More Anti-D&D Idiocy

Man, oh man. Do idiots ever go away?

As a gamer, parent, Catholic, and educator, I take particular attention to those who would label roleplaying games as evil, insidious tools of the Devil. I spoke about it here and here a while ago. Unfortunately, I have to speak about it again.

The Boston Herald has a small article about how a suspect in a killing was an avid D&D player. The article doesn’t go so far as to blame D&D for the killing, but it comes as close to that as possible without actually going there.

Oh, good for you! Dungeons and Dragons books are found in the suspected killer’s residence? There must be a connection! If that’s true, then check his DVR. Are there multiple episodes of Kitchen Nightmares? Then he’s killing for Gordon Ramsey!

There is no link between rpgs and violence, just as there’s no link between rock-n-roll and violence, race and violence, or religion and violence. People kill because they are 1) evil, 2) stupid, 3) desperate, or 4) crazy.  Hobbies have nothing to do with it. Just because you found something in the suspect’s home does not mean there’s causation!

Here’s some future Boston Herald headlines:

  • “Suspect in slays fan of American Idol”
  • “Suspect influenced by Hostess Twinkies”
  • “Killer Driven By Love of $5 Footlongs”

On behalf of gamers everywhere, I’d like to tell Laurel J. Sweet of the Boston Herald that she is wrong. You can email her at lsweet@bostonherald.com.

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