Rant - Steps

Rant - Steps

In 1999, a terrible thing happened.  Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 13 people, including one teacher, and injured another 21 people.  They brought almost 99 explosive devices, firebombs, automatic weapons and shotguns with the express purpose of killing hundreds of students.

In the aftermath that happened, gamers everywhere stood up and decried that their pastime incited the pair to violence.  Numerous studies were commissioned, lawyers stepped up on both sides, psychologists analyzed children, we collectively took steps backwards and forwards in this strange dance around the ideas of interactivity and violence.

Yesterday, someone sent a message that said in opposition a person who wanted to give a talk about feminism in games, that they would actively oppose it with guns and bombs.  That they would make it worse than the "Montreal Massacre".  15 years later, and we are exactly what we fought so hard against, because there is a lunatic out there using games, and gaming as a shield.  15 years later, and a 'gamer' is actively engaged in terrorism.

We are now at the same place we were at that miserable day that 13 people died.  Our pasttime is under attack because there are unhinged people out there.  I wish it was common sense, but apparently that died a long time ago alongside common decency.