In a story in the LA TImes, the Surgeon General is poised to release a report tying violent TV shows and videogames to more aggressive behavior in children.

"In a report on youth violence scheduled for release in Washington today, Surgeon General David Satcher will find repeated exposure to violent entertainment during early childhood causes more aggressive behavior throughout a child's life, according to a draft of the report obtained by The Times.

"'Exposure to violent media plays an important causal role in this societal problem" of youth violence, the draft report states. "From a public-health perspective, today's [media] consumption patterns are far from optimal. And for many children they are clearly harmful.'

"The findings, while representing a small portion of a wide-ranging report on youth violence, are expected to fuel the push by parents groups, politicians and some retailers to limit violence in entertainment.

"The full report addresses several factors contributing to youth violence, including home environment, school programs and the socioeconomic background of individuals, according to sources involved in preparing the document."

Bah. The Surgeon General is lucky our kids don't go to school with his. A weekend packed with Mortal Kombat games and Jackie Chan movies and our kids would be ready to "school" his!

The authorities are closing in on us. What do you think of this news? Should the Surgeon General lay off the booze and the cigarettes? Post your comments here.

That's crap. I'm sure most everyone will feel the same way, and I feel like this is just a different title slapped on the same post from last week...But, that's crap. Can violent games have an effect? Sure. But, primarily, it comes back to the parents and the kids' personalities. Typically, if parents are active in a child's life and teach the kid right from wrong, it sticks. And kids will always be mischievous, but generally, right and wrong as taught by their parents stay with them.

I watched a lot of the Three Stooges when I was a kid, and never once did I try to jam my fingers into another kid's eyes, even though I was really curious to see if it would really make that "doink" sound!

In my experience, it doesn't...And I grew up on Star Wars (on tape...I'm only twenty) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (yes, I confess...I watched the turtles), and I never got violent with anyone. Sure, it probably has a greater effect on kids whose parents don't teach them, and don't pay attention to them, but a violent game, movie, or book does not make a violent kid.

I love the turtules!!
Im 16 now and ive been gamming scince i was 4. Ive been fragging Nazis scine b4 frag was a word. And i am a very stable person. I have a very good tempor which i atrribute partly to my gamming, for me gamming is an outlet. The only thing i could do when i found out my grandfather had died was startup StarCraft.

Twill be a dark day... a dark day indeed...
ShiningOne

I think the real tragedy here is that now I'll no longer be able to trust anything coming out of the Surgeon General's office. There is yet to be a study that shows a "causal" relationship between violent entertainment and violence in children. I wouldn't pretend to argue that it doesn't have some influence, but its a symptom not a cause, and there is no proof there to say otherwise. Thus the Surgeon General's report is mere politics and not science. I miss Dr. Koop.

"Thus the Surgeon General's report is mere politics and not science. I miss Dr. Koop."

This is a good point. The Surgeon General's office should be above politics, but apparently it isn't. I also miss Dr. Koop -- what a crazy beard!

ShiningOne, as a parent who has watched a lot of Ninja Turtles, I can tell you that I enjoyed them too. Believe me, Pokemon is sheer and utter torture compared to the Turtles. My favorite was the Ghostbusters cartoon. That was really fun.

The government is scared because they do not know what to do about the violence! News Flash- We have always beeen a violent society and nothing the government does will change that! I am very pestimistc about the country's future. When you have 17 year old kids having babies and there is no father, do you think these children are going to be productive members of society? Hell no! Violence is down in this country and the surgeon general doesn't even recognize that, but anyway I really believe that it's the calm before the storm! Violence is going to happen! The government needs to find real solutions, because everyone will find out sooner or later that violent video games and movies aren't the real culprits!

I think they really need to concentrate on gun laws in the US rather than a tenuous link to computer game violence.

"I think they really need to concentrate on gun laws in the US rather than a tenuous link to computer game violence."

I agree, but I don't see them doing much about guns anytime soon.

Oh yhea i grew up on TMNT and the Ghostbusters!! Before that was Thundercats. Ever seen that? That was another good one.

Ya know how long i was in shock when i found out that Pokemon had overcome porn as the most sreach for internet topic?? It was weeks and weeks. But i can actually stand Pokemon and the like its the Power Rangers that make me want to kill somone. The fighting scenes dont fool tier 5 year old audience and it seems like they gorw new powers every week. What happend to openin' a can of good ol' whoopass. They werent that bad when they first came out and they had the Dinobots (still and obvious copyright infingment of Transformers) but now i guess they are gonna be able to time travel!! uuuggg!!!

And the Smurfs may not have been my stlye but they beat the snout out of Barney.

The only warrning that should be on the boxes are
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May Peace Favor Your Sword
Shining One