[OT] Re: [HoE] Denver Shootings

[Darrin Bright <darrin@neobright.net>]

Duncan McMillan wrote:

> However, I was awaiting with anguish the opportunity for the media to
> find a scapegoat excuse for the actions of the two boys involved ie.
> RPGing.

I haven't been following the media coverage closely since the first day,
but the media seems to have latched onto a new scapegoat. Now online
deathmatch games like "Doom" have become the latest thing in predicting the
behavior of young disgruntled psychopaths. They're also making a big deal
about what web sites the kids were creating/looking at.

I'm not sure if this is good or bad... its nice that RPGs aren't being
demonized at the moment, but is it really fair to go after games like Doom,
Marathon, Duke Nukem, Quake, etc.?  I'm sorry, but can't human beings be
responsible for their own actions every once in a while?

Anyway, maybe RPGs have dodged the bullet on this one, but the insistence
that all deviant human behavior is entirely dependent on what hobbies we
pursue is really getting on my nerves.