Did D&D cause this teen to kill?

[Rich Steeves]

Here is the report of a crime from the Seattle Post Intelligencer.

 

Thoughts?

 

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/425695_murder25.html

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

To me you would have to have some sort of pre-disposition for it. I've have played many RPGs, video games, and all of that other crap. Me and all of my friends have somehow made it w/o killing anyone. World of Warcraft has several hundred thousand players, how many of them have killed because of that game?

Or as my new wallpaper says that I've had for a few weeks now:

I did edit out the cuss word for the board.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

If someone is close enough to the edge that playing a video game is going to push him over, I'd say there's something else far more basic out of whack elsewhere in his life.

[Rich Lane]

Short answer--no.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Rich Lane said:

Short answer--no.

Longer answer: Hell, no.

[ClarkKent_DC]

Three-word answer: Of course not.

[Philip Portelli]

Obviously I agree but those around him, playing with him in D&D, could have seen some signs that he may have been going chaotic in his real life. Just a thought and by no means laying blame.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

If someone is close enough to the edge that playing a video game is going to push him over, I'd say there's something else far more basic out of whack elsewhere in his life.

[Figserello]

That article isn't very well finished. The writer seems to have no idea that there is a difference betwen video games and D&D, for a start. It's all very vague.

Just like the link between his hobbies and his horrible crime. After all, something you do AFTER a crime is hardly a cause, now, is it?

Its as if the article is saying that kind of crime is bad because it causes the perpetrator to turn to video games.

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

Figs, I think there is some sort of online version of D&D now. I don't think it's a video game in the traditional sense, though (but I know very little about it, since I'm still a pencil & paper guy).

Also, if he were playing online, those signs would be harder to detect than in person.

[Horn'd One]

Agreed with the following answers: No, Hell No.
Adding my answer: Do these "people" know what the smeg they are talking about? ("Smeg" is replacing a more colorful and more biologically apt word I would have used)

My full answer: I agree with those that have said that the person would already had a predispostion to committ the act. I have played RPG (Mostly ther pen and paper type) for DECADES, and my sense of right vs. wrong has remained stable. Granted, I had what many would have called a 'classic' upbringing--good, well-taught, decent parents who instilled those morals into me in a time when such methods were'nt considered child abuse/assault except in extreme cases.
I am glad that, in my early high-school days, my science-teachers gathered a few of the brightest of their classes and introduced us to AD&D (I think it would be called AD&D 2.5 these days--Fiend Folio had just come out, Deities and Demigods still had the Elric entries, and Gygax was still doing guest appearances at GenCon);
The game taught us racial and religeous acceptance, teamwork, co-operation with a common goal and stimulated our imaginations. What game at that time had elves, humans, dwarves, theives, knights, mages and (non-Christian based)clerics daring to explore a monster-infested dungeon, with little chance to survive, all for a few handfulls of gold and jems? Not many, I can tell you, & I can remember pretty well.

When tragedy strikes, many people look to blame someone or something, as long as it's not them. This used to be called "The Twinkie Defense", back when some guy committed a horrible crime and blamed a sugar imbalance in his bloodstream (after eating a cream-filled, sugar-heavy snack cake) for his crime. *rolleyes*
These people pick an "easy" target (Television programming, music videos, comic books, RPGs, sugar, the 3 week old banana peel in the middle of traffic, ect.) that either can't fight back, or better yet, will just cave under the pressure.
To these people, I say, when did you ascend to perfection? You didn't? Really? Shut up and have a smegging Twinkie.

Granted, those people that try to blame something bad that happens on something that looks like an easy target for their acts so they can make themselves feel better, they need help. Something that cements the phrase "that's stupid, don't do that again" permanently in their tiny, malfunctioning two-halves of a brain-cell mind.
I'd reccomend several implements, but that would only damage the implements unnecessarilly.

Forgive this rant, my friends, the subject just insensed me and I needed to speak my mind.

After posing this, I'm going to go get a shower and get some breakfast. Then I'm gong to start my day. Maybe read a little.

Thank you and have a good day.

[Mr. Satanism]

Sort answer: No

Long answer: This again?