Gamer: Playing Through The Pain

The Story Of Steven Burkeland Flies Against Push To Regulate Video Games

(CBS)  Throughout his ordeal, and still today, video games have been Burkeland's way to do the things that his foot prevented. "In games, I can run, I can jump, I can play sports, and I can defeat fantasy creatures and save the world."

"Now more than ever do I play video games," he said, "because as I get older and continue growing, even more stress and strain is put on my foot. And video games take my mind off my pain and allow me to live at least through the characters as a normal person."

However, if video games' detractors are right, Burkeland should be in line to snap. Not only does he play a lot of games, he also runs a role playing games site called The RP Site.

"I think video games are a very good thing," he said. "They allow people to be what ever they want and allow people to take there minds off of things. I've played violent video games for years and I'm a pacifist. I just play them to vent anger and frustration sometimes as an outlet."

Burkeland said that he and many kids in his school play games like Grand Theft Auto, which has sparked controversy and congressional scrutiny for its graphic content. But said that it hasn't made him violent in any way.

He thinks, "Games don't corrupt our minds. It's how we act and our own morals that decide what kind of people we are. Some may want to use video games as an excuse, but…it comes down to the person and the choices they make."

Burkeland doesn't believe that video games need to be legislated, or even that they should be. He believes that if parents and politicians really cared about safeguarding children, they would make the effort to read the warning labels and decide what media is right for their kids: "On every game box, it says the rating of the game and why it is rated that way. Most parents know that and read it and decide for themselves and never complain. It's those parents who ignore the ratings until they see what the kid is doing and then care what their kids are doing that are the vocal ones from what I can see."

Burkeland's parents agree with him. His mother, Sue Solin, says that we do not need laws dictating what games people and buy and when. The ratings system in place is adequate, she says, but parents need to talk to their children.

"Steve and I have always had a very open relationship and discuss issues like violence, drugs and sex often," said Solin. "We have had these discussions since he was very small."

One core motivation that anti-game lawmakers seem to have is how they believe that kids who play violent video games may get somehow confused about reality. But Burkeland's mother says that is not the case. "We often discuss the difference between video game violence and real life violence and he has always understood the difference," she said.