I live in Bergen County, New Jersey, now infamous for attacks on local synagogues.  19-year-old Anthony Graziano of Lodi, N.J. has been accused of firebombing three synagogues this month.  He has pleaded not guilty to first-degree attempted murder, bias intimidation and aggravated assault for two of the bombings.  On January 11, Graziano threw a rigged aerosol can and a Molotov cocktail into a Rutherford synagogue.  Luckily, no one was seriously injured, although one of the devices smashed through the window of a rabbi’s home, burning his hand.  The rest of his family was unharmed.

Graziano’s attorney, Robert Kalisch, said that violent Xbox video games exacerbated his mental “issues” and may have prompted the attacks.  Kalisch said that Graziano called for an ambulance in November 2011, telling EMTs that he was “feeling crazy or something.”  It was recommended that he see a psychiatrist.

Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Martin Delaney argued against reducing the bail of $5 million (but failed), saying Graziano was “hell-bent on destruction and murder.”

Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli told reporters last week that investigators found numerous Molotov cocktails in a wooded area near the Paramus Jewish Community Center.  He said that the evidence was linked to a possible foiled attack on January 7.

Graziano acted alone and used empty raspberry Crush soda bottles, motor oil, duct tape and three cans of hair spray to make the bombs, Molinelli said.  He purchased the items at a Walmart in Rutherford, and used the internet as a resource for weapon building.  He owned a firearm purchaser’s ID which allowed him to buy a rifle or shotgun for hunting, but not a handgun.

Graziano’s father told WNBC that his son was a “great kid” who “loves everyone.”

That may be, but why did he bomb the synagogues?  Was the devil in the Xbox?

After the April 16, 2007 Virginia Tech slaughter, the Washington Post reported that Seung Hui Cho had a history of playing the PC squad-based multiplayer shooter Counter-Strike.  Dr. Phil appeared on Larry King Live and said, “The mass murderers of tomorrow are the children of today that are being programmed with this massive violence overdose.”

On April 26, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) produced its own report, suggesting that Congress could step in to protect kids from harm by regulating violence on TV without violating the First Amendment.  The ACLU called it “political pandering.”  The FTC claims they “outpace” other entertainment industries in restricting the marketing of “mature-rated products” to children and that rating information is clearly displayed.  A 2009 study by the FTC showed that 87% of parents were satisfied with the computer and video game ratings.

Dr. Jonathan Freedman, University of Toronto psychologist, said, “The research doesn’t support the notion that [playing violent games] leads to aggression.”  He continued, “It doesn’t even deal with the question of whether it leads to criminal violent behavior or real violence.  At most, it addresses the question of whether it leads to aggression, which I don’t think it does.”

In August 2005, the American Psychological Association (APA) found a “causal link between violent games and teen aggression.”  Dr. Elizabeth Carll, who co-chaired the study, said that “the resolution did not state that there was a direct causal link to an increase in teen violence as a result of playing videogames.  Rather, [it stated] an increase in aggressive behavior, aggressive thoughts, angry feelings, and a decrease in helpful behavior as a result of playing violent videogames.”

Dr. Christopher J. Ferguson of Texas A&M International University’s Department of Behavioral, Applied Sciences and Criminal Justice, said, “The [American Psychological Association] is a political organization . . . and they do what is politically expedient like any other group.”

Effects on the Brain

Several behavioral studies have suggested that exposure to violent video games can alter judgment and increase aggression in teens.  Brain imaging results presented by Indiana University School of Medicine at an annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in November 2011 suggest that not only can the games alter brain activity, but they can do so in as little as a week.

Yang Wang and his colleagues compared 22 young men, aged 18 to 29 years, who had little or no experience with violent video games.  Half the group played a shooting game for 10 hours over the first week, and none over the second week.  The other half played no games at all.  MRI scans showed less “activation in the left inferior frontal lobe and in the anterior cingulate cortex, areas implicated in emotional regulation and aggressive behavior, in those who played the 10 hours of violent video games.  Furthermore, this pattern of reduced activity persevered after the second week despite the fact that the gaming group had stopped playing the violent game.”

Wang said that the results are preliminary but very significant.  “There are several studies that suggest violent video games can lead to more aggressive behavior but these data are the first to show that violent game play is changing something in the brain that may underlie those behavioral changes.”  Impairment of the frontal lobe can cause decreased inhibition, anxiety and reclusive behavior.

Akio Mori, neuroscientist and professor at Tokyo’s Nihon University, conducted another study which showed decrease of beta waves in the brain after playing the games.  “Beta wave activity in people [highest amount of video game playing] was constantly near zero, even when they weren’t playing, showing that they hardly used the prefrontal regions of their brains.  He coined the term “game brain” to describe the condition.

Mori said that, “Many video games stir up tension and a feeling of fear, and there is a very real concern that this could have a long-term effect on the autonomic nerves.”  Heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen consumption increases while gaming, as if the brain is responding to danger, whether it be real or perceived.

Despite the sense of danger, decreased inhibition, anxiety and aggression that may result from playing such video games, I still cannot imagine how that would lead to Mr. Graziano’s decision to firebomb three synagogues.  If he truly is mentally ill and has some sort of grandiose conspiracy theory, anything is possible.  But the Xbox-made-me-do-it plea, that I don’t buy.