Whether they succeeded their mission in raising awareness, or for coming under fire for their plans, the Connecticut town of Southington has announced the cancellation of the plan to collect and destroy violent video games just a few days before the event was to take place.
Originally, the plan called for people to turn in their copies of violent video games so they can eventually be destroyed. In return, they'd find themselves with a gift certificate for something that the group behind the event, Southington SOS, found to be a bit more wholesome.
Polygon is reporting that a spokesman for the group is claiming the event would have created an "unnecessary amount of logistical details."
The program was born out of the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary, and Southington's desire to "do something for Newtown," said Joe Erardi, Southington School superintendent, and Southington SOS member. Erardi said the organization "convened and we looked at how do we continue to pray and support Newtown and how do we do something perhaps meaningful for Newtown and our own community."
Despite the cancellation, the group is still declaring the program a success. "We succeeded in our program," said spokesman Dick Fortunato. "Our mission was to create strong awareness in Southington for parents and families and citizens and children. And we accomplished that. Our other objective was to promote discussion of violent video games and media with children and with the families at the home. And we've accomplished that in spades."
The group will still hand out certificates to parents who spoke with their children about violent games as a goodwill measure.
"Our mission now continues as a work in progress in the hands of a very caring Southington community," said Fortunato.