Burning Video Games (Rant)

Connecticut Town Holds Drive to Collect and Destroy Violent Video Games 

Now before I offend anyone, no. I'm not trying to make jokes about a school shooting. Even I won't stoop that low.

That being said however, this...this is just...WOW this is stupid. We're way past the point of blaming video games for violent crimes; we're now moving up to book burning territory. Seriously, snapping video game discs in half and then incinerating them? Didn't anyone in the room think this was a bit overkill when it was brought up? This is like starting a petition to outlaw baseball because some maniac murdered a child with a baseball bat. It's seriously that level of stupidity. 

Some kid suffered an allergy attack from eating peanut butter? I WILL NOT REST UNTIL EVERY LAST JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER LAYS SHATTERED AT MY FEET!!!!!!!

You know what this really is? It's just another instance of parents denying any responsibility, fault and blame for their own reckless stupidity. "Ooh, all I did was just buy my child the hottest game of the season. How was I supposed to know a game about black op soldiers killing people would be full of violence?"

"Oh if only there were some kind of rating system that companies can place right on the box to let the buyer know beforehand if the game is appropriate for my child or not!"

Parents, take note; destroying video games won't solve anything. You know what will? Actually taking the time to review the games you're buying for them. Don't just blindly buy Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed for your 12-year-old just because it's the most prominently displayed game in the store at the time. Look at the box. If you see something that doesn't sit right with you, don't get it. 

Seriously. Dude's got a gun in one hand and a knife in the other. Does he look like he's about to go on a whimsical adventure with a talking squirrel?

There's also the ESRB Rating you can look out for. The rating system is there for a reason. If you're not comfortable buying your kid a game that's got "Intense Violence" and "Mature Sexual Themes", then don't buy it. It's simple as that. 

There. Now you no longer have an excuse to say "Ooh, I didn't know! It's not my fault!" and go out and do something as stupid as video game burning. I understand these people lost friends and family and that this is probably one way for them to cope with their grief, but seriously...video game burning? Your attempt at cleansing your community ends up making you look like a peasant from the dark ages, terrified of this unknown entity others refer to as "video games".

Also on a side note, why is it so hard for people to accept the fact that some people are just mentally unstable? It's like they always have to blame their actions on music, video games and movies. It's never because the guy was just crazy.