'But what about the children??'

Ya know, I play video games. In fact, I am addicted to video games. I love RPG's, and I love some first person shooters. But the most relaxing game I ever played was Grand Theft Auto III. You know why? Because it is FANTASY!!! I got to go home after a long day and take out frustrations on pixelated people by smashing them to bits with a baseball bat. It was, it IS, fun, and better I do it that way than by beating the cats, no?
And listen, I teach, so I KNOW how teenagers are. And it sure as hell is not the damn video games that sometimes cause them to act out. Let's address the freaking home issues and parental issues before we start punishing video game manufacturers and game stores. The Washington Post has a disturbing (to me) article on a push to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. The money quote:
"Last year, Virginia legislators considered a bill that would have made the sale, rental, loan or commercial display of a video or computer game to a juvenile a misdemeanor if the game depicted violence against a law enforcement officer."

So, if I play GTAIII or Halo II or even Deus Ex with my 10 year old nephew, do I go to jail? What a load of crap. How about we don't blame the freaking games? How about we realize that blaming the games are just a prop, a cop out, to avoid the real issue of social decay and a weakened ability to provide alternatives for our youth?
Damn, I'm pissed. I'm not sure I made sense in this post. Sorry. I think I need to be like Mudd and play with an alumnium baseball bat. Jesse of Pandagon has a great post on the subject here.