Jack Thompson: Requiem for a Douchebag

As many of you know there is this lawyer, who has decided to take it upon himself to declare war on the video game industy. This guy is a complete raving loony.

Evidence here.

He has repeatedly gone on record of saying gamers are retarded bastard children prone to violence and acts of sexual deviences. Or something like that.

Most recently he has made an idiotic challange
that seems insane and border line racist. And this is blantantly racist(Actual quote)
"The Bible doesn't promote killing innocent people," Thompson said. "Grand Theft Auto does. Islam does."
"Islam promotes the killing of innocent people," Thompson said. "The Quran requires the infidel, whether Jew or Christian, to be killed. ? That's a core essence of the religion. ? Muhammad was a pirate who killed infidels and who advocated the killing of infidels. Not a nice guy. Osama bin Laden is in keeping with his fine tradition."

And when I said he is insane, I litteraly mean, insane.
His e-mails with VGcats creator.
Incidents with PA people
More.


Why is this man allowed to speak in a court of law?

 

My understanding of the Quaran (which I will admit is very limited) says that Muslims should respect the other "book religions". Meaning the Jews and Christian. It's a shame that so many don't.

But anyway yeah, this guy sucks.

 

I loved the Penny Arcade one.

Yeah, he needs to be put away... talking about killing Wal-Mart and EBgames employees.

 

Heh, it's funny how that Video Game proposal went over peoples heads. He was ripping off Jonathan Swifts "A Modest Proposal". Which was a satirical piece which suggested the eating of the poors children so they did not grow up to be a burden on the government. If memory serves me correctly.

I'm not defending Thompson, the guy is like a Soccer Mom with Testicles. But that bit about the creating of that video game was his way of thumbing his nose at the industry. To bad he is so irrelevant. I'm sure Rockstar cried themselves to sleep after that stunt.

 

My understanding of the Quaran (which I will admit is very limited) says that Muslims should respect the other "book religions". Meaning the Jews and Christian. It's a shame that so many don't.

That is my understanding as well. I think it's tragic that a small minority of Muslims are causing the name of their religion, which is supposed to be about peace, knowledge and understanding, to be turned into mud. But that's off-topic.


The sad thing is that underneath all the bat**** insanity and the raving lunacy, Jack Thomson makes something resembling a good point. Young children should not play violent games. Does anybody actually disagree with that? If you had a 9 year-old kid, would you let them play GTA? I certainly wouldn't, Hot Coffee or no. Whether or not it causes agression and violence in the real world is sort of beside the point. It's just not suitable, which is why it was rated for 17 and up. Same goes for any violent game. I am very much against any form of censorship, I think that consenting adults should be alowed to watch or play whatever they wish, whether I personally like it or not. But restricting children from being exposed to unsuitable imagery and content is different. So Jack's got a point, such as it is, but I don't really think anyone in their right mind actually disagrees with him. The problem is that his good point is hidden under such a huge, steaming pile of crap, and showboating for the media. That 'game proposal' of his...Wha-??? How does he think that's doing him any favours at all? It's just going to make him a laughing stock, because he's plainly a few sandwiches short of a picnic.

I could make a side-note here about the strangeness I see about society's reaction to high levels of violence in games or movies comparted with their reaction to even a hint of sex, but I'll get sidetracked. My point is that I do agree with the central point Jack's making beneath it all, but doesn't everyone? His problem is that all the insanity and PR stunts has completely overridden that key point.

 

So says the Shephard.

 

Amen!

 

I could make a remark here about how Christianity promotes violence and anti-intellectualism, but instead I'll just settle for JACK THOMPSON LOL

 

I could make a remark here about how Christianity promotes violence and anti-intellectualism, but instead I'll just settle for JACK THOMPSON LOL

I think we can ALL agree that Jack Thomson promotes violence and anti-intellectualism.

(And applause for the Firefly references. You guys have impeccable tatse )

 

Pff....what a crock from a Quack.

 

I'm guessing that 'ol Jacko has a grudge from the videogame industry because he got owned by a ten year old on Halo. So whatever did happen to the Sims and their pixelated privates?

 

Quite.

 

Young children should not play violent games. Does anybody actually disagree with that? If you had a 9 year-old kid, would you let them play GTA?

If I thought they were mature enough I would. But that's the problem. People think it's about age. It's not.

 

nice title. lmao

 

He was ripping off Jonathan Swifts "A Modest Proposal". Which was a satirical piece which suggested the eating of the poors children so they did not grow up to be a burden on the government. If memory serves me correctly.

If Jack Thompson were in any way vaguely intellectual or even mentally sound, I would go "lol swift", but as it is, his style is so outrageously retarded it's impossible to tell when he's joking and when he's being "serious".

 

QFT. I've seen younglings that are very mature and on the other side, I've seen older people that are very immature.

 

Jack Thompson is a bitch.

Commando

 

And that's the thing. The ESRB Ratings system is really based on maturity, not age. With the exception of AO, the ages are merely suggestions. That's why the big thing in the stamp is the M not the 17+. JT can't seem to figure that out. Sure, there are a fair share of people playing GTA and such who can't handle them even though they are above the suggested age, but there are also a fair share of us who are below the recommended age who can handle GTA and such.

Convenient timing makes this a horrible example, but I'll be 17 in about a month (give or take 5 days), and I was playing GTA III way back when it first came out with no reprehensible consequences (lol. I love throwing around big words to sound intellectual. I picked the trick up from Wacko Jacko). I'm not exactly what I would consider mature; I still laugh at fart jokes, but I think I know the difference between reality and Video Games (reality is the one without cheat codes and magic, right?)

 

Thompson, J00 SuxXx0rz.

 

If I thought they were mature enough I would. But that's the problem. People think it's about age. It's not.

Fair point, but 9, which was my example, I would say would be too young regardless. I would be very surprised to find a child of that age with the maturity to deal with a game such as GTA. I agree, though, that the ages in ratings are just guidelines, but they do help give an idea of the kind of maturity that would be required. It's up to a responsible parent or guardian to make that call, and that's part of the problem. There's still this perception among many people that video games are for kids, and they don't seem to realise that these days games deal with subject matter that can be mature, controvertial, even risque. Once that perception is broken, and people start to understand that there are games for kids, and games for adults, then perhaps there can be some progress.

I found this last night, thought it was an interesting read: In Defence of Jack Thomson. There are some good points made here.

 

That article makes some good points. The difference in ratings systems between US, and UK (what about Japan?) is knid of absurd. Why does it have to be a national body if videogames are an international thing. Perhaps some globe-spanning VG ratings body that could avoid the utter silliness of a game being appropriate for an 18+ year old, but way to naughty for a 17 year old.

And, I'll agree with the author of that article that Jack-bashing has been rather common, but I haven't seen it in too many VG publications. And even so, the people that work at VG mags aren't reporters with a strict job of reporting fact. 90% of just about any VG Mag is review. Their job is to tell us their opinions on anything and everything in the VG world so we know what games and peripherals and developers to patronize and what to avoid.

 

When this guy's 15 minutes of fame are up, I'm really gonna miss him.

He's right, Hot coffee would not have been an issue because there would have been no rating to change. Other than that, there's the fact that parents are clearly less likely to buy their 9-year-old the game if they don't know whether or not the game contains sex or violence.

Come on, Jack. The ESRB isn't intended to "protect" kids. It's intended to help parents make smart decisions on what games they want their kids playing.

Jack Thompson, fighting in the trenches in WWII? I knew he was old, but I didn't know he was that old. And, contrary to Jack's belief, we could probably all get along if we didn't have people like him fanning the flames of hatred. Gamers, with a few exceptions (the alleged Columbine shooter and other people), are generally tame bunch, who get our fill of violence simply by fragging our friends in Halo. Once Jack came along, he's quoted and referenced thousands of pieces of hate mail from gamers who he unwittingly united against him. He brought this violence upon himself.