Zapper is Terrifying to Parents

[Kamalot]

Even though the upcoming Nintendo Zapper looks very little like any sort of real-world weapon, parents are still causing an uproar (
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=172049) about the possibility that kids will learn how to shoot real firearms from playing with the toy.

Angry parents are in fits over Nintendo's decision to release the peripheral for the family-orientated console. "Great, this is what we need," said one furious parent blogger. "Children with guns learning how to aim and shoot. Then we can sit back and wonder what is happening to our country with kids killing kids."

They added: "What's next? Could we make it squirt blood, too?" Well, no because it would go all over the TV and that would be rubbish. I wonder why parents don't freak out about the 'nunchuck'...

[biosc1]

Wow...aren't these parents the same people that were kids when the NES came out with Duck Hunt and it's "Zapper"? How soon they forget :(

(or, perhaps, their parents never bought them one when they were kids so they want to prevent others from getting one now)

[Eric_T_Cheng]

Is there a link?

[Johan]

Got a linkie for this stinky?

[midrael]

I'm assuming this is the article?
http://blog.nj.com/parentalguidance/2007/09/what_do_we_think_of_wii.html

And this is really silly. Did anyone let these parents know that there are water toys shaped in, of all things, the form of guns designed to shoot water at other kids? Or that Nintendo put out a gun-shaped zapper .. oh.. two decades ago?

[Yellowman]

Don't anybody tell them about light guns... or toy guns... or the fact that kids love to play pretend gun shooting...

[NoName]

Hold the press! Someone, on the internet mind you, didn't like something and... wait for it... blogged about it!

Until the media latches on to this (which I doubt will happen), how is this news?

Edit: After looking at the link above, it's an editorial from some local paper. Considering it's title'd Parental Guidance, it just sounds super conservative. My smartalic comment still stands.

[Telefrog]

Who are these idiots? They do know that they don't have to buy the Zapper or any games that might use it, correct?

Do they also realize that you can surf porn sites on the Wii?

[The Great Gatsby]

Dumb parents. They need to get some more sex into their probably sexless marriages (divorced lives) and maybe they won't be so retarded towards things like this.

[CoachCrazyMcScot]

Wow. I suppose those cap guns and water pistols could damage one's psyche forever too.

I have a feeling these are the parents whose kids end up in seedy chatrooms and express their feelings in very unhealthy ways when they become adults, as they are not exposed to enough "real world".

[Loki_09]

Please, kids have had toy guns and pop guns for decades. People need to lighten up.

[Heretic Machine]

I thought all children were murderous psycho-path snipers already? That's why they aren't aloud to carry backpacks anymore.

[BreakerX]

People with thought processes like this shouldn't breed.

[Gorvi]

Wow. Way to over react. I'm going to have fun at PTA meetings in 10 years if this is any indication as to how a lot of parents think.......

[torrefaction]

It amuses me that typically supporters of the war are typically anti-videogame. Isn't the hypocrisy in there a little too obvious.

Don't you want your kids to learn to shoot before you ship them off to war?

And hell, I supported the war. But I like to shoot shit. I'm not hypocritical.

[vash]

i got scolded by a religion teacher once, because i attacked her class with a supersoaker. she said i was glorifying war .... ^^

[Khash]

Why would a gun squirt blood?

[TheFlyingOrc]

Wow. Way to over react. I'm going to have fun at PTA meetings in 10 years if this is any indication as to how a lot of parents think.......

Not if I kidnap your child.

[Gorvi]

Not if I kidnap your child.
Hopefully he'll have a full set of teeth by then so he can bite. Right now he could...... well, he could make you feel bad. ;)

[TheFlyingOrc]

Hopefully he'll have a full set of teeth by then so he can bite. ;)

I like the biters.
I thought to myself, how can you be as terrifying as possible, TFO?

[Gorvi]

I like the biters.
I thought to myself, how can you be as terrifying as possible, TFO?
Now you're just being creepy. :o

[Wyrm]

I like the biters.
I thought to myself, how can you be as terrifying as possible, TFO?

:eek:

Dude.

Yikes man.

[Rock Bandit]

WTF? The Zapper I had as a kid looked way more like a gun and I've only killed two, three people tops.

[NationalKato]

People are stupid, by nature. Society typically caters to the lowest denominator in the misguided hopes that it will save everyone's lives. Unfortunately, it really just means the dumbest among us breed and continue to pass on their ignorance, Darwin be damned.

This is why I am not king.

[torrefaction]

People are stupid, by nature. Society typically caters to the lowest denominator in the misguided hopes that it will save everyone's lives. Unfortunately, it really just means the dumbest among us breed and continue to pass on their ignorance, Darwin be damned.

This is why I am not king.

You're not king because you have Kato in your name.

[NationalKato]

Who wouldn't love King Kato? C'mon, you know you love King Kato. He's benevolent, wise, honorable, and he lets stupid people die of their own stupid volition. What's not to love?!

[torrefaction]

Who wouldn't love King Kato? C'mon, you know you love King Kato. He's benevolent, wise, honorable, and he lets stupid people die of their own stupid volition. What's not to love?!

What's not to love? This is Kato in the American mind.

http://www.hollywoodiscalling.com/celebrity_photos/bkaelin.jpg

[Vermillion]

Is it me, or is this entire generation a horrible group of parents. I mean, what really happened in the 80's that screwed these people up so badly.

[Abednigo]

Some people just don't like guns of any kind, period. Whatever their reason for thinking that way they have every right to think it, even if it's completely idiotic. My girlfriend and I actually want to get concealed weapons permits and eventually get guns of our own. We both grew up with our Dads taking us to shooting ranges. My Dad was a Special Agent in the FBI (so we got to shoot guns at the FBI Academy in Quantico, VA, which rocks when you're a kid), her Dad just liked guns I guess. :) Needless to say, we're not afraid of them.

[Rock Bandit]

Is it me, or is this entire generation a horrible group of parents. I mean, what really happened in the 80's that screwed these people up so badly.

Videogames, duh.

[Goronmon]

Why would a gun squirt blood?Because some people are fucking stupid, that's why.

[TheFlyingOrc]

Is it me, or is this entire generation a horrible group of parents. I mean, what really happened in the 80's that screwed these people up so badly.

Were you THERE in the 80s? I mean - think about it.

[torrefaction]

Is it me, or is this entire generation a horrible group of parents. I mean, what really happened in the 80's that screwed these people up so badly.

Read American Psycho sometime for a vivid reminder of why the 80's fucked everything up.

[NationalKato]

Were you THERE in the 80s? I mean - think about it.

Cocaine's a helluva drug.

[rubbishfoo]

I've always felt that education was the best form of gun control.

When I was around 9/10 years old... my father took me out on the farm he grew up on (my grandparents home) and taught me how to fire a pistol properly and demonstrated the strength of the weapon. I'll never forget that day - it was very educational and gave me a proper respect for the power these weapons hold.

Since then, I've only fired a couple of guns at shooting ranges... but I'm tempted to teach my children the same lesson. This is a weapon of enormous power. It is magnified by the person who carries it. And with such power comes great responsibility.

[Wraith]

"Great, this is what we need," said one furious parent blogger. "Children with guns learning how to aim and shoot. Then we can sit back and wonder what is happening to our country with kids killing kids."Yeah, because squirt guns, paintball, and laser tag certainly don't teach kids how to aim and shoot. As opposed to video games that play with any vaguely gun-shaped peripheral, which instantly trigger your children to kill, kill, kill.

[Karmakin]

The 80's fucked everything up.

Everything..and I mean everything is about MY BAYBAY!!! (mind you their kid is like 16). The horrible stereotype of the "SUV-driving Soccer mom" didn't pop out of nowhere.

[Wraith]

Oh, here's probably the best quote from that article:Another reader commented, "I think it's irresponsible for Wii to come out with a controller that looks like a gun so kids can play games simulating shooting. What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?"Really, nothing needs to be said about this quote. It stands perfectly on its own.

[ECM]

It's funny how everyone points to and blames the generation or two just before them for the current, dire, state of things in the world (and they're *always* dire.)

[Adam Blue]

These are one of those times where I feel even though the government should have little control over what America decides, I believe 80% of Americans are idiots who need some sort of control.

[Cha-Ka]

What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?"

You're right. That's perfection. :)

[Gorvi]

It's funny how everyone points to and blames the generation or two just before them for the current, dire, state of things in the world (and they're *always* dire.)
No, this is just pointing out that most people are stupid, and when they become parents, they're *gasp* still stupid. They just for some reason think people care to hear what they have to say.

[cppcrusader]

What's not to love? This is Kato in the American mind.

http://www.hollywoodiscalling.com/celebrity_photos/bkaelin.jpg

I disagree, this is Kato in the American mind, or at least mine.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v217/slymarbo/00.jpg

[Rock Bandit]

What kind of message are we sending as parents when we buy these things for our kids?

And Jesus wept....

[Elrik Murder]

Shhh!...If you're very quiet you can actually hear your IQ lower.

Seriously? It amazes me what people complain about these days.

[Rirath]

Why do we care what dipshit bloggers think again?

[Bad_Buddha]

What's not to love? This is Kato in the American mind.

This is Kato in my mind!

http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/2512/jeetkunedokatobb3.jpg

Beat to the punch! At least I didn't quote that uglyass picture!

[vash]

I believe 80% of the human race are idiots who need some sort of control.

fixed, although im not so sure if terminating them is not a better solution for everybody ;)

[Chainblast]

If a video were enough to turn a child into a gun-touting thug I think there are larger issues that need addressing.

[derjester]

Yeah, I don't see why this is front page news. If the blogger had taken the time do some research and realized that the present "gamer generation" is the most peaceful generation in a very long time, maybe they'd be slower to pass on speculation about how a toy gun is going to corrupt the minds of children.

[NationalKato]

Thanks, guys, for redeeming me from the circle of hell known as Kato Kaelin. Besides, my screen name comes from Urge Overkill anyway... ;)

[torrefaction]

Thanks, guys, for redeeming me from the circle of hell known as Kato Kaelin. Besides, my screen name comes from Urge Overkill anyway... ;)

http://delivery.viewimages.com/xv/1589049.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=17A4AD9FDB9CF193F669B259AB992A045A2621FA52A97A3F DA933A5089E0E18E

[GammaLeak]

It amuses me that typically supporters of the war are typically anti-videogame. Isn't the hypocrisy in there a little too obvious.

Don't you want your kids to learn to shoot before you ship them off to war?

And hell, I supported the war. But I like to shoot shit. I'm not hypocritical.

Um, huh?! I'm not sure that's an actual correlation there. Point in fact: Texas is one of the most conservative states in the nation, most Texans supported the war, and a lot of Texans own guns (and know how to respect/use them).

I was/am a supporter of the Iraq war as well and (gasp!) I think we could use more play-guns in kids hands. I'm a little worried we're raising a generation of coddled pansies ill-equipped to handle the realities of cultures that hate us.

So, I think that perception is really just one of those jumps that comes from caricatured stereotypes of conservatives, actually.

[cp#]

Guns are really easy to shoot. There is no real learning process. Parents should be more worried about locking up their guns if they have them.

[torrefaction]

Guns are really easy to shoot. There is no real learning process. Parents should be more worried about locking up their guns if they have them.

Bullshit. This is why kids are dangerous around guns. Teach kids the danger and power of firearms, how to safely use them (And clean them. Helpful when you get back from the range.), and they won't go and grab it to show it off.

How do I know this? Because I've seen it done successfully. By people that raised me.

[Adam Blue]

fixed, although im not so sure if terminating them is not a better solution for everybody ;)

That's why I love Texas. Although there are more people that need to be terminated.

[torrefaction]

Um, huh?! I'm not sure that's an actual correlation there. Point in fact: Texas is one of the most conservative states in the nation, most Texans supported the war, and a lot of Texans own guns (and know how to respect/use them).

I was/am a supporter of the Iraq war as well and (gasp!) I think we could use more play-guns in kids hands. I'm a little worried we're raising a generation of coddled pansies ill-equipped to handle the realities of cultures that hate us.

So, I think that perception is really just one of those jumps that comes from caricatured stereotypes of conservatives, actually.

I think conservatives tend to be the ones that overall push for censorship of violence. I don't think it's a caricatured stereotype, it's just a recognition that a big portion of the conservative base is more anxious about children's exposure to violence than liberals are.

I personally think we need more REAL guns in kids hands. Teach them from respect. FYI, I was born in Dallas ;)

[IndependentGMR]

I have gone to a shooting range a few times in the past year. I can say, with the utmost certainty, that my 20 years of gaming has not increased my aim in the least bit. I could barely hit the target.

[Johan]

Wow. Way to over react. I'm going to have fun at PTA meetings in 10 years if this is any indication as to how a lot of parents think.......

In ten years, most kids won't have parents. They will have run away on them, dumped them, or some such similar nonsense.

The ones who do? Their parents won't bother with PTA meetings.

:D I love being cynical. So fun...

[cp#]

Bullshit. This is why kids are dangerous around guns. Teach kids the danger and power of firearms, how to safely use them (And clean them. Helpful when you get back from the range.), and they won't go and grab it to show it off.

How do I know this? Because I've seen it done successfully. By people that raised me.

Good point. My parents never had a gun when I was growing up, and I think it's a good thing. I love guns though, and see nothing wrong with having one; but parents shouldn't leave them in places where kids have any access to them, whether they know how to handle them or not. I misfired a shotgun once, I'd call it a "life changing" moment.

[torrefaction]

Good point. My parents never had a gun when I was growing up, and I think it's a good thing. I love guns though, and see nothing wrong with having one; but parents shouldn't leave them in places where kids have any access to them, whether they know how to handle them or not. I misfired a shotgun once, I'd call it a "life changing" moment.

Yeah, I don't really disagree with keeping guns out of reach from kids when parents aren't around at all. It was more of the guns are easy part that bothered me.

You just said yourself you misfired a shotgun ;)

[wezlypipz]

In the society we live in today, I think there are far more pressing issues parents should be worried about.

[torrefaction]

In the society we live in today, I think there are far more pressing issues parents should be worried about.

Right. Like your mom worrying about keeping her sex with the mailman on the downlow.

[Rifter]

Yes, a plastic doo-hicky is going to teach kids how to murder. People a stupid. If you are predisposed to take a life, it doesn't really matter if you know how to shoot a gun, or not. It is NOT like they are difficult to use.

[Roc Ingersol]

I bet these parents have put more time and energy into being outraged than they have into keeping an eye on what their kids are actually doing on a daily basis.

Because any parent that's actually, ya know, parenting their tyke is going to be able to think of about eight million more important things to worry about off the top of their head. Yet another vaguely gun-shaped object is a non-issue.

[mattwier]

Part 1,583,684 in our continuing series "The Pussification of America."

[Kamalot]

I apologize for not including the link in the original story. I was late for a meeting and ran out of the office without realizing it was missing.

[Snowmit]

I think your headline is missing a key word like

Zapper is Terrifying to "some" or "certain" or "batshit crazy" Parents

[Skyelan]

Oh the best part is how I've seen this on a few other sites, and EvAv is the very first one to not have the lunatics crawl out of the woodwork.

"Yeah, these people are stupid, but <retardmode> ZOMG IT'S BECAUSE OF AMERICA IT'S SO AWFUL THEY'RE THE ONLY PEOPLE TO OWN GUNS ANYWHERE AND TOO VIOLENT THEY SHOULD BAN GUNS THEN NO CRIME HAPPENS EVER GODDAMN YOU AMERICA! </retardmode>"

This is why I tend to stay primarily on this site.

[bean19]

I apologize for not including the link in the original story. I was late for a meeting and ran out of the office without realizing it was missing.

Can you edit it in now?

I'm curious which piece of shit site would say "angry parents" instead of isolating that to particular sources. Unless there is a crowd of angry parents or a parenting group opposed to the zapper, etc. then you should NEVER attribute to a group. It's really bad writing even if they had started with "Made-Up Parenting Organization X held a rally today against Nintendo's new lightgun. These angry parents felt. . . " That's even really bad.

It's really scary how shitty journalism is getting with online news sources. You'd think they'd at LEAST have one news editor that took a high school newspaper class or something. This is very easy stuff.

[KingGorilla]

The conversation may have changed from the OP, but I have to ask. Where were all of these uppity bitches when light-gun games were in their hey-day? Last time I checked, my NES came with a gun, every SNES owner I knew had a bazooka, and Genesis owners had revolvers. One of my highlights when going to the arcade was picking up that Glock or Shotgun to blow away Zombies, Mutants, Aliens.

[jpc_theoneandonly]

People are fucking stupid.

/thread

[ResistanceAddict]

I think conservatives tend to be the ones that overall push for censorship of violence. I don't think it's a caricatured stereotype, it's just a recognition that a big portion of the conservative base is more anxious about children's exposure to violence than liberals are.

I personally think we need more REAL guns in kids hands. Teach them from respect. FYI, I was born in Dallas ;)

That's really naive. A lot of people are idiots and are going to be stupid with things like that no matter what you teach/tell them.

[torrefaction]

That's really naive. A lot of people are idiots and are going to be stupid with things like that no matter what you teach/tell them.

You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. You think we shouldn't teach kids how to shoot guns? So...you're against education, because it gives them too much power?

I'll never in my life understand this attitude. I'm not saying give kids a goddamn concealed carry permit. I clearly said to keep guns out of the reach of kids. But that doesn't mean they shouldn't understand how powerful and dangerous they are. Respecting a gun means having the proper amount of fear for the damage it can do. To understand that, you have to shoot a gun. You have much more of a chance of a kid who knows about guns not hurting himself, than you have with a kid who is completely uneducated about firearms.

[LongStepMantis]

I doubt these people can hear us, being back in the 80's and all.
Hogan's Alley is a murder simulator!
Joust teaches kids to smash ostriches with their asses!
Oh God, won't you think of the children!?

So when the superscope came out for SNES, did they think kids would learn to operate shoulder-fired RPGs?

Jokes aside, there will ALWAYS be those moronic individuals who do something stupid, and blame it on video games.
You know it, I know it, and it just makes a convenient scapegoat for doing something incredibly stupid.

[Wasson_]

wow, I'm being a bit obnoxious, but it fits...plus I like it.
http://blog.modernmechanix.com/mags/qf/c/ModernMechanix/1-1935/med_death_ray.jpg

[Banacek]

I think we all know where the kids are getting the gun violence from...

http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/958/ronaldgetsshotys9.gif (http://imageshack.us)

[Chameleo]

regarding the complaints from parents in the OP: it had to be said.

just like the new resident evil "controversy" where you kill black zombies.

the zapper had to be labeled as dangerous to our children by some zealous parent. if it wasn't done now, it'd be done later, so be glad its over with now.

[Wolvie]

Hurray for overreacting! Stupid tard soccer moms. Whats next to threaten our kids? Squirt guns? Laser tag? Some people aren't happy unless they're bitching about something completely harmless.

[Phanto]

Thats bullshit there have been so many games specially arcade games that you have to use a fake weapon to play the game, if these parents are whining so much about the zapper there is a easy route: don't buy it.

[bean19]

regarding the complaints from parents in the OP: it had to be said.

just like the new resident evil "controversy" where you kill black zombies.

the zapper had to be labeled as dangerous to our children by some zealous parent. if it wasn't done now, it'd be done later, so be glad its over with now.

Are you not upset about the lack of journalistic integrity? Someone handpicked these quotes from a question that asked people to talk about this. . . people who bother to comment on a website and then didn't bother to attribute them to people. Then someone went and attributed them to a group that isn't a group. . . one angry parent does not make "angry parents".

It's the yellowist journalism I've seen without outright lying.

If real parent's groups actually have a problem with the Wii's silly "lightgun" then that is one thing, but statements from an internet question that has such a predictable mix of uninformed and stupid answers. . . *sigh*

[Kelegacy]

Well, since the Wii is aimed at a certain demographic, I can see why parents would be more prone to do this sort of shit. Sort of like Fisher Price releasing cigarette or Budweiser toys, so they can pretend to be adults.

[Johan]

It seems most people didn't bother to read the link from midrael. If anyone had, they'd know that the writer says this regarding the zapper:

Most peoplethink it's a bone-headed idea.

and then goes on to quote TWO PEOPLE!

Mountain, meet molehill; molehill, meet mountain.

I think I could find TWO PEOPLE that genuinely believe water will kill you and should never be consumed; that air is evil and you should wear a mask; that the world is really just a fish bowl sitting on a spaghetti monster's desk; that video games are reality, and reality is a video game; that George Bush is an effective communicator; and on and on.

Overblown bs.

[Reverend Rapture]

its a crazy concept i know but maybe instead of freaking out about a toy, parents could actually get off their asses and talk to their kids, then again whining is easier.

[MrSatan]

LOL, I love these kind of ridiculous people. I can't remember what show it was on, but I saw a feminist freak out the same way. "MORE BABIES MORE BABIES".

[A Lusty Alien]

Ah for the good old days when kids played with cap pistols and firecrackers. My brother had a metal cap gun that we would place lady finger firecrackers in the end. Then we'd light them to get that truly satisfying BANG!

By the end of the 4th of July holiday, the end of the pistol's barrel was splayed out like a banana.

Good times, good times...