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After Newtown, Gamer Calls for Online Shooter 'Ceasefire'

N

Nibel

Member
In the wake of Friday's tragic shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Conn., GamerFitNation founder Antwand Pearman is calling for a one-day "ceasefire" among those who play online shooting games.

Pearman wants gamers to "just put your controller down and show your love" on Friday, as part of the Day of Ceasefire For Online Shooters.

At this point, there has been no reported link between violent video games and Friday's shooting, which left 20 children and six adults dead. Pearman also says on his Facebook page that "we are not blaming video games." Instead, "I'm asking for a demonstration of peace — the one thing that money can't buy," Pearman said in a video message (below) about the effort. "I'm not asking for funds. If anything, I ask [that] you donate to the families of the victims when that becomes available. What I'm asking for is a ceasefire."

In the video, the game enthusiast talks about his own childhood, growing up around gun violence, and how he wants the world to know that gamers have hearts, too.

"One day, since 26 people lost their lives. One day is enough," he said.
As of press time, Pearman's Facebook event had garnered 465 supporters.

The topic of whether video-game violence played any role in Friday's shooting came up on this weekend's Meet the Press. Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said that while the shooter's mental health was likely a major factor, "we haven't even started talking about the corrosive influence of a violent-oriented world — TV, video games, shoot to kill video games."

New York Times columnist David Brooks was skeptical. "I had thought video games have played a role, too, but this has been studied," Brooks said. "There have been hundreds, unfortunately, of these shooters over the decades and very few of them had any contact with violent video games and generally tend to be older."

Brooks said that he views these situations as less of a sociological problem, which could be blamed on violence in video games, and instead as a psychological issue.

The debate also made its way to Twitter. User @kenold took Ridge's side, saying that the country doesn't need a ban on guns or to arm teachers, but instead needs "a ban on violent video games and treat them like any other [hazards] for our kids."

Samuel Schauf agreed, writing that "Yes gun control is an issue. But we are more exposed to these ideas as a society. Guns & extremist ideas are common in video games & movies."
Data, however, suggests otherwise, according to the Washington Post, which said there were few direct links between gun-related murders and video-game consumption.

"I play hella violent video games, live with a mental illness, and have never touched a gun. I have no desire to whatsoever," Twitter user TV's Brent wrote today.

Mirroring those thoughts, Matt Sour said in a tweet last week that "violent video games are once again going to take the blame for this shooting, rather than focusing on the real problem. Gun laws."
Click to expand...

Source
Facebook Page
 
D

dr3upmushroom

Banned
What is the point exactly? To "prove that gamers have hearts"? Oooookay...

Seems like an attention grab from the guy to me. Really don't see what his point is or what he hopes to accomplish.
 
V

Visualante2

Member
Damn you beat me to it. Personally I won't be taking part.
---
jJldg5CFndcAV.jpg


Pearman, who is the CEO and Founder of GamerFitNation, is organizing an online cease fire for this coming Friday, Dec. 21. He wants all gamers to put down the controllers and stop firing virtual bullets to honor those who were killed by real bullets last Friday.

"I wanted to make a statement. I wanted gamers to come together to say we don't accept this. This doesn't say we blame video games. We just believe this is for us to do to show respect to the victims. It's a small sacrifice for a day," Pearman told ABC News. .
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Source

Couldn't find a thread about it. GameFitNation seems to be a health awareness website targeted at gamers. Will it just be spun into an admittance that gamers are complicit in violence?
 
D

Deadly Cyclone

Pride of Iowa State
I met the guy at a THQ event. Cool dude, but I don't agree with this. It just makes it seem like FPS games are guilty of causing real violence, which they're not.
 
S

sflufan

Banned
As a PC gamer, I am exempted from this mandate as I certainly do not use a "controller" for my FPS games!

I WIN SUCKER!
 
C

Cloudy

Banned
This is dumb. Focusing on this detracts from the real issues: Easy access to military style weapons and lack of access to mental health care..
 
G

Goldenroad

Member
It's just for a day. Just as a small token of respect to those who lost their life to gunfire. he's not asking for anyone to quit playing online shooters or insinuating that violent video games had anything to do with the shooting. It's just, how about one day where we don't all get together and virtually shoot each other in the face? I don't see the harm here. I certainly don't see a reason to be upset at the very notion of it. I agree that video games were not the cause of this massacre, but I can go a day without playing an online shooter...can't you guys?
 
M

Mr.Swag

Banned
Yea... I don't think this would solve anything.
I don't think I was gonna have to play games that day anyways, you know with the whole apocalypse happening.
 
U

udivision

Member
Wario64 said:
Why? This is just paying respect.
Click to expand...

I guess it's kind of like a double standard of sorts. A moment of silence in the sports game is okay, because no one thinks basketball lead to this. A ceasefire for videogames is just "Yeah, video games are part of the problem" even though that's not the point. Some people will just take it that way.
 
C

Cartman86

Banned
Ehhh I don't know. Movie premiers are being pushed back, but that's because of the party atmosphere. The showings are still happening they just aren't making a big party out of it. Sitting at home and playing some Halo or whatever doesn't seem to be glorifying or something. Maybe it's showing solidarity, but it just sounds like something that others will turn around as some addition of guilt. Maybe it's a good way to pay respect. I honestly don't know.
 
D

Derrick01

Banned
This shit is going way too far. Cancel shows, delay movies and their premiers, now this. Just stop. It's not changing anything or sending any kind of message other than to piss off people who are looking forward to those things.
 
S

SkullplateMurray

Member
Or I'll just carry on playing games, reading books and watching movies as none of these are the issue.

How about a "hand in your weapon" day? An education class for dumb fucks who leave automatic weapons where their kids can use them? No? Thought not.
 
H

hao chi

Member
It' a decent gesture, but I honestly don't see the point. I doubt anyone affected by the shootings are really going to care that some people stopped playing online shooters for an entire day (if they even hear about it at all).
 
P

plagiarize

Banned
Sorry no. But I promise to only shoot zombies. Mainly, if it helps, I will be bludgeoning them with a cricket bat because Zombi U doesn't exactly dish out bullets as generously as that guy's mum did.
 
S

Shadow2222

Member
I don't know, it would be interesting. It could make a great statement to the media that consistently wants to blame video games.
 
T

Tagg9

Member
Everyone playing a shooter that day should agree to only use melee attacks.

That would be fucking hilarious.
 
S

sflufan

Banned
Wario64 said:
Why? This is just paying respect.
Click to expand...

No, it's an absolutely empty, meaningless statement.

Want to pay "respect?" Then do something that requires actual effort like contacting Congressmen and Senators to support sensible gun-related legislation and an increase in attention/funding to mental health issues.
 
B

braves01

Banned
Maybe Treyarch should put little ribbons on everyone's avatar/player.

This ceasefire isn't going to work from the bottom up.
 
P

pargonta

Member
if i was big into online shooters i would feel this more. there is much more in video games than violence, and i just feel this type of narrow idea can lead to misconceptions about games and players if given a platform.

in short, i do not affiliate with the community he is speaking to, and so i am having a hard time appreciating this idea.
 
U

unrenowned

Member
How exactly does this show any kind of support at all?
It's not newsworthy so it won't be in the media.
It's not a meaningful way of bringing attention to any of the issues that caused this tragedy to happen, if anything it detracts from them.
 
W

Wario64

works for Gamestop (lol)
sflufan said:
No, it's an absolutely empty, meaningless statement.

Want to pay "respect"? Then do something that requires actual effort like contacting Congressmen and Senators to support sensible gun-related legislation and an increase in attention/funding to mental health issues.
Click to expand...

Agreed, but I'm not going to call this stupid
 
M

mavs

Member
Lanza didn't even like shooters according to his friends. Maybe they should put down their cheetos and mountain dew today instead and solve a real problem.
 
ZeroGravity

ZeroGravity

Member
sflufan said:
No, it's an absolutely empty, meaningless statement.

Want to pay "respect?" Then do something that requires actual effort like contacting Congressmen and Senators to support sensible gun-related legislation and an increase in attention/funding to mental health issues.
Click to expand...
100% this.
 
P

plagiarize

Banned
sflufan said:
No, it's an absolutely empty, meaningless statement.

Want to pay "respect"? Then do something that requires actual effort like contacting Congressmen and Senators to support sensible gun-related legislation and an increase in attention/funding to mental health issues.
Click to expand...

Slacktivism at it's finest. I just don't think that being sad for an extended period of time helps anything, or anyone. Don't make me feel guilty about my preferred form of escapism from the dark corners of the world. There are plenty of reminders of the evil that men do right now without anyone trying to make me feel bad about where I get my fun from.
 
K

Kade

Member
I feel bad for dismissing this guy's enthusiasm to help out but come on. Of all the things that can be done to increase awareness of mental issues and how to prevent these horrific events from happening, this gamer equivalent of Kony 2012 is probably the least effective. However, his suggestion to directly help the families and parties affected is a great idea.
 
K

Karsticles

Member
dr3upmushroom said:
What is the point exactly? To "prove that gamers have hearts"? Oooookay...

Seems like an attention grab from the guy to me. Really don't see what his point is or what he hopes to accomplish.
Click to expand...
It might not be a bad idea for gamers to do this to show remorse. Their public image could use some improving.
 
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