If you never imagined our digital world becoming a place where Jesus Christ was the subtext of the majority of conversations for a day, Charlie Kirk’s Memorial in Arizona over the weekend may have seemed like a turning point.  At the macro level Christ was proclaimed by more than a dozen speakers who eulogized Turning Point USA’s founder to 100 million viewers worldwide, according to its spokesperson. Kirk’s assassination focused the national conversation (and even the international one) on what our country’s values are. And who we are becoming or could become as a nation.  If you’re a believing parent, now is a good time at the micro level (in your home) to not only help your CTKid process recent events, but to know what he values and who he is becoming.  His video game play experience and environment could affect or reflect that.

The video game community was widely touched (and provoked) by the killing of Kirk, just as the internet in general has been. Here are a few examples:

• Gaming Platforms. Gaming platforms are policing how real-world events are being represented. For example, the Roblox platform with its millions of games has “taken down more than 100 experiences referencing Charlie Kirk that violated the online gaming platform’s rules.” (The platform has also recently responded to claims of sexual exploitation and grooming of children, so parents will want to, at a minimum, update their parental control features as new options are offered.)
  The Steam platform has community and social features. One is called Groups. These mini-communities may be familiar to your CTKid. For example, one group is tracking developers on Steam who seem to approve of Kirk’s murder and offers game suggestions from developers who do not. Know the platform your CTKid uses and stay generally abreast of its unfriendly or deleterious aspects.
• Discord. Discord is a hub offering multivarious communication channels for video game players. (It also has a Parent Hub.) It is organized by server (dedicated spaces) for different games or gaming communities. It has private direct messaging.  Because of the private nature there are likely many communities who engage in anecdotal conversation about the Kirk murder. It might be interesting to ask your CTKid if any of the users on the servers he’s on are talking about it. Use that as a jumping off point for a robust conversation about your family’s biblical values.  Or you can talk about assassin games as a genre and if he has played them and what they are like. His response or tone may give you an opportunity for a full-throated conversation.
• Game Studios. Video game employees are losing their jobs over inappropriate posts that condone murder. Game studios and publishers are monitoring breeches of their code of conduct.
• Game Play Mechanics. Assassination and stealth are common gameplay mechanics. One third-person example is Assassin’s Creed . The assassination mechanic may be seen in action-adventure, stealth (e.g., Sly Cooper Trilogy on PlayStation, E10+), role-playing (RPG), and strategy games. Sometimes they employ a first-person view (Assassin’s Creed Nexus).  Of course, you’ll want to ensure your CTKid is playing age-appropriate games. Pluggedin.com and ESRB.org are two sources for game-specific details and reviews.

Know how your CTKid has been touched by the Charlie Kirk tragedy. Start conversations that will encourage him to talk. Help him to become thoughtful and self-aware. Offer consolation and direction. Now is not the time to be silent or passive about his gaming experiences.