Gimme my bloody games

My own thoughts on the video game violence debate

Video games are a portal into fantasy worlds. They allow to drive cars most of us can't afford at speeds that would get most of us arrested.

They allow us to take part in stories and adventures that are far more exciting than anything that could happen to us in our real lives.

Finally, they make for good stress relief!

After a long work day, there is nothing quite like firing up Grand Theft Auto and smashing up cars around a city and shooting polygons with no actual consequence.

But it's simply a fantasy. A chance to do things we couldn't possibly do in reality without harming ourselves and others and that's where it needs to stay.

But it does need to remain nothing more than fantasy and that's where parents need to step up. They need to make sure that if their children are playing these games, they understand the difference between fantasy and reality. If they don't, their kids should be playing them, period!

I grew up playing games like Wolfenstein and DOOM, the Grand Thef Autos of their time and even Liesure Suit Larry, all about the pursuit of sex and somehow I've grown up into a rather non-violent person with a lot of respect for women.

Of course, all that said, any parent who actually turns their kid loose playing Grand Theft Auto SERIOUSLY needs their head examined.