After the mass shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio, the debate over violent video games has flared up again in the USA. Republican politicians see video games like Call of Duty as partially responsible. Fortnite is also being dragged into the debate.
In recent days, there have been two mass shootings in the USA:
- A shooter killed 20 people and injured 26 others in a shopping center in El Paso, a border town with Mexico
- In Dayton, Ohio, a man killed nine people and injured at least 27 others
Both atrocities occurred within 24 hours.
Video games dehumanize people
This is what the Republican group leader says: American politician Kevin McCarthy is the Republican group leader in the US House of Representatives. The Republicans are the more conservative of the two US parties. President Donald Trump is also a member of their party.
McCarthy says video games contribute to the dehumanization of people. For him, video games in which players shoot at others have always been a problem for future generations.
Looking at photos, one can find similar scenes in video games.
We have always had weapons – but video games are new
This is what Dan Patrick says: The Lieutenant Governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, expressed similar sentiments: He said that in the shooter’s manifesto, he talked about living out his super-soldier fantasy in Call of Duty. Patrick questions how long the video game industry will be allowed to continue and remain ignored. He sees the federal government primarily responsible.
According to Patrick, there have been studies that say video games influence people and others that say they do not.
But as a father and grandfather in his 60s, he asks himself: “What has changed in the country? We have always had weapons, there has always been evil, but what has changed since we have had so many mass shootings? And I see the video game industry teaching young people to kill.”
This is what a former FBI agent says: Maureen O’Connell used to work for the FBI. She speculated on FOX that the shooter surely spent 6 to 8 hours playing one of these shooters like Fortnite, where you do nothing but dehumanize people by shooting them in the head.
She sees “soft” parenting methods as part of the problem.
Twitch streamers criticize media and politicians
How do well-known gamers respond? In the wake of the reporting, some well-known Twitch streamers, associated with games like Fortnite, spoke critically about the statements made by politicians and TV networks like Fox News.
Ben “DrLupo” Lupo says: The only thing that dulls the majority of Americans against gun violence is the amount of gun violence. Video games did not cause him or anyone else to go out and shoot someone.
He calls for real change.
The former caster of Call of Duty, Jack “CourRage” Dunlop, advocated for a change in gun laws in the USA. He will henceforth vote for the candidates who support the necessary change.
