Poll: Republicans think video games are a "bigger threat to safety" than guns.

[Direckshun]

From a recent PPP poll, a question they asked Republicans:

National Republican Primary Toplines

Q1 What do you think is a bigger safety threat in
America: guns or violent video games?
Guns ............................................................... 14%
Video games................................................... 67%
Not sure .......................................................... 19%

Now wait, gun control advocates oftentimes argue that guns are inherently dangerous. The popular rebuttal from gun rights advocates (who, I'll admit, I'm mashing in with Republicans in this thread) is that guns aren't dangerous, the people who use them are dangerous. Guns don't kill people. People do.

But video games -- hey now, hold the phone. Video games are such a huge threat to safety. Guns aren't -- because you can't blame guns for the demented people that use them. But video games?

Forget the fact that there's absolutely no link between video games and violence. None. And study after study after study shows that when guns are more prevalent/available, the odds of homicide and violence typically shoot up.

This is why folks Jindal are calling the GOP "the stupid party," and begging their supporters to abandon the willful ignorance that a game of Halo is more dangerous than a handgun.

Two questions:

1. Which do you think is the bigger threat to safety: video games or guns.

2. What sense can you make of the particular piece of PPP polling I've quoted above?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

You know, if you keep kicking a puppy, it's going to start to flinch when you come to pet it.

Does it surprise you that Republicans, who are constantly being told that their guns are the root of all crime, are going to bristle when asked to speak to it?

You're not going to get an honest answer at this point because why the hell would any sane Republican give more grist for the mill? Had you asked that question a year ago, the results would've been far more rationale.

But now gun owners and those damn devil Republicans are on the defensive and yeah, you're going to get cagey, defensive answers as a result.

You know, for the ideology (conservativism) that preaches personal responsibility, conservatives sure do backflips to evade it at all costs.

Republicans are saying really stupid shit because everybody else is being insensitive about their gun rights?

Cry me a river.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Guns are zero threat to safety, and never have been. No gun has ever threatened a single person just sitting there on a table or exhibit booth. Since the gun has zero danger, it cannot by definition be more dangerous than anything you compare it to.

Therefore this poll makes perfect sense. You can't have a number less than zero.

So, video games are a threat to safety?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Garcia Bronco

I seriously doubt there is a study or a collection of studies comprehensive enough to determine the long term effects of violent video games on the human being.

Well I'm guessing you've spent roughly zero time perusing research.

Psychological effects of this nature are studied religiously.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by listopencil

We need to crack down on high capacity disc storage devices like the one pictured here:



Why do you need that many game discs readily available?

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by jspchief

The idea that people become desensitized to violence from increased exposure seems plausible. Particularly as the "fake" violence of tv/movies/games becomes more realistic.

Plausible, but not supported by any evidence.

I imagine if I sat around here saying that gun prevalence leads to increased violence, I'm imagine you'd need more than plausibility to be convinced.

[Direckshun]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

Studies also show that seeing violence is cathartic, and a release. Which might prevent someone from partaking in it. (They already got their thrill). Same with porn and rape - since porn has become more available our sexual assualt rates have fallen.

There's no research linking video games to violence. None.

If you have anything to link proving otherwise, please do.