PAINTBALL AND VIOLENCE

The biggest question concerning paintball today is whether paintball promotes violence. The issue is greatest concerning scenario paintball, in which everyone pretends to be in battle, carrying milsim markers and engaging in simulated combat.

Kids all over have asked their parents for permission to play paintball, only to be told “no”. Parents worry that getting involved in such an extreme sport will turn their kids into the next school shooter.

Well, let me tell you right now: Not a single one of the school shooters in recent years was motivated by paintball. No shooting crime committed in the US has been linked to involvement in paintball.

They have, however, been linked to violent movies and video games. And the ironic thing is, the very same parents who deny their child the opportunity to play paintball often allow that same child to play Gears of War and watch 24. In fact, statistics show that average American children have witnessed thousands of murders on TV by the time they’re teenagers.

In contrast, scenario paintball is entirely different. It’s actually a creative outlet. Players have to plan, to work as teams, and employ good sportsmanship. Though they play on opposing sides, they don’t think of the other guy as an enemy. At the end of the day, Red players and Blue players talk and joke about the game in genuine harmony. No one hates anybody. No one wants to kill anybody. In fact, I’ve only seen friends made at well-organized scenario games. The atmosphere is healthy for the body and for the mind.

Come to think of it, whenever I’ve marked someone out, I’ve never once thought of it as “killing” that person. I mean, come on – when you see a splat of green or yellow or blue paint appear on your opponent, does blood come to mind? Does the person scream in agony and drop over? Of course not! The guy just shouts “Hit!”, raises his hands, and walks off the field. And he gets to reinsert later.

It’s nothing more than a complex game of tag. Yes, it’s often based around a battle, but the battle is only that: A base. The similarity ends there. Everyone still cares about the next guy. There’s no hate, no bloodlust, no anger . . . the basic ingredients of violence are nowhere to be found.

Here’s what I say to parents who worry about their child growing up violent: Monitor the video games, the TV, and the movies. Better yet, scrap ‘em altogether. Then take your kid paintballing and see for yourself. The child will only benefit from the experience and come away with great memories to talk about for years to come.