No Mention of Games in Final V-Tech Report
By Shawn on Thursday, June 21st, 2007 at 1:41 PM PST In Gamer Life, Games Industry
Despite the efforts of video game critics Jack Thompson and Lyndon LaRouche, the V-Tech report is out with no mention of video games at all. GamePolitics has the specifics on the 26 page report covering the April 16th Virginia Tech rampage.
Health & Human Services Secretary Michael Leavitt, Education Secretary Margaret Spellings and Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez collaborated on the report to the President. Although the issue of video games as a cause of Cho’s murderous shootings, was repeatedly raised it was pointedly left out of the final report.
A state-level commision is continuing research into the incedent on it’s own. Federal records indicate:
This report does not seek to investigate the specifics of the Virginia Tech tragedy itself. That work is currently being done by the Virginia Tech Review Panel appointed by Governor Kaine. Instead, this report summarizes the major recurring themes we heard in our visits across the country. It includes critical steps state and local leaders identified to address school violence and mental illness at the community level.
According to GamePolitics the video game issue was brought up at V-Tech Review Panel hearings no less than three times by supporters of Lyndon LaRouche PAC.
I see this decision to exclude video games from the report as a victory for the industry and gamers in general. The public is bombarded with rhetoric about the effects of video game violence and often gamers are outright maligned as a group. Claiming one for the team would feel good.
However, I feel the exclusion of the whole issue is probably due to the reasoning and good sense of the panel. There apparently was not enough evidence that video games had substantial influence in Cho’s irrational actions. Realize this report does not necessarily reflect the panel members personal views on video game violence.
I think it was obvious from the beginning that video games had nothing to do with what happened here. I think the real issue is that people like JT and LaRouche need to be held accountable for their damaging actions. I was pleased to see LaRouche’s henchman tossed out of one of the hearings here.
People like that abuse our legal and media system and really do more damage than anything else to investigations. Perhaps one day these two will be held accountable for the damage of the lies they spread. I know we have freedom of speech in this country, but there needs to be limits when it comes to making false statements that interfere with criminal investigations.
I completely agree with you. Using an investigation into a massacre as a political platform is reprehensible and should be punished, but then we’d have a plethora of politicians in the clink.