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Vice President Biden reiterates need to research violent video games
On January 16, President Obama asked Congress to approve a $500 million plan with the goal of suppressing gun violence, including measures to limit magazines for military-style assault weapons to 10 rounds, making universal background checks mandatory for gun buyers and adding resource officers to schools that want them. Obama asked for $10 million for the Centers for Disease Control and other agencies to research the causes of gun violence, specifying "research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds."On January 24, Vice President Joe Biden held a "Fireside Hangout" to field questions about the proposal, noting again that there was no relevant research into the effects of violent video games on human behavior."There is no hard data as to whether or not these excessively violent video games in fact cause people to engage in behavior that is antisocial, including using guns," Biden said. He mentioned a study from the American Academy of Pediatrics that concluded that children watching three to six hours of video games can lead to aggressive behavior – the study didn't extrapolate to violent behavior, however."So I recommended to the President that we do significant research," Biden said. "Let CDC, let the National Institute of Health, let these people go out and look at the pathology that's behind this, if there is a pathology related to gun violence. We shouldn't be afraid of the facts."
Obama signs executive orders to curtail, research gun violence [Update: ESA responds]
President Barack Obama signed 23 executive actions today with the goal of suppressing gun violence and researching the effects of violent media on young minds. The actions supplement a proposed $500 million program to curtail gun violence, including implementing a universal background check for gun buyers, restoring a ban on military-style assault weapons and limiting magazines to 10 rounds, and developing emergency preparedness plans.Obama mentioned video games once during the conference, asking Congress to provide $10 million for the Centers for Disease Control and other scientific agencies to research the causes of gun violence."While year after year, those who oppose even modest gun safety measures have threatened to defund scientific or medical research into the causes of gun violence, I will direct the Centers for Disease Control to go ahead and study the best ways to reduce it," Obama said. "And Congress should fund research into the effects that violent video games have on young minds. We don't benefit from ignorance. We don't benefit from not knowing the science of this epidemic of violence."Obama's recommendations come after Vice President Joe Biden led a task force to investigate various industries and angles of curtailing gun violence, following the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut last month. He met with leaders in the video game industry, including EA's John Riccitiello, as part of his information-gathering tour."While there is no law or set of laws that can prevent every senseless act of violence completely, no piece of legislation that will prevent every tragedy, every act of evil, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce this violence, if there's even one life that can be saved, then we've got an obligation to try it," Obama said.A summary of Obama's recommendations include the following steps: strengthen the background check system to keep guns out of the hands of criminals, help schools to hire more resource officers if they want them, develop emergency preparedness plans, clarify options that mental health professionals have for reporting threats of violence (acknowledging that those with mental health issues are more likely to be victims of violence rather than perpetrators), enacting a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun, restore a ban on military-style assault weapons and enact a 10-round limit on magazines, have Congress support severe punishments for criminal gun buyers and sellers, and placing more police officers on the streets.Obama ended the conference by signing the executive orders, emphasizing the responsibility of Congress to enact his recommendations.
PSA: US vice presidential debate on Xbox Live at 9pm ET tonight
Whether you're in it for some free Halo armor or to participate in our nation's democratic process, tonight is the second in a series of four debates leading up to the 2012 presidential election. Following the first debate between Republican nominee Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama, Romney's running mate Paul Ryan and Vice President Joe Biden go head-to-head this evening.Starting at 9pm ET tonight, you'll be able to tune into the Vice-Presidential debate through the Election 2012 hub on Xbox Live. The same interactive features from the last debate will also be available, including live voting through the app and suggesting questions through Twitter with the #XboxPoll hashtag.
