Massachusetts Officials Pull Violent Video Games From State-Owned Rest Stops

Massachusetts state officials have pulled violent, gun-based arcade games from state owned rest stops.

According to NBC News, many politicians and pundits have suggested that violent video games were a contributing factor to the recent violence surrounding the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

This is just a theory because they have yet to make any connection between games and the shootings.

It may just be a theory, but the state Department of Transportation has still decided to remove nine games from various rest stops after receiving a letter from Andrew and Tracey Hyams.

The letter read:

“Just outside the rest rooms was a young man pointing a life-sized machine gun at one of the plaza’s video game machines, firing rapidly and with a loud rat-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat sound. The image of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School immediately came to mind, and we were struck by the possibility that someone from the Newtown community, driving east for the Christmas holiday, might stumble across this scene. We don’t believe that violent video games are the singular cause of mass shootings; there are multiple and complex contributing factors. But games with realistic-looking and sounding plastic assault weapons, which likely desensitize players to the realities of mass destruction, have no place in state-sponsored highway rest stops.”

According to The Blaze, the nine games were pulled from various rest stops in Charlton, Ludlow, Lee, and Beverly.

Among the games that were pulled were “Time Crisis” and “Beach Head.”

Not only is Massachusetts pulling gun-based video games from some of their rest stops, but it’s town of Melrose is organizing a violent video game turn-in program.

Mayor Robert Dolan said that the city will offer a coupon sheet to kids who turn in violent games, movies, and toys.

These coupon sheets will include offers at local businesses and maybe even a “get out of homework free” coupon.

Vice President Joe Biden is leading a White House task force aimed at coming up with a way to stop gun violence. He is also expected to suggest ways to address violence in video games, movies, and television when he sends President Obama a package of recommendations for curbing gun violence Tuesday.

These recommendations include calls for universal background checks and bans on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines for guns.

What is your take on violent video games? Do you think they are part of the problem?