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Latest update: August 7, 2000
Faculty Team.
On Monday, August 7, Ian Harris wrote:
From a very brave 13 years old girl. She has made a remarkable difference in her community and state, and is a model for action worldwide. She has won four national activist awards.The "Cool No-Violence Peace Project"
by Danielle Shimotakahara, Age 13
Dear Editors,
Is there a way that I can get this printed in your paper or magazine? Please let me know. Thanks
Danielle Shimotakahara, age 13
Opinion letter for guest editorial
August 1, 2000
In April of 1999, I started working on the "Cool No-Violence Peace Project". I have been trying to reduce or eliminate the exposure of young children to violent blood splattering video games in public places. I know that violent video games are only one part of a larger problem that causes children to think and act violently, but I think they are a big part because kids spend so much time interacting with these so called "games".
What I really want is for the project to make a difference by reducing violence in society and maybe saving somebody's life. I want people to speak up any time they see a little kid using a blood splatterer. Children need to be taught respect for life, not how to kill. I am very thankful for the awards that I received. The project is a lot of work. It is not easy and it is going to continue for a long time. The petition that I designed asks businesses to voluntarily remove these blood splatterers from places where kids hang out. It also asks that the ratings of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board be enforced if businesses refuse to remove them. It is still circulating and has the names of children on it as young as 5. One mother signed it for her 14-month-old son. It is not a valid petition, but it is our voice as youth and children.
A whole lot of good things have happened because of the petition, the media coverage, the magazine articles and the educational presentations. Lots of people now know about interactive video game violence and its harmful effect upon children. Lt. Col. Grossman, who is an expert on the subject, spoke at every middle school in Coos County. Fewer kids are playing these violent "murder simulators" either at home or in public places. Adults now pay more attention to what their kids are doing. Many businesses have removed their violent machines so that kids cannot see or "use" them. I really want to thank those businesses. Some of those include Dave's Pizza who led the way, SkateWave, Pony Village Cinemas, and Fiddlesticks. I think that they are setting a good example for others to follow.
I still see businesses that have these blood splatterers right beside sports game. Little kids can still see the blood splattering and bodies exploding even if they are not "using" them. Some machines in some places are right in front of where you sit to eat. Some parents still give their little kids money to "use" them. I have seen kids as young as three using these murder simulators. They stand on chairs or footstools.
I would like to ask the businesses that still have these machines to follow the guidelines of the Entertainment Software Ratings Board. The ESRB rates many of these "murder simulators". T means 13 and up. M means 17 and up. I would like to ask them to move them to a place where only people of that age can use them. Personally, I don't think " murder simulators" are good for anyone to use. Studies show that they increase aggressive behavior in the people who use them, no matter how old they are, but I know it is harder to tell adults that things are bad for them. The American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry issued a statement on July 26, 2000 that agrees with my position. Mayor Brad Peterson of Indianapolis signed into law an ordinance in that city on July 17 to restrict access of children to violent and sexually explicit video games. I would like the city councils to take the same action in Coos County.
One of the greatest things about this project is the $25,000 donation that was part of the award that I won through Prudential and the National Association of Secondary School Principals. The KIDS In Distressed Situations (KIDS) organization is in charge of that. They have worked with Harper-Collins Publishing to get half of that amount donated in the form of books to give to children in Coos County. The other half is going to be in the form of clothing for needy children.
I have designed a logo for businesses that remove their violent machines to put on their windows. It lets people know that business does not have violent machines in an area where there are young children. It is a Cool -No-Violence sticker. Businesses can get this sticker by calling 541- 756-6959 or writing to me at 2289 Meade Avenue in North Bend, 97459.
The petition and the bibliography can also be obtained from the North Bend United Methodist Youth Group. They are also selling t-shirts and buttons with the logo. The proceeds, after expenses will go to support community projects that the youth group does to help needy people.
I have been invited to speak to a number of organizations over the next few months. I will be a guest speaker with the President of the American Medical Association at one function. An on-line magazine called DoZine in New York City is posting the petition and information on the project so that other kids can start the same project in their areas. Next year, many kids and adults will be needed to testify at the hearings at the State Capitol in support of the bill that is being written by Senator Tarno and Rep. Messerle. Church members and kids from many schools will be organizing buses to go there. The Oregon PTA, the Oregon Medical Association, the Oregon State Police Association and the Oregon Medical Association Alliance all might be interested in supporting this bill. Coos Bay City Council already passed a resolution supporting restriction of access by young children to violent video games in public places. It is not an ordinance.
The General Conference of Global Methodist Churches also passed the resolution that I submitted to them. They did this in May 2000 at their conference in Cleveland, Ohio. All Methodist Churches all over the world now support this stand to prevent access of young children to "murder simulators". It is their official policy. This means that 26 Million people indirectly signed the petition. There are already over 6000 other names on the petition. That makes 26,006,000 people.
I will be speaking to schools next fall about this project. Kids/youth/adults who want to organize and support this project and do presentations and go to the hearings should also call or write to me. Lots of organizers are needed at each school or church. What I really want from all this work is for parents, kids, businesses and everybody else to use their common sense, read a book or some articles on the subject and learn about exactly what these " murder simulators" are teaching to the kids who use them. I think they teach desensitization, operant and classical conditioning, role modeling and how to kill. That is what Col. Grossman, Gloria DeGaetano, David White, the Lion and the Lamb Project and a whole lot of other educators and psychologists have discovered.
I think it is time to end the feeding of this kind of violence to children. Kids need to play games that really are games, not murder simulators that teach them how to kill. Please support the Oregon bill next year.
Danielle Shimotakahara, Age 13
Oregon Prudential Spirit of the Community 2000 Honoree National Prudential Spirit of the Community 2000 Honoree Millennium Dreamer People to People Sports Ambassador to Holland, Haarlem Soccer Cup, 2000
On Monday, August 7, jeanne wrote to Ian Harris, asking him to tell Danielle that her paper can be found on Dear Habermas.