Turning Violent Games Into Gift Cards

Melrose, Massachusetts is planning a return program for kids to bring in violent video games in exchange for coupons. Their stated goal is to promote "some real discussion" on the issue of violence in video games.
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After the SouthingtonSOS bonfire was canceled, it would be easy to assume that blame might be directed away from violent games soon enough.  

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Soon enough is not now, apparently.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts…

Melrose, Massachusetts is planning a program of game returns for violent video games.  “New Year – New Direction” as the plan is called, is acknowledged as being a response to the shootings in Newtown.

The violent games will be exchanged for a sheet of coupons with deals for local businesses, including what Mayor Robert Dolan describes as “get out of homework free” coupons.  The stated goal of this drive is to promote discussion about the issues of gun violence amongst the families of Melrose, and on that end it seems far more likely to succeed than the more sensationalist bonfire that made headlines before it.

While nothing has been said as far as what will be done with the games, burning seems unlikely given the more modestly-stated intentions of this particular gathering of violent games.

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Wokendreamer
Writer, gamer, and generally hopeful beneath a veneer of cynicism.