Southington Connecticut is hosting a video game buyback program similar to some of the gun buyback programs hosted by the likes of Los Angeles, Boston, and Chicago. The group called SouthingtonSOS stated “As people arrive in their cars to turn in their games of violence, they will be offered a gift certificate donated by a member of the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce as a token of appreciation for their action of responsible citizenship,”
A release for the event futher outlined the event saying –“As announced to the press last week, SouthingtonSOS has organized a Violent Video Games Return Program to be held on Saturday, January 12, 2013 at the Southington Drive In Theatre on Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike from 9:00 am to Noon. The Town of Southington will have a dumpster there for the collection of Violent Video Games, CDs and DVDs. As people arrive in their cars to turn in their games of violence, they will be offered a gift certificate donated by a member of the Greater Southington Chamber of Commerce as a token of appreciation for their action of responsible citizenship. Violent games turned in will be destroyed and placed in the town dumpster for appropriate permanent disposal.”
I am not against the right of anyone to burn anything they want. Never the less, this gathering of holier-than-thou uninformed parents baffles me. Instead of burning video games that retail for $50 – $60, would it not make more sense not to buy games rated 17+ for your children? Instead of burning all of this media could it maybe be sold to responsible adults with the proceed going to charity?
These “parents” need not blame music, movies, and video games for their children’s behavior. They need only to look at themselves. A responsible parent wouldn’t buy their child a +17 magazine, the same goes for movies, music and video games.
