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Home Page > Blogs > News blogs > Periscope > Violent films, video games played role in Gabbie Giffords shooting, killings

Periscope by Niall O'Dowd

Violent films, video games played role in Gabbie Giffords shooting, killings

Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 at 07:25 PM

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(cont)Ajreaper..Molesters and wife beater's can share certain emotional traits.Serial killer's don't.This lack of emotion is what makes them so good at what they do.Emotion leads to mistakes that is why they are so hard to catch. The only thing all three might have in common is poor parenting,but that is an outside influence.Course they all have mental health issues,but mental health issues IS WHAT SOCIETY DECIDES IS NOT "NORMAL" BEHAVIOR.

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sirpeter | Jan 16, 2011, 06:54 PM EST

First of all you cannot put a serial killer, molester and wife beater into the same category. I don't have the research to hand.But i do know what a serial killer lacks as opposed to a molester and wife beater. Research has shown using brain wave patterns that a serial killer lacks empity or any sort of compassion towards it's victim.The serial killer may choose a certain type of victim,but he does not connect with the victim on any two-way emotional level.To answer your first question is impossible because first,serial killers are very rare.Secondly what society has the resources to screen every child that might be showing serial killer traits.Also most serial killers are highly intelligent and are expert manipulators.They also come from all backgrounds.Researchers can't work FORWARD they can only work BACKWARDS and that goes for all offenders,which is why they look for what offenders have in common. Each category of offenders has it's own common traits.Since you mentioned three different categories. I will quickly show you the difference between the three. off the top of my head.... Serial killer's: TOTAL!! lack of empity towards people and victims....Child molesters....They proclaim their love for children (If you don't understand that one I can go into more detail)....Wife beater...(on-going lack of control of aggression) Serial killer's lack total emotion towards everybody.Their behavior in situations where they have to connect with others is a self learned behavior..(ie..a life long act)

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Ajreaper | Jan 16, 2011, 04:23 PM EST

Show us the research that identifies a person will become a serial killer, molester or wife beater- what traits say with overwhelming certainty an individual WILL become this or that. They may say these are common traits of a wife beater but those same traits are shared by a majority who do not become wife beaters- so is it the traits that are to blame or an individual choosing to behave in a socially unacceptable way? If the science was solid and exact we'd be locking folks up for what they'd eventually do. Heck if it was even semi exact we'd be able to, at the very least have these people register as a high risk possible offenders or be required to submit finger prints or DNA to allow authorities to nab these folks quickly when they finally committed the crime their traits said they would. We do not because the "science" is far from accurate.

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sirpeter | Jan 15, 2011, 11:09 PM EST

OK.Ajreaper..I can see you have your mind set on what you believe..and that's ok.The fact is they do know the combination of things that do make a potential serial killer...What they are trying to see is if it's something genetic.I don't know your age or anything like that.So i can't make a judgment on weather you are half baked or not.You could be in your early twenty's or something. So you believe you are correct...That's your opinion and i respect that...But you are not dealing with a fool..I don't think you are a fool either..So i will give you that respect on this forum..But don't start off with an lol..Or i will treat you with disrespect too. It's not a weakness to be wrong about something,but don't clap yourself on the back when you think you are out arguing someone either.Be careful of that outward contempt,you know you are not as confident as you lead people to believe. To be honest I know by your posts on this article ,you have a limited understanding on this subject.You are working off your own opinion and not by expert opinion.You are not well read on this subject.

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Ajreaper | Jan 15, 2011, 07:03 PM EST

LOL, there is not a single scientest on planet earth who can explain what makes a person a serial killer, mass murder or just a violent idiot- not one. Because for every single dolt that commits a terrible crime and watched to much violent TV or movies and played violent video games there are 10,000 who did the same and did none of those things. Before TV, movies and video games what got blamed? The simple truth is people want to believe that surely something is to blame for someone, not that much different then they doing something horrible. There is no way to state with any degree of certainty why one becomes a serial rapist and another a social worker- they can toss out all kinds of theories but thats about it. Facts is man is capable of both tremendous compassion and caring as well as terrible brutality.

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sirpeter | Jan 15, 2011, 01:09 PM EST

Ajreaper...Ah..man!!You're missing the point altogether.I never said violent video games or movies were the sole reason for murders..Like the article, I'm saying it has an effect on people who are prone towards aggression..Your argument was that it didn't..Many outside influences can make a person more prone to aggression..Dire poverty and Social unrest makes people more aggressive too. My argument was that these games do have an effect..You don't think so..Studies say they do..otherwise they wouldn't rate movies. Just stick to that point for the moment...

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Ajreaper | Jan 15, 2011, 10:31 AM EST

"The figures show Ireland has a significantly higher murder rate than most European countries, including those with a large organised crime problem, such as Italy, the Netherlands and Spain." It seems Ireland like most countries has room for improvement. You make my point and squash yours when you say "all 23 countries before the US are third world countries or have very large populations living in dire poverty" so how many of these folks living in 3rd world countries in poverty have access to video games and movies? In spite of little or no access to violent video games or movies they have a per capitia murder higher then a country where 100's of millions have ready access to both. Between 1990 and 2009 the murder rate in the US fell by about 8% and I think most would agree that during that same period of time video games took off and movie making special effects grew by leeps and bounds making portraying realistic violence easy (think Saving Private Ryan beach invasion scenes) yet murder rates fell- simple fact what you think and what actually has been happening do not match up. Stick that in the barrel of your gun ;)

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sirpeter | Jan 14, 2011, 05:51 PM EST

And Ajreaper..There is 4 times more crime per head of population in the U.S then Ireland..Because even without the guns Ireland knows how to behave it's self. Stick that in the barrel of your gun.

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sirpeter | Jan 14, 2011, 05:30 PM EST

Ajreaper..tut tut..I wasn't talking about all crimes or murders per capita...I gave you a figure of 9,369 gun related murders per year in the US.I'm sure they kill each other in other ways too in the US.BUT a gun makes killing a hell of alot easier.Fact is you are now avoiding your post where you say there is no harm in Violent images and violent video games.This is rubbish and you know it.Violent images and violent video games for those who get addicted to them, plus easy access to firearms is a lethal combination.U.S. murder rate ranks #24 in the world.BUT!! you don't say all 23 countries before the US are third world countries or have very large populations living in dire poverty or civil unrest.Fact of the matter is,it's the gun culture in the States which is the reason a first world country ranks so high in murders as opposed to European first world countries.BTW..Don't be telling me more young people sit down and read the bible then play video games..Then try and divert giving an answer by saying.. If they do all three which category are you going to place them in? You're very selective what you post Ajreaper..Very selective. With this topic you are on a loser.To many facts out there.

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Ajreaper | Jan 14, 2011, 03:15 PM EST

And Sirpter since you enjoy stats- crimes per capitia U.K. #6 in the world and U.S. #8- so the 22nd largest country has more crime per capitia then the 3rd largest.

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Ajreaper | Jan 14, 2011, 02:55 PM EST

LOL, are you kidding me? How many people read the bible? Compared to those who play video games and watch violent movies? If they do all three which catagory are you going to place them in? Since you like stats- Per capitia the U.S. murder rate ranks #24 in the world. Examine cultural norms in place in the UK and the U.S. Americans, can and have been able to own guns since the founding of the country the UK does not see fit to arm their policeman- strict gun control laws are not legal and will never happen here- in fact if one of those present at the shooting Saturday was armed maybe we have a dead gunman and not 6 dead innocent people. Countries with higher murder rates per capitia then the U.S. Papa New Guinea at #12, Jamaica at #3 and how about Zimbabwe at #16- all I suppose have a thriving underground video game and violent movie culture right? And since the U.S. is #4 in murders per capitia committed by firearms I guess folks in all those other countries find ways to kill each other without a gun don't they? America has 311 million people and each citizen can own a gun or guns if they like- I think the world should ask us how we keep the murder rate with a firearm so dang low.

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sirpeter | Jan 14, 2011, 01:42 PM EST

Ajreaper..How many people read the bible!! Surly you don't believe these people have control over their emotions? Crime stats...Murders with firearms: United States of America..# 4 in the world..9,369 murders per year (Guns legal)...United Kingdom..Murders with firearms..#39 in the world..14 murders per year (Guns illegal) So guns have no part to play in those stats? Guess America must have an unbelievably high percentage of pathological maniacs then, by your reasoning.Of course violent images and violent video games have an effect on potential maniacs...Violent images and violent video games are know to have an effect..Half the maniacs have told where they get their ideas from.

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KAnderson | Jan 14, 2011, 01:06 PM EST

We could get rid of everything and just have Tetris and Romantic Comedy films and people would still kill each other. They did quite often before the invention of tv. Are mentally unbalanced people influenced by violence they see to commit violent acts? Yes, but they should be watched either way.

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NYCsheridan | Jan 14, 2011, 11:53 AM EST

Stupid article with bogus crap about video games and movies responsible for a killing. Complete nonsense.

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geoIIIIV | Jan 14, 2011, 11:14 AM EST

People who usually want to heard are in a "duck and cover" mode.It's "death by a thousand cuts"; no one individual is responsible, but together we are a killing society.

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