Mr. Jenkins Goes to Washington

Mr. Jenkins Goes to Washington http://www.mit.edu/people/cshiley/Content/NotMine/jenkins.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzB9p82RmjQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpIBLTPMN_U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePQm-hxolcY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsRxR31_MNU&feature=relmfu
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj_ogXKN95o

     The hearings reminded me of the Salem Witch trials I read about in school (from junior high on up).  It appears whenever a violent catastrophe occurs, those in power with influence - in order to placate the masses - are quick to brandish their pitchforks and torches in search for a scapegoat.  Proceeding with just enough information, often provided by special interest groups, they pursue the most likely of causes with the tenacity of a houndog.  The hearings clearly show how footage, articles, essays etc. were manipulated to cast video games, and other forms of media, in a negative light.  The members of Congress and the Senate would like the public to believe that negative, violent images are the catalyst, the end all be all, of reasons why violent behavior springs up in young people.  If that is the case there should be an epidemic of violent crime based on the millions of video game players that play games with violent content.  This is not the case.
     I feel it lies solely on the person consuming the media, and their propensity to be influenced by said media.  My nine year old daughter has played through the entire Halo series, has play Gears of War 1-3, Call of Duty (the first one), and has started playing Crysis 2.  Her favorite thing is to do headshots, after which she exclaims, "Boom!"  This is the same girl who, when we walk out to the car for school, she begs me to pick up the worms and snails on the walkway and put them in the grass, so later in the day they don't die when the sun bakes the concrete.  My daughter also enjoys Viva Pinata and Uno as well, switching back to the former and latter games with no problem.  As a parent, I am always in the room when she is playing on Xbox or on the Internet to monitor her, and of course I always enable the parental controls if they are available on a particular game.
     The focus should switch from storming the castle in search of the monster to the houses with the picket fences.  It is in the home that a dialogue should take place between parents and children on the subject of what is consume through various media, where each side and angle can be explored equeally; not in a hearing.