Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft Auto Rant / Pittsburgh Police Slayings

April 9, 2009 -

Earlier this week GamePolitics pointed out that in 2008 conservative talking head Glenn Beck held video games and popular media responsible for real-world violence.

In the wake of Sunday's horrific murder of three Pittsburgh police officers by a paranoid gun owner, however, Beck has insisted that his own media rants on gun control couldn't be blamed:

Blaming anyone except the nut job for what happened in Pittsburgh is crazy.

In this clip MSNBC's liberal commentator Keith Olbermann points out the obvious contrast between Beck's willingness to blame video games for real-world violence yet reluctance to admit that his own fervent anti-gun control rhetoric may have helped influence the Pittsburgh killer.

Thanks to: GamePolitics reader BlindJustice15...

Comments

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft Auto

Submitted by magic_taco on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:36.

Well, Atleast MSNBC researches some of their facts honestly (I think), I remember Chris Matthew's hardball didnt buy what lying scum like JT was saying during the aftermath of the VT massacre.

Magic Taco

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by Vake Xeacons on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 12:51.

Actually no. MSNBC is the liberal version of Fox News. Olbermann and Beck are the two sides to the same coin.

While it's definitely interesting to see two BS-ers go at it, Olbermann is NOT the one I want speaking on our behalf. Makes us look bad.

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by Valdearg on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:03.

Hah. Thats funny, Vake. Coming from a person who reads BOTH Msnbc and Fox daily, I can assure you Fox is definiately the more sensationalistic and biased. Msnbc is slightly tilted left, yes, but I don't see the blatant sensationalistic bias shown on Fox. Just look at Fox's front page pictures, every so often. The captions are often so rediculous, I have to laugh..

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by Lou on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 13:29.

Yes and no. Yes MSNBC is the Liberal version of Fox and No Keith Olberman is not the opposite side of Beck. Olberman is a more moderate character and Beck is a flat out moron. I have also heard of Olberman throwing liberals under the bus as fast as he thorws conservatives. Now Rachel Maddow is a true liberal.. she came from the ultra liberal Air America radio.

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by mogbert on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 14:14.

Is it OK that I haven't really heard of or care about either of these peoples opinion?

The fact is that people are responsible for their own actions. Being able to hypnotize people and make them do your will is the stuff of a Saturday cartoon. However, someone is more likely to do something under the impression of a lie then simply from being exposed to violent media.

For example, let's say your wife was getting a new big screen TV installed in your livign room as a surprise. Someone then tells you at work that this van keeps parking outside your house everyday after you leave for work and it is there right now. The person telling the lie could be invoking violence by telling a lie that would get you riled up. You couldn't really hold them accountable for what you did when you came home, though. (Yes, this is a spin on the old tale of the guy who filled up the convertable with concrete.) It is true that you likely would have reacted differently without their input, and they may be partly to blame, but I don't think they would be held directly accountable for your actions (and even if they do, this whole part was only to contrast the next part, so it doesn't really matter).

However, let's say you just played a lot of Grand Theft Auto. You go home and see a van in front of your home. I don't know what you would do in this situation, but blaming Grand Theft Auto for any of it would be ludicrous.

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by shamrock on Fri, 04/10/2009 - 19:54.

You make some great points. As always, it's the comments I find most interesting at GamePolitics. I say too that everyone has to be responsible for their own actions. PERIOD.

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Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by F__ked up on Fri, 04/10/2009 - 02:06.
You do have a point about people have to be responsible for their actions but there are cases like this Man Kills wife's lover, but wife faces jail time

Re: Keith Olbermann Takes On Glenn Beck Over Grand Theft ...

Submitted by Lou on Thu, 04/09/2009 - 17:52.

You make a good case but here is the thing. There is a difference between people like Glen Beck and a Joe Schmo. You have to take into consideration that Beck does appear on television, he is some sort of "celebrity" in a way and naive people WILL take him more seriously than a lone Joe Schmo. I don't think he should be held fully accountable like most media outlets want to put it, but if I were him I would tone down a little. What he said was ridiculous and right down irresponsible and I think he is under-estimating the whole scope of this situation. He is making calls for violence and revolt, dude if I would of heard the same garbage when republicans were in charge I would repudiate those comments too, that is NOT right.

 
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prh99: Also there is no story in rational and respectful discussion (where you can find it).10/19/2014 - 10:44am
prh99: Well they are probably doing it on Twitter and probably the GG hashtag so any voice reason gets drowned out by idiocy. Also it's far easier to broad brush a group.10/19/2014 - 10:41am
Wonderkarp: dont fool yourself, Technogeek. Remember Mass Effect 3? How about the ferver against Phil Fish?10/19/2014 - 10:18am
MechaTama31: None of which is the fault or responsibility of the people who are not trolling, harassing, threatening, doxxing, etc. So why is their opinion hostage to the people who are?10/19/2014 - 10:06am
Technogeek: If the developer were male there wouldn't have been a "conversation" in the first place.10/19/2014 - 2:27am
Monte: trolls are just at their absolute worst when it comes to women and feminist. You could bet good money that if the developer were male the trolls would be silent and the conversation would actually focus on the journalism.10/18/2014 - 9:18pm
Monte: Papa: Not the first time we've had a journalism scandals before, but the harassment never got close to this level; the difference with this scandal is that feminists are involved. Without the feminist angle, their would be A LOT less harrassment10/18/2014 - 9:15pm
Papa Midnight: Monte: That's honestly rather short-sighted. As has been proven with other persons who have been targeted, if it wasn't Quinn, it would be someone else.10/18/2014 - 6:26pm
Avalongod: I think that's part of what gives an esoteric news story like this real life...it taps into a larger narrative about misogyny in society outside of games.10/18/2014 - 3:29pm
Avalongod: @Monte, well the trolls made death threats that came to police (and media attention). I think this is tapping into a larger issue outside of games about how women are treated in society (like all the "real rape" stuff during the last election)10/18/2014 - 3:28pm
Wonderkarp: Zippy : Havent tried the PS4 controller. might later.10/18/2014 - 2:37pm
Monte: Seirously, If Quinn was not involved and GG was instead about something like the Mordor Marketing contracts, the trolling would have never grown so vile and disgusting. There have been plenty of movements in the past that never sufferred from behavior..10/18/2014 - 1:57pm
Monte: We have seen scandel's before but the trolling has never been as vile as what we see with GG. Trolls usually have such a tiny voice you can barely notice them, but its like moths to a flame whenever femistist are involved.10/18/2014 - 1:53pm
ZippyDSMlee: Wonderkarp: You might be able to if you had a PS4 controller.10/18/2014 - 1:00pm
MaskedPixelante: http://store.steampowered.com/app/327940/ Night Dive starts charging for freeware.10/18/2014 - 12:21pm
Matthew Wilson: the sad thing is there are trolls on both sides of this. people need to stop acting like their side is so pure.10/18/2014 - 12:19pm
MechaTama31: So, only speak out on a scandal that hasn't attracted trolls? I wouldn't hold my breath...10/18/2014 - 10:49am
Monte: I feel like GG just needs to die. The movement is FAR to tainted by hatred and BS for it to be useful for any conversation. Let GG die, and then rally behind the NEXT gaming journalism scandal, and start the conversation fresh.10/18/2014 - 10:33am
quiknkold: and we dont have a Dovakin to call a cease fire10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
quiknkold: The whole thing is Futile. Both sides are so buried deep in their trenchs that there isnt a conversation. Its just Finger Pointing, Name Calling, Doxxing, Threats. there needs to be a serious conversation, and GG isnt it.10/17/2014 - 7:37pm
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