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The ESA Concludes Its Violent Video Game Discussion With VP Biden
The Entertainment Software Association, along with other representatives from the video game industry, have emerged from today's discussion of video games and their relationship to gun violence with vice president Joe Biden.
After the recent tragedy in Connecticut, president Barack Obama appointed vice president Joe Biden the head of a task force that has been created to examine gun violence in the United States. Biden is putting together recommendations for curbing gun violence's prevalence in the United States, and presenting them to president Obama on Tuesday. In order to build these recommendations, Biden is having discussions with assorted groups and industries in order to see from every perspective. Today, Biden spoke with the video game industry.
The Associate Press is reporting that during the two hour discussion ESA CEO Michael Gallagher presented a number of independent scientific studies that found no causal relationship between video games and violent behavior, and pointed out that despite video games gaining popularity in the last two decades, violent crimes among the young have statistically decreased.
Biden began the meeting saying, "I come to this meeting with no judgment," but he was quick to add, "You all know the judgments other people have made." Biden reiterated the purpose of the talks by reminding the representatives from the video game industry that they were not there to point fingers and assign scapegoats. "We're looking for help," said Biden.
It's unclear whether or not this discussion will have bearing on Biden's recommendations to the president on Tuesday. Right now, the expectation is that Biden's proposals will call for universal background checks on all gun sales and a ban assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines.
Photo credit: AP
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