First things first, if you don't know who Jack Thompson is than this is the time to learn. He is a attorney and an activist who hates most forms of rock and rap music, and has a very strong hate for video games. Every crime can be pinpointed to a false cause. I clearly remember a group of children that committed suicide after listening to Judas Priest. That ruined the bands reputation forever. Just because something takes place before a crime doesn't make it the cause. I am probably getting a head of myself. Let me track back a little bit.
First of all you might be thinking; "Moroes why are you bugging ole' Jack, he hasn't done anything big in the past couple of months."
This might be true, but notice the word "big in that sentence. This guy is always spreading awareness on how games ruin the youth of America. Although in some way this is true, it doesn't mean that everyone who purchases a game is going to get out of shape, addicted, and ruin his own life. Most of us are casual gamers that play just to get our mind off of school or work. Its kind of ironic that an attorney is behind all of this, and the scary thing is that many conservative Christians are jumping on the video game bashing bandwagon.
Lets put a magnifying glass on some of the things that Jack has linked together in the past:
February 2003: Jack vs. GTA A teenager named Justin Lynch murders JoLynn Mishne. Happens that Jack was the attorney facing this young man. Before the trial was over, he boldly told the judge about Grand Theft Auto. It seems Dustin was addicted with GTA. Okay I see where your getting at..... but then again you think that's the motive behind all this? Drugs? Alcohol? Revenge? Nope we choose video games. Its absolutely impossible that Lynch had a drinking problem, or was a drug addict? Hell looking at the statistics now, more than 30% of 16 year olds drank or smoked marijuana. I think its more in the 50% range. I mean what would GTA teach this kid that's new? How to shoot a gun? Give an AK-47 to a monkey and I am sure that even a chimpanzee can figure it out. Making false assumptions and lying... the secret of the courtroom.
There are multiple cases where Jack linked a murder or crime to Grand Theft Auto or Rockstar games. He claims that the series influenced these murders. Sounds like he's using this as a tool for money instead of good.
2005: Jack vs. Bully Seems that we have a pattern here. Rockstar seems to be the scapegoat err.. uhmmm I mean target. He had a major dispute over whether Bully should be released or not. "This game shows you - by bullying - how to take over your school." Its a game. What where games originally made for? To allow us to get in a world where we can do things that we can't in real life.... well most games. If a person takes this out of context it isn't the company's fault for making the game, its the persons fault for being below the average IQ level. Common sense tells you that you can't run around for hours going on sprees of killing or beating people up. If you do than you either need an Institute or Prison.
I am going to have to cut it there because I have so much to say about this man that I can't list it all... an yes some of it is against the Terms of Service. I hope the next time you see him on television you think about what he really is saying and decide on which side you agree with the most. To help you understand who this man is and what he stands for, I have linked a couple videos. It seems like hes making most of his stuff up as he goes. Thanks for reading!
Jack Thompson's Opinion of Virginia Tech.