That is SO wrong. (Did she yell "I'M HIT!"?) Never joke with a firearm. Ever. Dead loved ones aren't funny.

A quick note. My son is now six. Not five. A lot has changed in the last year for him, as far as what he can be exposed to. Last year I was horrified to catch him watching family guy. He is still forbidden to watch adult swim cartoons and anime. (except the ones on regular tv like dragon ball z)

I think a lot of this debate can be boiled down to the context. You're looking at the game not as glorified tag, but as a violent killing spree. I can see your angle, but I disagree. If for one minute I thought he got pleasure from the killing aspect of it, rather than scoring a frag, I'd end his playing. It's just fun tag to him. There isn't a shred of meanness. If there were, If he was shouting DIE DIE DIE at the screen, you'd be right to be alarmed. I would be.

My position on swearing is that I don't allow it around *him* because I'm afraid he'll do it at school. I have a very liberal position on nudity. I think the general American position that sex and sexuality is bad couldn't possibly be more wrong and twisted. I fully intend to vaccinate my two daughters for HPV for instance. But that's another discussion all together isn't it?

I did respond civilly rottenseed, I think if you re read Spoco2's posts and my answers to them you'll see I kept my cool for as long as possible. I don't think MarineGunrock ever attacked me, and I certainly didn't attack him.

It seems now that I'm here to defend myself that people have less to say about it. The video was made in fun, by my 17 year old and myself as we were astounded by how well he was playing against guys my oldest usually plays against. It was one of those "Let me try! Let me try!" we got out of his way and let him.

People see this, and the other vid I made when he was younger and think This is all he does, Which isn't so. He occasionally plays these games, but when he does, he's good at them. *That's* the joke of the vids we're trying to convey. Our shock at how good he is at mastering the key commands. Crouch, jump, strafe, and weapon switches, he learned it all by watching, Before he could even read. And could pull it off with his tiny hands and short fingers.

I dunno. the images of ragdolls being blown across the sky dont seem gory to me. There are flashes of simulated blood, but on my system, it's hard to tell. It's not like other games where if you shoot someone they're covered in blood, and lose and arm or leg. Like FEAR or something. Those games are harmful because of the atmosphere, the sounds and music are huge contributing factors that create an air of fear and horror.

For the record, we dont have any vice city games in my house. Attacking police, robbing people, and picking up hookers isn't something I'll let my kids partake in, even if it is just a game.

Seriously, Marinegunrock, I'm responding to heaped on baseless and tactless attacks on my character. How do you expect me to respond?

Spoco, You're an idiot. My son plays HL2 ONLINE. not the actual storyline game. Moron. You really think a 6 year old could? Like I said, You have no idea what you're talking about. Why let him play it? Because he thinks it's fun. It *is* fun. He doesn't sit there crying his eyes out because some make believe people got shot. The bodies disappear. They don't lose limbs or anything. Jesus. Did I say I was a christian? No. I have him play where I know people will keep the porn sprays and cursing to a minimum.

The kid plays piano. My other kids play guitar. But go ahead and make pointless grabs at trying to prove your point though. *I* know my kid is well rounded. So do those that know him. Just because he likes to play shooter games, (just like most kids) doesn't make him or me bad. You however are a quick to judge asshole. And you're wrong. These games teach about teamwork, consequences, problem solving, and much, much more. But focus on the simulated "violence" of pointing a gun and going "bang" like kids his age have been doing since the creation of the toy gun. Actually, it doesn't even take a toy to point your finger and go "bang"

And you think that because I said that scary movie music frightens him that I force him to watch them? You are such a colossal dumbass. Ever hear of "overhearing" things? Kids do it all the time. I suppose it's also horrible that I taught him to read Where the Wild Things are. Or that I expose him to art, movies, or outside. That I let him ride his bike with *gasp* no knee pads! The horror!

And if you think its wrong to celebrate winning or beating anyone, at anything, you are what is wrong with this country. People like you celebrate weakness, and mediocrity and sameness. Screw that. My kid is an individual. And I'm damn proud of him.

If you think CS and Saw and Hostle are in the same vein of graphic violence, it's clear you have either never played the game, or just don't know what you are talking about. The key difference being SUFFERING. There is none in CS, or HL2. No pain is conveyed. And for that matter, my son wont watch scary movies at all. The music freaks him out.

There's a few strongly enforced Christian servers. Mostly HL2 ones. They keep the cursing and that stuff to a minimum. And for what it's worth, He almost never plays CS anymore because he doesn't like the competition. (he says they cheat because he keeps losing.) He likes the puzzley HL2 maps better where people work together.

Jesus. Where to start? That's My son in the video. You all are basing my parenting skills on the fact that I let my son play CS?! I'm a horrible epic fail for that? Really? He *knows* it's a game folks. And it's not like it's all he plays. He likes his other mario games on the wii also. He like his toys, his bike, and to go swimming. Kid stuff. He also likes to watch his big brother and I play CS against each other. He does not equate the kills on CS as murders Do any of you? Their just points to him. He's always known and understood this. Stomping on Koopas head in Mario is killing too. Where do you draw the line?

And he doesn't play it often. He'd rather play HL2 and fight off ant lions.

And to to the person saying cops and robbers was like tag. What the hell are you talking about? We used GUNS. We shot each other with cap guns. We played DEAD. We did it all day. And to me this no different. And it's safer.

He reads. He does well in school. He's a great kid and plays well with everyone. He doesn't have a mean streak at all. And being a kid who was a nerd growing up, it really chaps my ass to be called a "competitive jock."
Because I laughed that some guy walked right into my kids line of fire? Because I was proud my 5 year old was winning? Please.

I control what servers he plays at. Only the Christian ones. If anyone curses he leaves and tells me. All of the guys he plays with know who he is. And they look out for him when I'm not in the chair next to him. I do parent my kids. All 5 of them. It isn't easy. But I do the best I can. Thanks for watching. Please don't post hateful comments on the YouTube page. He checks it often, and the mean ones upset him.