On March 17 Breitbart News reported on a video from States United to Prevent Gun Violence in which a clerk in a fake gun store shamed first time buyers into foregoing their purchases.
He did this by describing heinous crimes in which guns have been used to cause death.
The actor who played the clerk is Ned Luke, best known for his role in the video game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA V).
Luke plays Michael De Santa in the video game and–at the time of this writing–the background photo on his Twitter page of is of him, as De Santa, holding a handgun and taking aim with his arms outstretched.
The Entertainment Software Rating Board has rated GTA V “M for Mature” for “Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol.” It explains in its reasoning for the rating that:
Players use pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles, and explosives to kill various enemies (e.g., rival gang members); players also have the ability to shoot non-adversary civilians, though this may negatively affect players’ progress as a penalty system triggers a broad police search.
Luke, who voices one of the main player characters in the video game, also starred in the gun control PSA to dissuade first time female buyers from getting a gun for self-defense.
On October 3, 2013, the Chicago Tribune ran an interview with Luke in which he reacted to complaints about the violence in GTA V by saying: “If you don’t know what [GTA V] is all about and you…[buy] it thinking that you just got ‘Pac Man,’ then you need to check yourself.”
It’s a shame this same no-nonsense approach to consumers’ ability to choose doesn’t cross over to means of self-defense in the video starring Luke.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.