disbar Jack Thompson, the gaming Nazi

[zex marquise offline]

Now, all gamers sign this online petition to disbar Jack Thompson, nemesis of gamers everywhere.
Stop Jack
If you are detached from the gaming community and don't know who he is, read his wikipedia section to fully comprehend why gamers think of him before MJ when they hear the name 'Wacko Jacko'. (Or simply read it because it is funny to see his idiocy exposed so professionally.) Here is one of his most infamous quotes: "Islam promotes the killing of innocent people. 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." -Jack Thompson. He obviously doesn't watch CNN. Even a 10 year old could tell you Islam doesn't promote killing. This intolerant and idiotic stereotype is why some people hate Americans so much, and he is a danger to our civil rights.

P.S.
Gamers go buy Indigo Prophecy. 1) It is a glorious game, like an interactive movie. I salute you, Mr. David Cage, and wish you great success on your future endeavors. 2) It's from France. That's one more reason to lord your multicultural 1337-ness over the ignorant American hip-hops around you. Be pretentious. You've earned it. 3) So you can hear Tyler say, "Did you see what that guy just did? ----, man! That's Crazy!" 4) Last but most certainly not least, David Gasman (Jim & Herb/Hervé) and Sharon Mann (Jeremie and Aelita) both voice characters in it. Yay! I am so in love with Sharon's voice right now. I think I need counseling. *Note: This is a midnight rant. It has nothing to do with the topic being discussed and should not be replied to.*

[lyoko is great offline]

This Guy is very dumb he has got to go far far away.

[zex marquise offline]

Me or Jack?

[Gauntlet offline]

I agree with his cause, but I don't exactly agree with his methods, amongst some other things.

I believe most of the kids who are severely affected by these games are those who do not have parental supervision. In America, most of the time, both parents are forced to work. Because of that, children usually cooped in their room with nothing to do except play most of these games--do their parents know it? Probably not, thus, they cannot exactly enforce their views and guidance on their children.

I do play violent video games. I'm a fan of Silent Hill (which does have a warning about cruel acts and violence as you start the game up, and it does fit the bill), Mortal Kombat, and probably a few other franchises that I don't recall (except GTA... don't know why, but it is beyond me why I loathe that game). I'm not going to commit any violent acts because I have a stable influence in my life. My mother doesn't work, and while she doesn't particularly enjoy watching my games, she does understand them.

She understands them, and she knows about them. Most of the subjects Thompson is talking about are your average American child--both parents are working, and there is little influence to keep them in the right path. I believe that when people surround themselves with these type of games, they're bound to trip up along the way and find themselves in a mess. That doesn't mean that they'll start shooting off at people, but other aspects of their life will suffer.

As for the Muslim/Islam quote, I disagree with it. My neighbors are Muslim, and to be honest, they've been the most tolerant and accepting people we've met (they've been exceptionally kind to us and my brother, who has autism), while my other neighbors have...well, demonstrated less-than-human reactions towards my brother in some cases.

Overall, I believe Jack Thompson has humane intentions and beliefs, but his means to get there are slightly absurd. He's probably not going to get very far by criticizing gamers, their passions, and other religions, and he doesn't actually think of rational methods to win his crusade.

...Though it was slightly amusing to find out you could make a Thompson clone with Mortal Kombat: Armageddon's "Kreate a Fighter" feature.

[zex marquise offline]

Exactly. Parents need to monitor what their kids play more carefully. It has been proven that the judgment-related area of your brain continues to develop until you about 21. Impressionable young kids shouldn't be allowed to play exceptionally violent games. Common sense. I went to see Spiderman 3, right? There are these 6 year-olds in the audience laughing their heads off as Spidey beats the holey crap out of Sandman, accompanied by his yells of pain, and I'm thinking, "Holy crap, what are these parents thinking? These kids are already desensitized." Then there is the ratings. The ESRB is almost worthless now that they slap M on everything. Halo 2 and Postal 2. The former is about saving the human race from extinction, the latter is about slaughtering people in the most violent and vulgar way possible. The ratings don't take into account the huge differences in morality. Games, like anime, are not made just for kids. There are games strictly intended for adults out there. Silent Hill is one of them. Indigo Prophecy is another. (Carla+Lucas, for those of you who have played it.) Like movies, there are certain games you don't let you kid play until they reach a certain age. Heck, everyone knows by now my love for Eureka seveN (see sig), and I would never let my kid see it before they were at least 15.


Edit: It's 2:00AM and I'm still here, in an altered state of awareness. Things are getting bendy. I got the lights... from the console... keep me... lift me up... so pretty, like... little angels... *falls over, unconscious*

[Gauntlet offline]

Exactly. Parents need to monitor what their kids play more carefully. It has been proven that the judgment-related area of your brain continues to develop until you about 21. Impressionable young kids shouldn't be allowed to play exceptionally violent games. Common sense. I went to see Spiderman 3, right? There are these 6 year-olds in the audience laughing their heads off as Spidey beats the holey crap out of Sandman, accompanied by his yells of pain, and I'm thinking, "Holy crap, what are these parents thinking? These kids are already desensitized." Then there is the ratings. The ESRB is almost worthless now that they slap M on everything. Halo 2 and Postal 2. The former is about saving the human race from extinction, the latter is about slaughtering people in the most violent and vulgar way possible. The ratings don't take into account the huge differences in morality. Games, like anime, are not made just for kids. There are games strictly intended for adults out there. Silent Hill is one of them. Indigo Prophecy is another. (Carla+Lucas, for those of you who have played it.) Like movies, there are certain games you don't let you kid play until they reach a certain age. Heck, everyone knows by now my love for Eureka seveN (see sig), and I would never let my kid see it before they were at least 15.

Yeah, those were one of the things that irked me, too. Silent Hill is a more interesting game, though; it isn't mindless blood or gratuitous killing. There was a reason, or justifiable cause for it, similar to Halo, but they're pretty quick to judge any game without reading into it (though Silent Hill should keep the M rating, because of how strongly they express their views).

They really should revamp the ESRB system, it doesn't do Halo any justice to be piled together with Postal, but that's not what he wants. He's really not going to get a lot of fan mail if he goes through with it, and even so, he doesn't right now. I don't think Thompson needs to enforce this ban with such blind vigor when the problem lies elsewhere--in the family, and the rating system if they could enforce it more effectively.

[N-TOWA(KBH) offline]

The guy is too stereotypical. To a slight degree, he is right, but only if the gamer in question can not differentiate easily between reality and the game(meaning that they commonly emulate the things they see in the games, this normally only applies to young children.). The way he acts it seems like he thinks that anyone who plays a violent video game is a violent person. Which raises this question in my mind: If in fighting games, my favorite weapon is the staff then why haven't a killed someone with a staff or some other blunt weapon yet? There is only one answer that comes to mind: video games do not necessarily make gamers violent.

[Kita K. offline]

I personally believe that Thompson works for Rockstar, and they pay him to generate controversy about their games. If you think about it, it's feasible.

I mean, really, Thompson never complains about Resident Evil or Dead Rising or Silent Hill or any of those other violent games, only Rockstar's games (even the ones with little to no gore, like Bully).

But that's just my opinion.

[. offline]

You don't need a petition. Anyone with half a brain wont listen to the guy.

[Gauntlet offline]

The guy is too stereotypical. To a slight degree, he is right, but only if the gamer in question can not differentiate easily between reality and the game(meaning that they commonly emulate the things they see in the games, this normally only applies to young children.). The way he acts it seems like he thinks that anyone who plays a violent video game is a violent person. Which raises this question in my mind: If in fighting games, my favorite weapon is the staff then why haven't a killed someone with a staff or some other blunt weapon yet? There is only one answer that comes to mind: video games do not necessarily make gamers violent.

Precisely.

He shouldn't be targeting the video game market to affect everyone. Most people can decapitate their friend, or bludgeon BiLlYjOeBoB84 to death on an online game and are never affected by it. The ones who are the most prone, and who he should be focusing on, are certain consumers, and not the games. Namely, children without a stable influence in their life, or people who already have some kind of mental instability.

[Rail Runner offline]

I have played most of Rockstars games...GTA from the beginning of the series until now. I have played Silent Hill, I have played most of those games. I havent killed anyone, and I dont intend to. People like him are idiots. I dont waste my time reading what this guy has to say..he is just a few fries short of a happy meal.

[N-TOWA(KBH) offline]

he is just a few fries short of a happy meal.

*laughs* That's a phrase I've never heard before.

[Reesane offline]

Actualy, he's one of the reasones I think some lawyers are the most evil beings on the planet....