General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why is hunting given a pass? [View all]LWolf
(46,179 posts)It's all about the person hunting or playing.
When my student approached me in a panic with his backpack and asked me to take it to the office for him because he'd been turkey hunting over the weekend and forgot to remove his knife, I did so; the office understood and held it for him until school was over. He's a good, respectful, non-violent person, and knows the rules about weapons at school, why they exist, and wanted to comply. A stupid video game, which I would not put in any kids' hands because I think the glorification of violence is just WRONG, is not going to turn him into something he is not.
When another student went ballistic on the playground, threatening to shoot his older brother, I took that seriously. We'd already been trying to get parents to get this kid into counseling; they refused. That incident might push the situation in our favor. I hope so. That kid thinks a gun is the solution to everything, and suggested that, instead of setting traps for mice this spring, I simply shoot them. He thinks it would be just fine to blow holes in my floor to "get" the mice. He's never met a living animal he doesn't want to shoot; he exists in a fantasy world where he is killing everything he can find. A violent video game COULD feed this kid's pre-existing social/emotional disturbance.