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George's Reads
Mark Ralston/AFP/Getty Images; Kris Connor/Getty Images for Influence Nation Summit
@Walmart, my daughter did not die in Parkland because of video games. She died because of weapons and ammunition t… https://t.co/cLgdh63ac4— Fred Guttenberg (@Fred Guttenberg)1565375383.0
Walmart announced after two shootings at their stores—one in Mississippi and one in Texas—they would "temporarily remove advertising displays for violent video games."
A Walmart spokesperson said:
"We’ve taken this action out of respect for the incidents of the past week, and this action does not reflect a long-term change in our video game assortment."
Walmart to remove signs showing violence, including video games. But it'll still sell guns. https://t.co/b7bdBUTQiL https://t.co/OWSyqmkrRd— Eurogamer (@Eurogamer)1565346469.0
Guttenberg was not alone in his condemnation of Walmart's response to a domestic terrorist attack at one of their own stores. The second incident in Mississippi involved a former employee who shot and killed two store managers.
Let’s stop going to Walmart until they stop messing guns and ammo. Make money, arm shooters, Walmart.… https://t.co/fmVyOjPKpw— David Hogg text VOTE to 954-954 (@David Hogg text VOTE to 954-954)1565377422.0
Hey @Walmart ! I’ve heard you plan to remove some video games from your stores. Not the guns, but the video games..… https://t.co/5kOyvO46Js— Manuel Oliver (@Manuel Oliver)1565379536.0
Walmart is the largest retailer of guns in the US. Many people have been shot and killed inside Walmarts in recent… https://t.co/RsLasnYaMN— Bree Newsome Bass (@Bree Newsome Bass)1565356653.0
Stop blaming video games, “urban youth” and whatever garbage suits your narrative, pols. This here is at a @Walmart… https://t.co/rBByLjHBFW— Lauren Wolfe (@Lauren Wolfe)1565144670.0
I'll be buying back-to-school supplies for my kids soon, but those don't include bulletproof backpacks, guns, or cl… https://t.co/oaiQmoYlFu— BrooklynDad_Defiant! (@BrooklynDad_Defiant!)1565377863.0
Guy at a @Walmart in 2020. "I wanna buy this AR-15" "Sure thing pal" "I'll also take 300 rounds of high velocity… https://t.co/JsjqWhQSEm— Billy Redacted (@Billy Redacted)1565146033.0
According to a policy statement from the media psychology division of the American Psychological Association:
"Scant evidence has emerged that makes any causal or correlational connection between playing violent video games and actually committing violent activities."
Dr. Chris Ferguson stated:
"The data on bananas causing suicide is about as conclusive. Literally. The numbers work out about the same."
The countries of Japan and South Korea both spend more per capita on video games.
Neither country experiences the violence seen in the United States. Both also have very restrictive gun control laws.
@fred_guttenberg @TrueFactsStated @Walmart https://t.co/szjo9dI5HI— Jacob Windrix (@Jacob Windrix)1565377767.0
.@Walmart: If video games caused gun violence, Japan would be grappling with one of the worst gun violence crises o… https://t.co/dmUlUpLtf2— Shannon Watts (@Shannon Watts)1565353919.0
Researchers also raised questions about when politicians, mass media and the public seek to blame violent video games, movies, TV shows or other media after an act of violence. Video games were more than "eight times as likely to be brought up when the shooter is White than when the shooter is Black."
Dr. James Ivory stated:
"We should think about when we are more comfortable looking for something else to blame. I haven’t heard any Senators talk about video games when an immigrant commits a crime."
this dude left a manifesto explaining why he killed these people and they’re still going to go with “it was the vid… https://t.co/2FeCLgOpDC— b-boy bouiebaisse (@b-boy bouiebaisse)1565354684.0
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