In part to just alert people who aren’t huge nerds and to add to the Google pile against Mr. Thompson.
Here is a man that has made his living being a jackass that everyone detests - even people who he apparently supports. Jack Thompson is the spokesman against big-video game. That’s right folks, he fancies himself the champion of a morally (perhaps divinely) inspired cause against the greedy and corrupt “old boys club” that is video games.
The hilarity of this is beyond pathetic - this is like taking up a cause against Hollywood, not just an issue or perhaps public disrespect, but straight-up crusading against an entire industry. Thompson, in his pathetically simple reasoning sees video game publishers as analogous to the Phillip-Morris company - filling our media with lies about the effects and consequences of their product. In this case we’re not talking an addictive, cancer-causing imbibed stick of dried plants - in which, I might note, we are still free to partake.
No, my gentle reader(s) Thompson wants to dismantle the edifice of the massive and utterly despicable world of computer entertainment. Thompson, in some fantastic inspiration (likely brought about at some born-again Christian rally, but I shan’t disparage the born-agains by association with this particularly loathsome man) has decided that America’s, nay the WORLD’s ills are brought about by video games.
Thompson believes that these “simulations” (last I checked there’s a exceedingly TINY market for simulations) are teaching children to become homicidal, fornicating, drug-using lunatics hell-bent on amassing huge quantities of material wealth and destroying his proud nation through moral decay (or some other hysterically romanticized version of what has already been happening for nearly a century in the US.)
To mention that Thompson is a lawyer would be discrediting to the profession (so much so that Jack had to sue the Bar Association of Florida - and of course lost). Come to think, of any suit which he is solely responsible I am unaware of even a MARGINAL victory for this man - any history I’ve read usually amounts to the judge treating his docket entry like the Sunday funnies and turfing his broke-ass on the curb.
Thompson is suing Take-Two interactive in some vain attempt to teach video gamers a lesson. Really what it is is that Take-Two stood up to Thompson, openly mocking him and summarily suing him for what is blatantly abusive use of the legal system. Unfortunately he cannot be disbarred for idiocy, but one would hope that some vigilant and inscrutable justice would cast Mr. Thompson into insurmountable debt so as to rid the courts of his inane nonsense.
The issue, as people of reason and intelligence have pointed out is that the gaming industry does have some moral obligation (by way of their ability) to lead young people in a way that is constructive and helpful to society. So far, job done. I dare anyone to find the smartest, say 10% of kids in a school and find that a majority of them DO NOT play video games. Now, take the bottom 10% of performers and do the same. This is not a CAUSE relationship, this is a corrolation. It has as much to do with income levels as anything else, but the reality is that video games hold little effect on the vast majority of kids by way of it being A) a solitary activity by and large for a group of people who learn their lessons almost entirely in a social context B) being so common place that discussion of the subject matter is common place, giving kids the appropriate context for the dynamic-fiction they play.
Thompson has furthered his claims of accusing Mike Krahliuk and Jerry Holkins, two suburban fathers who are avid video gamers and also happen to lead MANY legions of fans by way of the webcoming Penny Arcade, of racketeering and conspiracy to suppress Jack Thompson’s rights (I went to PAX, one forgets it was basically two guys holding a party for themselves - 30,000 people!)
When envisioning Thompson, it is difficult not to conjure images of some chitinous skinned sallow-eyed insectoid man. His lidless stare darting back and forth and his mouth always twitching and moving, his tongue darting feverishly keeping his lips ever moist.
It is worth noting that this was not the first time I’ve watched Jack “Wormtongue” Thompson in his masturbatory efforts in legal process. This was the man who attempted to stifle the career of 2 Live Crew, a rather notorious rap group who established a protective precedent for all rappers everywhere (Mr. Mathers you owe them your thanks). Jello Biafra, himself a corollary to the proceedings was a spokesman for their efforts (Jello Biafra was the lead singer to the Dead Kennedys and is an avid lecturer, political activist and film-maker) and my Biafra fandom introduced me to the situation.
The funniest thing about the whole debacle was that Thompson was under the impression he had “won”. 2 Live Crew’s album sales sagged and bottomed-out. This was the work of Thompson’s efforts to erode the band’s fame and had, of course, nothing to do with the quixotic tastes of the youth fanbase that snatched up the recordings. At least, this is the explanation Thompson provides.
This is also a man who tried to sue JANET RENO! (Yes, the Attorney General of the United States). For what? Here’s the kicker…BATTERY! Yes, Thompson in what amounts to quite possibly the most pathetic “rat out” attempt handed Reno a paper that had check marks asking if she were homosexual, heterosexual or bisexual. She placed her hand on his shoulder and said, “I’m only interested in virile men, that’s why I’m not interested in you.” Thompson replied by crying under his desk for days and concocted a plan to sue Janet Reno for battery.
Douche bag does not begin to describe this man - The Howard should get in on this.
One can sincerely hope that some shrewd judge delves to the very bedrock of this man’s pocket books and he is left homeless - his wife divorcing him after such pathetic stunts fail to pay off and his
Also, the Republican party needs to kick this man out - anyone of reason, even conservative reason, needs to exlude this man from anything that does not involve him shoveling human waste for the remainder of his years.
In case Mr. Thompson is reading this, I fie you. You are a disgrace and a punchline, you will forever be remembered as nothing more than an ineffectual windbag.