If there's anything we've learned quite well in the United States over the last six years it's this simple concept: Who needs facts? Facts are messy and they just get in the way of truthiness. In the wake of the Virginia Tech massacre it would be too easy to look at gun control. Republican Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt spoke about the VT shootings Friday at a news conference. Leavitt, who is part of President Bush's cabinet, stated, "Inevitably we'll have conversation about guns. We have video games and the media and its impact. Inevitably we'll hear conversations about mental health and available [sic] of mental health."

Both Huntsman and Leavitt in the quotes pulled by GamePolitics put guns as the top issue and then media/video games in second. Mental health remained tertiary. Of course, the focus will probably be about anything but guns. Having a conservative discuss gun control in the US is like trying to get liberals to discuss welfare reform -- some golden cows you just don't touch. Looking at video games in the two recent US killing sprees, instead of focusing on guns and mental health, is certainly interesting considering neither killer had video games -- but we're pretty sure they were crazy and had guns. President Bush has requested a report on the VT issue in 30 days. We can't wait to see if the Pokémon episode "The Legend of Dratini" (pictured) is brought into this debate -- guns, media and video games in one neat, easy to digest, package.

Apparently figuring that drug runners would rather shoot a virtual gun than a real one, Mexico City authorities have started a program allowing gun owners in the crime-riddled Tepito area to trade in their firearms for game systems. Reuters reports that a high-powered machine gun will net a $756 computer, while turning in a smaller gun earns an Xbox (presumably a 360, though the article is unclear) or cash.

Organizers reportedly took in 17 guns on the first day -- a relative blip in a region afflicted with 2,000 drug-related killing last year, but still a good start. Here's hoping these criminals find the idea of virtual violence much more engrossing than real world carnage.

Previously: GRAW 2 to be seized by Mexican state gov't

While a little late in its development cycle, the team behind Red Steel opened a blog yesterday to discuss the game's progress as it reaches its final stages. The first topic: the much-discussed control scheme.

Producer Marie-Sol Beaudry wants players to have fun and not "force people to become actual professional swordsmen" (it's good thing, too -- professional swordsmen make very little money these days). The matter of synchronization between the Wiimote and sword animation apparently proved tricky. Beaudry promises that the final sword-fighting will be more diverse and feature a couple of undisclosed special moves.

One of the early comments suggested an option for players to have the option of switching between scripted moves and freestyle animation. It is a great idea, but we get the impression Ubisoft is not prepared to go in that direction for this title. Maybe another game, from a galaxy far, far away, can quench our thirst. O, to dream ...

Video games have been teaching kids about the right to bear arms (as in blow away anything that moves) for years, but it still seems odd to find a target shooting game sponsored by the National Rifle Association. Developer Crave stresses the "non-violence"  of NRA Gun Club -- but you don't have to be Sarah Brady to find that ironic given the "100 faithfully recreated firearms," including everybody's favorite plinko pistol, the Intratec Tec-9. With a graphical  upgrade and perhaps a voice-over by Charlton Heston, Gun Club would  be a great Xbox Live Arcade title, but instead its shot-to-hell visuals are likely to be forgotten during the PS2's waning summer. Too bad. You can never be too careful with that virtual shotgun.