A Request for Proposals from the White House
The Office of the Vice President asked me to gather concrete proposals from industry leaders on what the Obama Administration should do to reduce mass shootings and gun violence. I have been so taken with the number of creative responses that I thought I’d put a copy of the Vice President’s email here and invite you to take part in the conversation either here on my blog or ping me privately by email.
In the days since the tragedy in Newtown, Americans from all over the country have called for action to deter mass shootings and reduce gun violence.
Recently, the President asked Vice President Biden to lead a new initiative and identify concrete proposals for real reform by January. As part of that process, the Vice President will meet with stakeholders from across the spectrum.
The Vice President and Cabinet have answered the President’s call to continue this important conversation, and want to hear from organizations and experts across the country. If you and your organization have policy proposals for the Administration to consider, please submit your written proposals by January 5th.
As the President has said, “If we’re going to change things, it’s going to take a wave of Americans – mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, pastors, law enforcement, mental health professionals, and gun owners – standing up and saying ‘enough’ on behalf of our kids.” We encourage you to have an active conversation with your members and colleagues as part of this process and send us their feedback as well.
Have a happy and safe new year.
Thank you,
The Office of the Vice President
I am looking to bring the Vice President a wide variety of voices. Take a look at the front page of Sunday’s NYT for what Biden’s been up to. I’ve gotten heart felt responses from Warren Spector, Earnest Adams, Ian Bogost, Asi Burak, and Dean Takahashi among others. Given the importance of this situation it would mean a lot to me to hear your thoughts. There’s energy behind the issues, it’s important that we take advantage of the opportunity for real change.
It’s been a fascinating discussion so far with a wide range of ideas. They’d like the proposals by tomorrow Saturday January 5th.
What do you think the White House should do to make us safer?
Answer the President’s call and let me know in the comments.
Game On!
\o/
Nicole
4 responses to “A Request for Proposals from the White House”
Lea says: Tax the Bullets. Tax the Magazines. It worked with cigarettes and guns seem to be just as addictive.
George Dolbier says: Hello Nicole,
Congratulations and condolences on being selected as one of the people to represent the games industry. From some personal history I try very hard not to express political opinions in public, but I think I’m growing out it.
My opinion is _like_ those who believe pointing the finger at games is a distraction. But I take it a little farther. The _debate_ in it’s current form is not only counter productive, but is part of the problem.
Marketers, Game Developers understand motivations drive behavior, more than anything else period.
Game developers understand, in a deeply philosophical as well as eminently practical way, that most of creation share goals.
All involved in the debate and discussion, including all _not_ involved in the discussion share the same gold. Prevent tragedies with names like Columbine, Malmo, Oslo, Mumbai, Annecy, Hood, Kauhajoki, McLendon, Kauhajoki, Tuusula, Virginia Tech, Kent State, Baku, Erfurt, Port Arthur
The _debate_ has consumed so much energy and resources on pro- and anti- Gun control that there has been very little understanding, discussion and debate about the motivations driving the events.
Whether we like it or not, much of the world looks to the US as an example of how to run a free society.
If anything, the creative talent in the gamed industry can help discover the motivations, identify behaviors, and those at risk.
Mathematicians, scientists, and game developers all strive for the “elegant” solution. One characteristic of an “elegant” solution is one that expends the smallest amount of energy, disturbs the environment as little as possible, yet provides a complete solution.
part of the assumption of the gun control debate, and the inclusion of video games, is this is an issue exclusive to the US. The list of tragedies I named, and human history, clearly demonstrate it is not. Any claim that Games are a cause of violent behavior is forgetting the same claim was made about comic books in the 50s, leading to “United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency” and the “1954 comic book hearings”. History has shown repeatedly new media is often associated with societal ills. Books, Movies, plays, even ballet, have all been sited as causes for societal moral decay. In his book “
Violent Crime, Clinical and Social Implications, the noted clinical psychologist Christopher J. Ferguson comments “Much debate remains regarding the impact of media violence on aggressive and violent behavior. At present, the evidence for short-term increases in minor aggression remains inconclusive and a subject of continued debate.
However, at present, the weight of evidence does not support a link between media violence and acts of serious aggression or violent crime. Persistent focus on this debate may potentially risk loss of attention to more pressing social causes of crime including poverty, family violence, social inequality, and the drug trade.”
I reiterate my claim, that not only is this debate drawing resources away from the solution, but of all media types, games actually offer a framework and a body of talent for researching underlying cause, and discovering elegant solutions.
[…] the holidays I received a curious email from the Office of the Vice President requesting concrete proposals to reduce gun violence. In the middle of my heated response I stopped […]
[…] media was quick to blame on video game violence, Vice President Joe Biden did something unexpected: he reached out to the video game industry to ask for input. After receiving the request from the VP, Nicole Lazzaro shared her thoughts right here on […]
Tax the Bullets. Tax the Magazines. It worked with cigarettes and guns seem to be just as addictive.
Hello Nicole,
Congratulations and condolences on being selected as one of the people to represent the games industry. From some personal history I try very hard not to express political opinions in public, but I think I’m growing out it.
My opinion is _like_ those who believe pointing the finger at games is a distraction. But I take it a little farther. The _debate_ in it’s current form is not only counter productive, but is part of the problem.
Marketers, Game Developers understand motivations drive behavior, more than anything else period.
Game developers understand, in a deeply philosophical as well as eminently practical way, that most of creation share goals.
All involved in the debate and discussion, including all _not_ involved in the discussion share the same gold. Prevent tragedies with names like Columbine, Malmo, Oslo, Mumbai, Annecy, Hood, Kauhajoki, McLendon, Kauhajoki, Tuusula, Virginia Tech, Kent State, Baku, Erfurt, Port Arthur
The _debate_ has consumed so much energy and resources on pro- and anti- Gun control that there has been very little understanding, discussion and debate about the motivations driving the events.
Whether we like it or not, much of the world looks to the US as an example of how to run a free society.
If anything, the creative talent in the gamed industry can help discover the motivations, identify behaviors, and those at risk.
Mathematicians, scientists, and game developers all strive for the “elegant” solution. One characteristic of an “elegant” solution is one that expends the smallest amount of energy, disturbs the environment as little as possible, yet provides a complete solution.
part of the assumption of the gun control debate, and the inclusion of video games, is this is an issue exclusive to the US. The list of tragedies I named, and human history, clearly demonstrate it is not. Any claim that Games are a cause of violent behavior is forgetting the same claim was made about comic books in the 50s, leading to “United States Senate Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency” and the “1954 comic book hearings”. History has shown repeatedly new media is often associated with societal ills. Books, Movies, plays, even ballet, have all been sited as causes for societal moral decay. In his book “
Violent Crime, Clinical and Social Implications, the noted clinical psychologist Christopher J. Ferguson comments “Much debate remains regarding the impact of media violence on aggressive and violent behavior. At present, the evidence for short-term increases in minor aggression remains inconclusive and a subject of continued debate.
However, at present, the weight of evidence does not support a link between media violence and acts of serious aggression or violent crime. Persistent focus on this debate may potentially risk loss of attention to more pressing social causes of crime including poverty, family violence, social inequality, and the drug trade.”
I reiterate my claim, that not only is this debate drawing resources away from the solution, but of all media types, games actually offer a framework and a body of talent for researching underlying cause, and discovering elegant solutions.
[…] the holidays I received a curious email from the Office of the Vice President requesting concrete proposals to reduce gun violence. In the middle of my heated response I stopped […]
[…] media was quick to blame on video game violence, Vice President Joe Biden did something unexpected: he reached out to the video game industry to ask for input. After receiving the request from the VP, Nicole Lazzaro shared her thoughts right here on […]