Rex Baum (murdered homeless guy) and one of his psycho teen killers...

[rbudrick]

Folks, I'm posting this here bacause it is the modern gaming forum, andthis is a modern topic, since politics, media, and violence in videogames go hand in hand. With that said, Penny-Arcade has an incredible letter from one of the family members of one of the teen killers of Mr. Baum. It's pretty amazing and heartbreaking.

http://www.penny-arcade.com/2007/02/21

I did a search, and I apologize if there is already a thread for this, because I didn't find one.

I'll be damned surprised if CNN et al ever even dares print a word of this.

Thoughts?

-Rob

[Snapple]

The news media sucks. You start to feel sick, just getting a small taste of what that woman must feel about the whole situation.

And since the kid doesn't seem to be phased by punishment, I fear for the people he will come across when he gets out of jail in 15 years.

[diskoboy]

They won't.

And personally, after the Aqua Teen incident, I just quit believing anything I hear on the news. Even the weather.

[djsquarewave]

The thing that really gets me with this whole thing is that the kid knows full well that by equating what he’s done to a video game, that he will generate controversy and media coverage. It makes me sick that the media is jumping all over this, because that is exactly the result that he wants.
I think this section can't be stressed enough. Hell, this whole article can't be stressed enough. This is the reason we have the internet, and more people need to be aware of this.

Thanks for linking this, as I'd probably have never seen it otherwise. I'll certainly be passing it along...

[7th lutz]

This is typical of the media and this why I don't trust them for a news story. The media has done stuff similar to this, like Fox 6 news in milwaukee tried to twist the story of a 53 year old teacher being puched by a 15 year old middle student multiple times after the teacher took away a cell phone in class. The tv station critized the teacher for taking away the cell phone instead of following the milwaukee public schools stand on student caught with cell phones in class with the reporter basically said the teacher got what she deserved- by being attacked by that student.

The media tries to blame what happened on someone else or used a common excuse like video games made him or her do it. The way the media treated the crime of that teen that called a homeless guy is no different how fox treated the crime of a 15 year middle school student that faces battery charges for puching a teacher at school because of that cell phone was taken away by the teacher.

I think the media has gotton worse over the years.

[kainemaxwell]

This really shows what a sad state of affairs the news media is in, as well as parenting nowadays...

[Policenaut]

It's easy to blame something or someone as always. This kid was really something, and the family did all they could to control him. Sad thing is, someone got killed. That letter gave me a broader view of all things, his background and how his behavior was. It is really sad that things like this happen.

[kedawa]

Unless vicious beatings were administered, I doubt the family did everything it could, but they did more than what most people would consider reasonable. This kid is obviously psychotic and won't probably won't respond to anything less than the threat of grievous bodily harm, which I'm sure he'll now get on a regular basis in jail. When someone only cares about themselves, it's the self that you need to attack.

I do agree with the sentiment that big media news is twisted bullshit. It really shouldn't surprise anyone, though. There hasn't been a credible mainstream news outlet for decades. Just take the terrorist attacks in Iran, for example. It's been downplayed and under-reported to the point that most people have never even heard about it. Why? Well, probably because it would expose the truth that Iran is not entirely in bed with violent extremists, and that would take the edge off of the current fear-mongering that sells adspace and newspapers. Or how about the fact that Anna Nicole Smith eating it has gotten more press than just about any of the important things going on in the world right now.
The news media is at best entertainment and at worst political and social manipulation.

If he had killed the guy for chicken mcnuggets, would cnn want to blame McDonalds? I wonder...

[diskoboy]

A Clockwork Orange should be required reading/viewing.

Just putting that out there....

[Emuaust]

They won't.

And personally, after the Aqua Teen incident, I just quit believing anything I hear on the news. Even the weather.

The weather is the first thing I learnt NOT to trust

[Ed Oscuro]

Here is the CNN article linked from P-A (http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/02/19/homeless.attacks/index.html)...nothing about video games aside that the kid tried to link it to games:


Ihrcke told police that killing "the bum" reminded him of playing a violent video game, a police report shows.
They don't give that little bit much play, especially not compared to what the various things people are saying led me to believe.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Pretty disturbing story, I hope the parents can finally do something to get through to the kid before he is out of the can. I don't trust the news either but I listen to a christian station which will give all kinds of angles that won't be heard otherwise. www.moodyradio.org

[Push Upstairs]

Just take the terrorist attacks in Iran, for example. It's been downplayed and under-reported to the point that most people have never even heard about it. Why? Well, probably because it would expose the truth that Iran is not entirely in bed with violent extremists, and that would take the edge off of the current fear-mongering that sells adspace and newspapers.

I've not heard about this, but then I take anything that the news says about Iran with a grain of salt.

I got fed up with the media and its portrayal of "news" back when Columbine happened. Music and video games made them do that? Sure. Being picked on & teased are the more likely source of what caused all that.

Everything has a slant or an angle that is really there to cause feelings or emotions for one person over another...and all that is for it ratings or to keep interest. It's all manipulation, and I want nothing to do with that type of reporting.

[maxlords]

A Clockwork Orange should be required reading/viewing.

Just putting that out there....


Agreed.