Most of you know who Jack Thompson is. If you dont, let me give you a quick overview.
The media calls him a video game regulation advocate but gamers all across the US call him the guy that makes video games out to be the work of the devil. He is the lawyer from Miami that blames the GTA developers for some dumbasses creating the mod Hot Coffee. He is greedy and manipulative and is using this whole video game controversy to push himself up the ladder of fame as he rakes in the cash from his idiot clients. In short, WHAT AN ASSHOLE.
And now some of you may be wondering, Why Jessyca? What has Jack Thompson done to upset you so? Well, loyal readers of my blog (all three of youlol), let me spin you a little yarn.
We all know how most of my friends and I feel about video games. They have provided us with hours of entertainment, sometimes creating experiences that we will remember for the rest of our lives. They have helped us when we feel helpless, alone and even aggravated. I know I like to throw on some KH and massacre a couple thousand heartless when Im feeling unhappy. And now this jerk is gonna try to tell us that one of the things that makes us most happy is one of the leading causes of violence in America? Tsk Tsk, Mr. Thompson. Dont fuck with gamers, it wont be pretty.
I went to CAD tonight, to see if they had updated and lo and behold I see the new comic and Absaths angry bit about Jack Thompsons harassment of another video game based web-comic artist Scott Ramsoomair of VGCats. You can read their correspondence here. (Richard described it best as re-fucking-diculous.)
I think one of the things Jack refuses to realize is, there is a process to getting these games to minors. Rockstar didnt just send every minor in America a copy of GTA with a nice note reading Hey, play this! Itll make ya wanna kill people!. Oh no, there is a process.
The games start out as an idea. Someone comes up with something they think the consumer wants, and if the idea gets picked up and the game gets made and people decide to sell it, they put a nice label on it to tell the consumer Hey DONT LET YOUR FUCKING KIDS PLAY THIS. Then the game gets shipped to the store. It is then the CSR or the Sales Rep.s job to inform the consumer. I worked at Blockbuster and I told every parent that tried to rent GTA the same thing. This game is rated Mature. It is violent and sexually suggestive. It probably isnt the best pick for anyone under 18. About 7 out of 10 parents looked me dead in the eye and said Its ok. I think they can handle it. I rented it to a woman with an 8 year old boy and I practically begged her not to rent it. Even as she was walking out the door I said, If you realize its too violent, you can bring it back for something else, no charge. She never brought it back.
And now we see where the real problem is Jack, and you even acknowledge it in your CBS interview.
CBS: Are parents paying attention to what their kids play?
Jack Thompson: Nope.
So why does he continue to blame the ESRB and the developers?! They have done their parts! They put the damn labels on! Its the parents job to pay attention to them and use sound judgement. He also says:
You see, the industry is selling these games to kids whose parents are reckless.We need to punish the industry and the parents who are putting innocent people in harm's way.
As a CSR at Blockbuster am I supposed to refuse this game to parents who decide to let their kids play it? I AM NOT THE BAD GUY! NOR IS THE INDUSTRY!! Parents are making god damn decisions. He may be right about the parents needing punishment, but the industry? I think not.
Aside from that, Tim is absolutely right when he says these games in the hands of young minds whose parents are letting the television teach them right and wrong are indeed dangerous. But most kids are taught right from wrong in 2nd grade. They know its wrong to hit their sister and its ok to share your PB&J with her. Its not the video games that make kids violent. It could be a number of things. Chemical imbalances, poor parental guidance, even free will!
So Jack, unless you can find some SOUND evidence, I suggest moving on to something with less of a following. Obviously, we are a lot smarter than you think. It must be the games.
(Sorry this was so long guys. It probably doesnt even make much sense. It was just so infuriating.)
The media calls him a video game regulation advocate but gamers all across the US call him the guy that makes video games out to be the work of the devil. He is the lawyer from Miami that blames the GTA developers for some dumbasses creating the mod Hot Coffee. He is greedy and manipulative and is using this whole video game controversy to push himself up the ladder of fame as he rakes in the cash from his idiot clients. In short, WHAT AN ASSHOLE.
And now some of you may be wondering, Why Jessyca? What has Jack Thompson done to upset you so? Well, loyal readers of my blog (all three of youlol), let me spin you a little yarn.
We all know how most of my friends and I feel about video games. They have provided us with hours of entertainment, sometimes creating experiences that we will remember for the rest of our lives. They have helped us when we feel helpless, alone and even aggravated. I know I like to throw on some KH and massacre a couple thousand heartless when Im feeling unhappy. And now this jerk is gonna try to tell us that one of the things that makes us most happy is one of the leading causes of violence in America? Tsk Tsk, Mr. Thompson. Dont fuck with gamers, it wont be pretty.
I went to CAD tonight, to see if they had updated and lo and behold I see the new comic and Absaths angry bit about Jack Thompsons harassment of another video game based web-comic artist Scott Ramsoomair of VGCats. You can read their correspondence here. (Richard described it best as re-fucking-diculous.)
I think one of the things Jack refuses to realize is, there is a process to getting these games to minors. Rockstar didnt just send every minor in America a copy of GTA with a nice note reading Hey, play this! Itll make ya wanna kill people!. Oh no, there is a process.
The games start out as an idea. Someone comes up with something they think the consumer wants, and if the idea gets picked up and the game gets made and people decide to sell it, they put a nice label on it to tell the consumer Hey DONT LET YOUR FUCKING KIDS PLAY THIS. Then the game gets shipped to the store. It is then the CSR or the Sales Rep.s job to inform the consumer. I worked at Blockbuster and I told every parent that tried to rent GTA the same thing. This game is rated Mature. It is violent and sexually suggestive. It probably isnt the best pick for anyone under 18. About 7 out of 10 parents looked me dead in the eye and said Its ok. I think they can handle it. I rented it to a woman with an 8 year old boy and I practically begged her not to rent it. Even as she was walking out the door I said, If you realize its too violent, you can bring it back for something else, no charge. She never brought it back.
And now we see where the real problem is Jack, and you even acknowledge it in your CBS interview.
CBS: Are parents paying attention to what their kids play?
Jack Thompson: Nope.
So why does he continue to blame the ESRB and the developers?! They have done their parts! They put the damn labels on! Its the parents job to pay attention to them and use sound judgement. He also says:
You see, the industry is selling these games to kids whose parents are reckless.We need to punish the industry and the parents who are putting innocent people in harm's way.
As a CSR at Blockbuster am I supposed to refuse this game to parents who decide to let their kids play it? I AM NOT THE BAD GUY! NOR IS THE INDUSTRY!! Parents are making god damn decisions. He may be right about the parents needing punishment, but the industry? I think not.
Aside from that, Tim is absolutely right when he says these games in the hands of young minds whose parents are letting the television teach them right and wrong are indeed dangerous. But most kids are taught right from wrong in 2nd grade. They know its wrong to hit their sister and its ok to share your PB&J with her. Its not the video games that make kids violent. It could be a number of things. Chemical imbalances, poor parental guidance, even free will!
So Jack, unless you can find some SOUND evidence, I suggest moving on to something with less of a following. Obviously, we are a lot smarter than you think. It must be the games.
(Sorry this was so long guys. It probably doesnt even make much sense. It was just so infuriating.)
VIEW 4 of 4 COMMENTS
OK, now ive ranted all over your journal. Im sorry,