On Saturday, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick appeared on “Fox & Friends” and pointed to the video game industry as a factor that could be playing a big role in the rash of shootings now taking place around the U.S.
The Republican official’s comments come after the shootings in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio this weekend, the incidents taking place less than 24 hours apart. In his argument, Patrick cited a manifesto connected to the El Paso gunman, who was taken alive — the Dayton shooter was killed by police.
“How long are we going to ignore — at the federal level particularly — where they can do something about the video game industry,” Governor Dan Patrick said. “In this manifesto that we believe is from the shooter, this manifesto where he talks about living out his super soldier fantasy on ‘Call of Duty.’ We know the video game industry is bigger than the movie and music industry combined.”
The reference to the video game “Call of Duty” in the alleged manifesto can be read here: “Remember: it is not cowardly to pick low hanging fruit. AKA Don’t attack heavily guarded areas to fulfill your super soldier ‘COD’ fantasy. Attack low security targets.”
Of course, there will be an immediate response to say that some studies show that video games have no impact on violent acts — but meanwhile, the shootings continue to multiply.
An emotional Dan Patrick noted that with the El Paso shooting, there have now been four mass shootings in Texas since he has been in office. He went on to speak of the “tremendous toll” these events take on a community.
“We’ve always had guns; we’ve always had evil, but what’s changed where we see this rash of shooting? And I see a video game industry that teaches young people to kill,” he said.
“This was maybe a video to this evil demon — a video game to him.” He added.
Governor Dan Patrick also took note of how toxic social media is in the U.S. and the effects of removing God from the public square.
“I look at, on a Sunday morning when most of your viewers right now, half of the country are getting ready to go to church and yet tomorrow we won’t let our kids even pray in our schools. We have to look at ourselves as a nation that [has] many factors that go into these shootings — many factors,” he said, adding that, as a nation, we no longer salute the flag or have any respect for law enforcement.
“We have to take a long look at who we are as a nation and where we want to go, and what we’re going to tolerate,” the heavy-hearted lieutenant governor said.
Governor Dan Patrick also shed light on the online forum 8chan, where the El Paso gunman posted his alleged manifesto.
“What are we as a nation to say that we’re going to tolerate and allow a website that lets killers post their manifesto before and to be posted after the act?” Patrick said.
“Why are we allowing young people or anyone to go to a website to learn to kill and be praised and put this manifesto out,” Patrick added. “Why are we allowing — 90 percent of our children is the estimate, between the ages of 12 and 17 — watching video games? Again, larger than the music industry and the movie industry combined.” He continued.
