Jack Thompson appeared on The Pat Cambell Show and is once again pushing his misconstrued and flawed arguments in a public medium, using Grand Theft Auto as a shield for them.
For those of you who don’t know, Jack Thompson is a former lawyer out of Florida who has become a very public figure as an activist against violence in video games. In the past, he has appeared on numerous TV broadcasts including CNN, Nightline, Fox News, and more. In the beginning, his motives were very admirable as he only wanted the sale of violent, M-rated video games to minors banned. Since then, it seems as though his lust for control over the content within video games has grown, and now it is coming to a point where he is looking to have the sales of anything he deems “unacceptable” banned to anyone, regardless of age. Jack was disbarred in September of 2008 for 27 counts, including (but not limited to):
- Making false statements to tribunals.
- Disparaging and humiliating litigants and other lawyers.
- Submitting false evidence.
- Obstruction.
- Improperly practicing law outside the state of Florida.
He has stated many times that violent games are a direct cause in many cases in which teenagers have commited acts of murder. He claims that games like Grand Theft Auto, Call of Duty, Medal of Honor, Halo, and many more are “murder simulators” and that gaming companies are providing the tools for these teens to train themselves to become killers. Saying that companies like Rockstar are the criminals in these sort of situations is like saying Lionsgate is responsible for a murder because the suspect owned a Saw DVD. It’s a correlation that may have absolutely nothing to do with what’s at hand.
The game companies that create mature-rated games do not make them with the intention of being sold to minors, nor should it stop them from creating said games for the people who know how to handle them, and can separate the fictitious environments from the real world. They can’t enforce anything because that’s the responsibility of the retailers, and ultimately the parents. It’s their responsibilties to teach their kids right from wrong. If the parents feel that their child can handle the game, than that’s their discretion. If it turns out the child cannot, once again, that is the fault of the parents; not the gaming companies. His focus should be aimed at the retailers and the parents, not the game companies. The games are created, passed down to the ESRB for rating, and once a rating is given, the company sends the games off to be published. After that, it’s up to the retailers who purchases the games.
Jack’s opinion of the recent Supreme Court ruling is no different. He calls the ruling a “Libertarian crank” and comments on the statement that video games are no different than books, movies, etc. by saying “in Grand Theft Auto, you’re not just watching the raped, you are doing the rape, and then killing her to get your money back.” Jack’s view of the emulated prostitution in the GTA series is terribly flawed in viewing these as a rape. Now granted that most of us could give two squats about whether the prostitution bits are in the game or not, that does not dismiss the fact that he is misleading and fear-mongering. He has not played the game, therefor his opinions are what is considered “hear-say” and is not admissible in any official hearing. Those bits within the game are just “gags” that are thrown in and are not actual missions, as he proclaims you mission is “to kill and have sex with as many women as you can.” He then goes on to call those bits “rape training,” which is not only extreme, but also incorrect.
Jack Thompson repeatedly claims that various people are incorrect in their beliefs, but it all comes down to the fact that he has not played any of the games he is so out-spoken about, and it shows in the amount of misinformation he presents at each one of his appearances.
I could pick apart this video all day, but if you would like to hear Jack Thompson’s arguments than check out the video below and leave your thoughts in the comment box. (Note: The images used in the video can be a little gruesome at times, like the Crucifixion photo. It’s the only video I could find of the interview.)
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