MRC President Brent Bozell on Thursday attended a White House meeting with Donald Trump to discuss violence in video games. Talking to Fox Business’s Charles Payne, Bozell said of the meeting: “I promise you, if you saw some of the violence we saw today on some of these games, you wouldn't allow it on your network. But why then are millions of children watching it?”
Of the White House meeting, Bozell explained: “I think the President is genuinely concerned about this outbreak of violence in our schools. He ran this meeting. He called for this meeting. He brought in a diverse group of people. He asked an awful lot of questions, probing questions.”
Bozell also appeared on Friday’s Varney and Co. to discuss violence in video games. He offered a solution:
Why do some of these videos have to be so ultra-violent and what could be done to keep them away from children? Which is why one recommendation put forward by yours truly was if everyone is going to agree that young children shouldn't get these — these nasty, ultra violent videos, then treat them like any other commodity that's kept from children. Treat them like cigarettes. Treat them like liquor. Do that which you can do in a store to make sure they never get their hands on it.
Transcripts are below:
Making Money With Charles Payne
3/8/18
6:24CHARLES PAYNE: President Trump hosting members of the video game industry. And some of their most vocal critics are debating the possible link between gun violence and graphic video games in an effort, of course, to find solutions. This is the aftermath of the most recent horrific school massacre. President Trump has vowed to take decisive action against gun violence, including so far banning bump stocks, possibly raising the firearm purchasing age to 21. With me now Brent Bozell, Media Research Center President and also an attendee at the video game summit. Brent, thank you so much for joining us. Take us inside the room please.
BRENT BOZELL: Well, I think the President is genuinely concerned about this outbreak of violence in our schools. He ran this meeting. He called for this meeting. He brought in a diverse group of people. He asked an awful lot of questions, probing questions. And he was looking for solution solutions. So, for anyone who put forward a position, he would ask for a solution. He listened intently for the entire hour. I think I can speak for everybody in that room that folks were impressed by him.
PAYNE: I know they had to be impressed. But the video game industry themselves didn't even send a representative. There was an industry rep there. In the past, they have said their games have nothing do with this sort of violence. They’ve said, “Hey, look, we sell these games around the world and it only seems to happen in America. So, there’s no correlation. Were they defiant today or did they at least acknowledge there was something they can do?
BOZELL: Well, there was a little bit of that. But, see, the problem is that the video industry is walking with a walking-talking contradiction. On the one hand, they say what you just said. There is no cause and effect. On the other hand they say this has to be kept from children and they are doing their level best to do so.
If there is no cause and effect, why not keep it to children? Why not give it to children? There is cause and effect. I don't suggest for a moment if you watch a video game you are going to commit an act of violence. I mean, that’s preposterous. But look at Jonesboro. Look at Columbine. Look at Newtown and Norway. Loot at several other places where you had these awful outbreaks of horrific violence. In one case after another, these kids were hooked on violent video games. Charles, I promise you, if you saw some of the violence we saw today on some of these games, you wouldn't allow it on your network. But why then are millions of children watching it? So, I think the industry can and should do more.
Varney and Co.
3/9/18
BOZELL: Most people don't understand that it is by far the biggest industry in society today. Far bigger than television. Far bigger than the movies. It is a massive industry. But look, what I think the President is saying is that bad people, troubled people are using guns — they're not, they're not using guns because they want to use guns to commit violence. They want to commit violence and they're using guns.
Question is, why has a segment of our population, young people, become so violent? And there are real questions, not just about video games. But about a lot of other areas. And I commend the President for this. He sat down with industry leaders and parents groups and asked questions yesterday. What is it about — why do these some of these videos have to be so ultra violent and what could be done to keep them away from children? Which is why one recommendation put forward by yours truly if everyone is going to agree that young children shouldn't get these — these nasty, ultra violent videos, then treat them like any other commodity that's kept from children. Treat them like cigarettes. Treat them like liquor, do that which you can do to a store to make sure they never get their hands on it.
