So, I come out of Trader Joe's today and see a couple of people (a tall corpulent woman and a short skinny guy) at a table filled with rhetorical literature and a picture of Cheney with the slogan 'Does Cheney Play Too Many Violent Video Games?"

I jokingly say...

Me: "I hate Cheney, but I love violent video games...."

They: (they show me a picture of Cho, the Virginia Tech shooter and say) "Cho played violent video games"

Me: "Did you know that he also drank water, in fact every killer in history has at one time or another consumed water. Do you think there is a link?"

They: (they laugh and brush off my comment and then go into some spiel about how video games are responsible for Cheney's various acts of violence)

Me: "Cheney doesn't play video games. If he had that kind of an outlet, he probably wouldn't have the need to kill as many poor people as he does."

They: "No, no, no, our research says...."

Me: "I play video games and have never killed anyone."

They: "Our research says...."

Me: "Out of a hundred gamers, what percentage do you think kill people?"

They: "Statistics are bullshit."

Me: "Statistics ARE research."

They: "Statistics are bullshit. Cho played video games and...."

Me: "I think it's the other way around. A violent person might be drawn to video games, but a gamer isn't any likelier to be drawn to violence....."

They: "You are drawn to video games. Does that mean you are violent?"

Me: "No, you weren't listening, I said it was the other way around, and for the record, I've never killed anyone. If YOU were to play video games, do you think it would cause you to kill people?"

They: "No, because I know better."

Me: "Oh, I get it.....you are smarter than everyone else. If only everyone else were as smart as you, then we wouldn't have so many problems."

They: (getting angrier)"Well what do you call this?.... Manhunt 2 (they show me a gory photo from the game)"

Me: "Art"

They: (thrown for a loop) "Art!?!? Do you think child pornography is art too?"

Me: "Are you seriously comparing video games to child porn? Children are victimized by child porn."

They: "Well look at who is being victimized here" (they point to the dead animated video game character in the Manhunt 2 photo)

Me: "You know that's not a real person, right?"

They: (stuttering, stammering, clearly enraged) "Well, WE are RIGHT and WE are going to WIN, and YOU are going to LOSE. We will ban all violent video games."

Me: (stunned)......... "You are a couple of fucking Nazis."

They: (as I start to walk away they say) "Nazi's? We aren't the ones who are killing people...."

Me:.................


I then went back into the store and complained about the solicitors. With embarrassed frustration in her eyes, the manager apologized and said that they've been getting complaints all day. The police had been previously summoned, but told the manager that these solicitors were within their legal limits. I smiled said 'oh, well, what can you do... I love your store.'