Tensions are high as everyone tries to figure out what to do in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting that left 20 children and several adults dead. But most of us can probably agree that holding a "book burning" for violent games is not the answer.

Yet that's exactly what an organization in Southington, Conn., a small town about 30 miles from Newtown, is planning. The SouthingtonSOS organization, made up of city representatives ranging from local clergy to members of the Chamber of Commerce and board of education, was formed in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina. But now it's concerning itself with sensationalism instead of providing actual help.

In an excellent article at Polygon, the event's organizers emphasize over and over that the game-destruction drive (they're also accepting movies and music, but—we're guessing—not books) is not really about burning games or censorship at all. Instead, they say they're just trying to get parents to have a conversation with their kids. They want to open a dialogue.

Clearly there's no better way to do that than to collect, destroy and incinerate as many violent games as possible, right? They're even offering $25 gift cards in exchange!

The entire thing is absurd and barbaric. No one is arguing that children should be playing violent video games. But destroying them is not only pointless—it's downright draconian. And besides, burning that much plastic is incredibly irresponsible. If anything, they should gather these games and sell them, simultaneously getting them out of the hands of kids and raising money that could go toward something that's actually useful.

But we're guessing that wouldn't attract nearly as much attention.

[via Polygon via Kotaku]