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While this has been going on for years, the recent Connecticut Massacre has prompted much concern over our favourite form of interactive media, and even a program that allowed parents to send in violent games for a 25$ gift card for Church related activities.

This program was later cancelled after it was made clear the program runners weren't going to sell the videogames to fund schools or make parks, but destroy the games.

Then the NRA calls the videogame industry an "underhanded shadow industry". We all know that the NRA is not always the best source for informed opinions, considering they made 4 videogames all about using guns.

Now game industry heads are meeting with Joe Biden to discuss all this. I am not all that confident with the medium's ability to win this fight, even if Biden doesn't consider videogames to be the only factor related to violence in children.
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I've grown up on videogames. Some of my favourite memories include zooming around in go karts filled with turtles and plumbers, and saving the day talking sponges in square pants.

I am like this at this point in time: A. Not interested in cars beyond getting from point A to B, and B. not into walking around at the bottom of the ocean.

The most violent videogame I played as a child was Lord of the Rings III, for Gamecube. It was rated Teen, and the only reason my parents bought if for me was because I told them I played it a friends house, which I had.

The game was quite violent, atleast by my standards. You battle waves of orcs, and they in vilent manner, sometimes through beaheadings if you pulled off ridiculous combos. But there was no blood. Enemies fell to the ground and slowly faded away. Also, I'M FIGHTING A FICTIONAL RACE OF PILLAGERS AND MURDERERS. This is still one of my favourite licensed games ever, and I did not want to grow up to be a swords man.

My parents were cautious of this game because it was slightly violent. I understand that know. I actually never had any desire to play an violent media of any kind. I was a pretty big wimp when it comes to that. My parents never had to worry about me playing any of those games (I was even scared of the LoTR game at first) so I never had the chance to be exposed to this "underhanded shadow industry".

My parents were not idiots. They did not let me watch movies or games that would be too violent, like the Matrix, which I watched with my dad. Presently I still don't like scary movies, but I like violent games. I love playing shooters with my friends, but I play the shit out of games like Kirby's Epic Yarn because both games are what they are: games.

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TD;DR, Parents decide how their kids grow up. I didn't like playing violent games, and my parents supervised me when I did. There are ratings systems, and parents need to follow them.

I should note I live in Canada which has a drastically lower murder rate. Still, the U.S influences us in many ways, and I hope however this debate turns out is not one of them.
Share any opinions you have on this matter.