As you might have heard, the U.S. Senate shut down a bill this week that would extend background checks on gun sales—a bill that most Americans supported. And of course, someone brought up video games.
Speaking on the Senate floor Wednesday, Nebraska senator Mike Johanns called it "ironic" that people who support the bill want gun control in real life but not in movies and video games.
"Apparently we should ban these devices in rural Nebraska, where we grew up around firearms, but allow our children to idolize Hollywood stars committing mass shootings on the big screen, and then try it out for yourself in a graphic video game where the game is interactive, violent, and you are literally shooting at people," Johanns said. You can see Jon Stewart's brilliant reaction in the clip above.
It should be noted that Mike Johanns is an actual senator in the actual United States. This is a person who has actual power and influence on the actual laws of an actual country.
Here's the full clip of Johanns's remarks:
For more on violence and video games, check out our in-depth look at 25 years worth of research on the psychological effects of violent video games. Especially if you are a U.S. senator.
Jon Stewart Rips Senator For Attacking Video Games During Gun Hearing