People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) have issued another press release criticizing depictions of animal cruelty in a video game. This time it takes issue with Activisions' latest shooter, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.”
Specifically, PETA points out the Spec Ops mode in Modern Warfare 3 where the player shoots and kills attack dog’s strapped with explosives in, well, an “unconscionable and grotesque” manner.
PETA states that abusing or killing even a virtual animal presents contradictions for what is acceptable in society. According to PETA in the press release:
[quote user="PETA"] The computer game “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3” treats animals in a sadistic manner. The game portrays dogs in a capacity that is not recorded to exist in any modern combat setting, which is unrealistic and is further unconscionable and grotesque.
Killing virtual animals can have a brutalizing effect on the young male target audience. It also presents difficult contradictions for what is healthy and acceptable for social and moral behavior. How can a nation condemn a professional sports player for breeding and hosting dog-fights, yet immediately turn to be entertained by these malice depictions of animals in video games? [/quote]
These are valid and compelling points, actually. Unlike their disapproval of “Battlefield 3's” stabbing of a rodent in a quick-time event, this one actually makes sense. It isn't healthy or consistent for anyone to condemn abuse towards dogs in real-life, only to then sneak away to get please or excitement from it in a "pretend" setting.
There's a medical definition for people like that: psychopaths and schizophrenics!