed country.

)

A militia wasn't people running around willy nilly just keeping guns in their houses to fight The Goberment, they were an organized group that towns and states had to defend the nation against invaders in a pre-military time. The whole "anti-tyranny" thing was just a side benefit

 

[Blue Sun]

I honestly feel like we need a complete cracking down and weeding out on the majority of the government and its citizens (however unlikely that is to happen). Both are proving to be highly incompetent right now.

 

[Juggalo Debo]

"And how our industry’s rating system effectively helps parents make informed entertainment choices."

Well that's clearly bollocks.

As for the whole videogame creating killers debate.I think violent games can sate a violent persons appetites in a safe way. But i also think some people may think their appetites are normal from playing games
which could potentially be dangerous. I'd say the former happens more than the latter though.


We all know why trump's taken an interest in this though. That school shooting a while ago. trump wants a scapegoat for that, while at the same time ignoring the fact that the guy was a trump supporter. And if anything incites violence it's trump"s speeches.

Wow..... really..... What about antifa and all the mainstream media paying ppl to go and violently protest against our President? Why is it always Trump causes this and Trump causes that??? I'm a Trump supporter and a gamer..... but I'm not out killing a bunch of ppl or hurting ppl in anyway unlike the snowflakes that can' handle the real world when everything isn't handed to them!

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Wow..... really..... What about antifa [...] I'm a Trump supporter

No.

 

[Navonod]

No.

Lol. Why no? Even if it is off topic Antifa is a violent group. Might as well be terrorists. You can't just say their violence is okay because you agree with them politically.

 

[Old]

Wow..... really..... What about antifa and all the mainstream media paying ppl to go and violently protest against our President?

1. This is a long disproven farce. It's simply not factual.
2. The dotard isn't "our president", he's a sociopathic pedophile rapist that was placed in the White House by Vladimir Putin. Fact.
3. ANTIFA is anti-fascist/anti-nazi. This is a good thing. My father slaughtered (righteously) nazis during WWII and was correct in doing so.
4. Get help. Preferably psychotherapy. And turn off fox 'news' (lol), Alex Jones, and other mind/soul-rotting trash.

Have a great day!

 

[Navonod]

1. This is a long disproven farce. It's simply not factual.
2. The dotard isn't "our president", he's a sociopathic pedophile rapist that was placed in the White House by Vladimir Putin. Fact.
3. ANTIFA is anti-fascist/anti-nazi. This is a good thing. My father slaughtered (righteously) nazis during WWII and was correct in doing so.
4. Get help. Preferably psychotherapy. And turn off fox 'news' (lol), Alex Jones, and other mind/soul-rotting trash.

Have a great day!

Please don't spread bs as if it's fact. For now Trump is our president and until he is found guilty of what ever people claim him to guilty of he will be my and your President if you're American. Every president has gone through a cycle of accusations with out any real proof of the claims just because people disliked them for what ever reason.

 

[Old]

Please don't spread bs as if it's fact. For now Trump is our president and until he is found guilty of what ever people claim him to guilty of he will be my and your President if you're American. Every president has gone through a cycle of accusations with out any real proof of the claims.

As with every drumpf drone, you are completely clueless and deluded. You've been conned. When Bob & his team bring the hammer down, there will be unprecedented indictments and prison sentences. All will be revealed and brought to justice.

Rather than risk being banned during my first week here, I'll excuse myself from any further interaction with you.

 

[Navonod]

As with every drumpf drone, you are completely clueless and deluded. You've been conned. When Bob & his team bring the hammer down, there will be unprecedented indictments and prison sentences. All will be revealed and brought to justice.

Rather than risk being banned during my first week here, I'll excuse myself from any further interaction with you.

I will admit I prefer Trump over Hillary. But that doesn't mean I worship every word he says. Like the whole blaming video games for gun violence or violence all together thing is stupid. Again. Just because I have a different opinion of you, it doesn't mean I'm less educated than you. Have some respect for the people showing you respect.

 

[kuwanger]

Go ahead and ban semi autos so I can watch the news one day only to see someone used a shotgun to kill a classroom and then people start calling for a shotgun ban then people will have this same argument all over again.

No doubt they will. But the same argument used today to not allow people to own tanks, most explosives, etc are why people want to ban semi-automatic rifles and the like: they have no practical use and those collectors who want them should either have them rendered inoperative or they should have extensive enough mental checks to at least decrease the odds of them merely using that as a pretext for a planned rampage.

Yes, the talk about banning semi-automatics stopping school shootings is ridiculous. But if one can acknowledge that there is some limit on what people can own and require licensing of some sort for their use/collection or an outright ban, then the question is what the standard is. Guns are but one type of arms, so it makes no sense to give them a free pass or limit the discuss to them. Now, if you personally believe semi-automatically should be allowed, then it'd be nice to know specifically why you find them different than full automatics, cannons, etc. Again, it's not that you have to answer to me, but it's good to know for yourself where you stand and why.

Personally? I'm inclined to support the notion of required training for any arm with progressively more difficult licensing for each. Whether that goes as far as allowing civilians to own WMDs? It's really hard to say. If I acknowledge that the military is allowed as some level to own such things and the military is made of people, then it's hard to argue that civilians are magically different; they just need to have the same rigorous standards that we acknowledge is necessary for the military to be in charge of such weapons as well. As for things like tanks, warplanes, etc? Sure, those definitely should be legal because there definitely are people in rural enough places that can responsibly play with them. The standard for arm ownership isn't "can I use this in a crowded apartment complex".

I will admit I prefer Trump over Hillary. But that doesn't mean I worship every word he says. Like the whole blaming video games for gun violence or violence all together thing is stupid.

Don't worry, that's the position Hillary took too. Most politicians (and people in general) love scapegoats.

 

[Navonod]

Now, if you personally believe semi-automatically should be allowed, then it'd be nice to know specifically why you find them different than full automatics, cannons, etc. Again, it's not that you have to answer to me, but it's good to know for yourself where you stand and why?

They aren't different. I think a responsible level head adults should be able to enjoy their hobbies collecting guns or shooting them at inanimate objects for stress and anxiety relief. I know exactly where I stand on this matter otherwise I wouldn't be here debating. I'm not a clueless child contrary to popular belief.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Lol. Why no? Even if it is off topic Antifa is a violent group. Might as well be terrorists. You can't just say their violence is okay because you agree with them politically.

I'm not going to say that members under the antifa movement AREN'T violent, and I absolutely don't condone their violence and destruction of property as a means of garnering attention, but you also need to realize they are just that; a movement. There is no organization under any kind of authority, so people are free to do whatever under the umbrella term "Antifa". You also need to understand that Antifa is a direct result of a rising pro-fascism presence in America. Weed out the fascists and Antifa will go home.

As for "no", I was specifically trying to shut him down before he got started. None of what he said is relevant to the conversation, he's just trying to move the topic to something he's more comfortable with by shifting the blame to something completely unrelated

 

[kuwanger]

I'm not a clueless child contrary to popular belief.

So, they're wrong about the clueless part or the child part? j/k So, you have your own beliefs on what's acceptable and others have a different standard. That's it, really.

 

[Navonod]

So, they're wrong about the clueless part or the child part? j/k So, you have your own beliefs on what's acceptable and others have a different standard. That's it, really.

Yes which is why I'm debating. I'm not saying anyone is right or wrong. Even though I honestly believe my was is better.

 

[Lacius]

• Opposes and gets rid of net neutrality
• Wants to crack down on digital piracy
• Says video games are in part responsible for gun massacres
• GBATemp users prefer him over Clinton, 37.8% to 30.0%.

Am I the only one who's confused?

 

[Navonod]

• Opposes and gets rid of net neutrality
• Wants to crack down on digital piracy
• Says video games are in part responsible for gun massacres
• GBATemp users prefer him over Clinton, 37.8% to 30.0%.

Am I the only one who's confused?

Lol. It is funny to think about. But lets be honest. Piracy is wrong and illegal whether you feel guilty or not so that makes sense to fight against it.

 

[Lacius]

Lol. It is funny to think about. But lets be honest. Piracy is wrong and illegal whether you feel guilty or not so that makes sense to fight against it.

I'm not arguing against that, but Trump's active rhetoric on the subject should upset a lot of GBATemp users regardless, which was my point.

 

[Navonod]

I'm not arguing against that, but Trump's active rhetoric on the subject should upset a lot of GBATemp users regardless, which was my point.

I get that. And obviously everyone is upset about it. Hopefully we can put an end to that mess or find ways around it.

 

[Subtle Demise]

You also need to understand that Antifa is a direct result of a rising pro-fascism presence in America. Weed out the fascists and Antifa will go home.

Except contrary to the name, antifa is a fascist group, using violence to enforce their particular belief.

 

[TotalInsanity4]

Except contrary to the name, antifa is a fascist group, using violence to enforce their particular belief.

 

[Subtle Demise]

View attachment 117279

So the only difference is what side of the political spectrum they are on. Morally, they are both scum.