Jack thompson and his crazy plans to destroy the gaming world

[tuteja1986]

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=28926

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MIAMI ATTORNEY and video game regulation advocate Jack Thompson sure knows how to win friends and influence people over to his side.

Thompson, who wants strict limits on violent video games, told 32_Footsteps that video gamers should put down their controllers and get a life. He said that gaming was not healthy and he worried about someone who would play Grand Theft Auto for ten hours a day.

"It?s a masturbatory activity, and it would be better if people put down the controller and went outside."

He claimed he had been persecuted by gamers. They have initiated complaints with the Florida Bar Association, trashed him on Wikipedia. They flooded out his inbox. He said they were hypocritical about the First Amendment and complained he interfered with their right to free speech, but used terrorist tactics to deny his own.

Thompson said that he would stop his actions against the games companies and retailers if they stopped marketing their games to kids. More here. µ
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http://www.netjak.com/review.php/1091 >>> read the interview ... so funny


lol ... that man is not going anywhere with his quest to stop kids playing video games.

 

[Lonyo]

I'd rather my kids were doing drugs, having fights, and spreading STD's than playing computer games.

 

[StrangerGuy]

Mentally-unsound people are pretty vocal in the US, I guess?

 

[kongs]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
I'd rather my kids were doing drugs, having fights, and spreading STD's than playing computer games.

Exactly, My mom used to complain that I was on the computer too much (when actually I really am not I use it for about 2-3 hours a day, and there are plenty of days I don't use it. And I would always tell her "would you rather me be out with my friends getting into trouble smoking/drinking? Since probably 90% of my friends do (I do as well) and she couldn't getting to counter that

 

[Seeruk]

http://tf.erzz.com/2006/01/05/jack-thompson-is-attention-seeking-again/

 

[mwmorph]

Originally posted by: StrangerGuy
Mentally-unsound people are pretty vocal in the US, I guess?

actually the mentally insaine are basically most of the outspoken voices you hear in the us. If you ever listen to political radio, be it liberal or conservative, or watch cspan of congress, you'll see just about everybody in a position of power has to be insaine.

 

[jdport]

I don't really see why people get all up in arms about not selling M-rated games to children. It's up to the parents whether their kids should play certain types of games, and I don't see any reason why they shouldn't "ban" (for lack of a better word) selling "M" games to children. Note, I'm not talking about banning the game completely, or stopping most people from playing it. I'm only talking about children. If a parent wants to buy GTA for their kids and have them pimping hos and running down cops in a video game, so be it... but the parents should know what the kids are playing and if kids can buy them then the parents really don't know. Granted, some kids would still get ahold of those types of games without their parents knowledge but it would be less of an issue.

To me it's a non-issue... I am a gamer, and I support the gaming industry's right to produce whatever kind of games they want and let the gamers choose what they want to play. However, there should be some modicon of responsibility when they are releasing mature content and I just don't see how it hurts anybody to limit the sales of those types of games to adults, which is who the games are made for and are primarily played by anyway.

Also, the argument about "would you rather I be out smoking and drinking and doing drugs" is an asinine arguement. You could use that argument to justify ANY behavior. If you are out smoking weed, you'd say "I could be out robbing 7-11's". The person robbing a 7-11 "could" be out raping women. The rapist "could" be out mass murdering.... and so on and so on. The "what you could be doing" argument just means you've run out of anything with substance to respond with.

Again, I'm with you for the most part I'm a gamer too... I just think it's much ado about nothing.

 

[Seeruk]

Im sorry but the responsibilty is in the hands of the retailers and the parents. It has absolutley nothing to do with the companies. If a liquor store sells whisky to a 10 year-old - Is that Jack Daniels fault? NO

If a stupid b1tch soccer mom buys her 6yo a violent game meant for over 18s.... is that rockstar's fault?? NO

 

[spherrod]

Originally posted by: Seeruk
Im sorry but the responsibilty is in the hands of the retailers and the parents. It has absolutley nothing to do with the companies. If a liquor store sells whisky to a 10 year-old - Is that Jack Daniels fault? NO

If a stupid b1tch soccer mom buys her 6yo a violent game meant for over 18s.... is that rockstar's fault?? NO

Yep, it's about time parents in particular realised their responsibilities rather than pointing the finger at others

 

[Cheetah8799]

I read through that interview. And to be honest, Thompson has some good points, but he really goes about it all wrong. He seems to intentionally harass companies and make them hate him. If he really wanted them to change, he should be less inflamitory and try to help in some way.

He also doesn't work well with the gamer community. he attacks people who enjoy playing a lot, which is obvious by the last comment in the interview. If he really wanted to help, he'd not be such a jerk about it.

anyway, that's how I see it. I haven't done much research on the guy, so I'm only going by the little I've read here and in other PA write-ups.

 

[Dethfrumbelo]

Originally posted by: Cheetah8799
I read through that interview. And to be honest, Thompson has some good points, but he really goes about it all wrong. He seems to intentionally harass companies and make them hate him. If he really wanted them to change, he should be less inflamitory and try to help in some way.

He also doesn't work well with the gamer community. he attacks people who enjoy playing a lot, which is obvious by the last comment in the interview. If he really wanted to help, he'd not be such a jerk about it.

anyway, that's how I see it. I haven't done much research on the guy, so I'm only going by the little I've read here and in other PA write-ups.

He's a lawyer. I don't think he's really too concerned about the moral implications, just his big fat paycheck.

 

[Cheetah8799]

Originally posted by: Dethfrumbelo
He's a lawyer. I don't think he's really too concerned about the moral implications, just his big fat paycheck.

Not all lawyers are bad people, as you seem to be implying. There are a lot of different types of lawyers who do different things, they don't all chase ambulances...

Though I do kinda think his moral beliefs really don't play a huge part in his war against the gaming community. If that were the case, he wouldn't be hated so much by everyone in the industry. Instead people would think he's a good guy working for a good cause, and they might be more interested in listening to and working with him.

 

[cubby1223]

Originally posted by: tuteja1986
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Thompson said that he would stop his actions against the games companies and retailers if they stopped marketing their games to kids. More here. µ
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Well, I can't totally disagree with this, unfortunately.

I needed to drop something off at an elementary school the other day in the next town over, and we're talking small rural town, and not 200 yards from the elementary school is a giant billboard for "True Crimes New York" with a giant picture of a thug pointing a gun.

I'm usually all in support of video game violence, but I have to draw the line on that.

 

[tuteja1986]

true crime is a horrible game .. thoes developers don't know how to make games.. they sell alot by lucky because average joe can't tell the difference between a good game from a bad game. This is why ea horrible sport game sell like hot pan cake and when someone releases a good sport games and its worth buying.. it doesn't sell well.

 

[kamper]

Originally posted by: jdport
Also, the argument about "would you rather I be out smoking and drinking and doing drugs" is an asinine arguement. You could use that argument to justify ANY behavior. If you are out smoking weed, you'd say "I could be out robbing 7-11's". The person robbing a 7-11 "could" be out raping women. The rapist "could" be out mass murdering.... and so on and so on. The "what you could be doing" argument just means you've run out of anything with substance to respond with.

:laugh: Well put!

I'm not inclined to disagree with this Thompson guy - I don't play games simply because I've got better things to do (well, that and I've never been very good at them ) - but yeah, some slightly thicker skin and maybe some tact would certainly not hurt his cause.