Last weekend, at least 31 people lost their lives to senseless mass shootings in Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas. 

In the aftermath, the media and politicians alike search for a scapegoat, whether it be television, movies, or violent video games. On Monday, President Trump called for an end to the “glorification of violence” in “gruesome and grisly video games.” 

The truth is: Video games are popular all over, but mass shootings are not nearly as prevalent elsewhere in the world. 

Thus, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the video game industry’s trade association, researched this topic. In a statement, the group said, “Violent crime has been decreasing in our country at the very time that video games have been increasing in popularity. And other societies, where video games are played as avidly, do not contend with the tragic levels of violence that occur in the U.S."

The ESA’s data has been supported by academic research as well. In his studies, James Ivory, professor and research director at Virginia Tech, named “strong predictors of violent crime”, such as poverty, substance abuse, and child abuse. 

Many have argued that these games desensitize the youth, but then again, so does frequently reading about mass shootings.

On the Hill: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has chosen not to reconvene the Senate from summer recess to pass bipartisan gun reform. Many believe that he is waiting out the storm in hopes of avoiding passing any legislation.