Video games are very near and dear to my heart. I've been playing them since I was very young. In fact, my very first video game was the original Mortal Kombat, and I remember being absolutely fascinated with the animations when I wasn't busy freezing all of my opponents with Sub-Zero. I've grown up with video games, and they've provided the backdrop to my entire life. Some of my fondest memories have taken place with a controller in my hand. They've told me incredible stories, shown me rich and vibrant new worlds, forced me to make impactful choices, and even introduced me to some of my best friends in real life. Since those first days in Mortal Kombat to the moments yesterday when I beat Far Cry 3 and gaped at the screen, to the many, many more years I will be playing them, video games have had their hand in shaping my life.
Eleven days before Christmas, 20 children and 6 adults were shot dead at Sandy Hook Elementary. The event shook the country in a way that it hasn't seen since the Columbine shootings. As the country recovers from the shock, we look for places to point the fingers. For whatever reason, we are not satisfied by blaming the person who walked into the school and actually pulled the trigger. In our minds, there has to be something more, something more to blame and some sort of action that needs to be taken to prevent this from happening in the future. The deaths need to mean something.
