Those who do turn in items will receive a $25 gift certificate for alternative forms of entertainment, like for the town's local water park. No doubt some gamers who scoff at the idea of getting $2 in store credit at their local used video game store will jump at the opportunity to sell back their copies of the original "Grand Theft Auto."
A statement released by SouthingtonSOS, the group hosting the buyback program, had this to say: "The group's action is not intended to be construed as statement declaring that violent video games were the cause of the shocking violence in Newtown on December 14th. Rather, SouthingtonSOS is saying is that there is ample evidence that violent video games, along with violent media of all kinds, including TV and Movies portraying story after story showing a continuous stream of violence and killing, has contributed to increasing aggressiveness, fear, anxiety and is desensitizing our children to acts of violence including bullying. Social and political commentators, as well as elected officials including the president, are attributing violent crime to many factors including inadequate gun control laws, a culture of violence and a recreational culture of violence."
