April 21, 2007 -
Call it a media Jacklash.
Perhaps surprisingly, mainstream media outlets are pushing back against game-hatin' attorney Jack Thompson's claims that a video game provoked Monday's horrific Virginia Tech rampage.
GamePolitics readers may recall that the gruesome task of counting the VTU dead wasn't even complete on Monday before Thompson began pushing his usual agenda: violent video games were behind the massacre.
Here at GamePolitics we received an e-mail from Thompson at 12:32 P.M. that said, "gamer, obviously." That's not unusal. We've gotten a number of such messages from the controversial attorney in relation to acts of violence, often as they are unfolding.
By 3:00 P.M. on Monday Thompson had managed to get air time on Fox News. Anchorman Bill Hemmer referred to Thompson several times as a "school shooting expert," let him go on at length about his video game theories as though they were fact, and posed no challenging questions.
A Washington Post article which appeared on Tuesday reported that Virginia Tech killer Cho Seung Hui was a fan of violent games, Counter-strike in particular. Thompson, who had predicted that the killer "likely rehearsed on mass murder video games," had specified Counter-strike in his Fox appearance. He immediately seized on the Post story, citing it in an accusatory e-mail directed to Microsoft chairman Bill Gates and circulated to media outlets.
But the wheels started coming off Thompson's agenda-driven bus on Wednesday afternoon. That's when Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC's Hardball program basically shut Thompson down, telling him on national T.V. that his video game claims were nothing more than theory, and not well-supported theory at that.
By Friday, Thompson was noticing what game sites like Kotaku had already picked up on: that the Washington Post had pulled the Counter-strike reference from its profile of the killer. Thompson immediately accused the Post of a cover-up, despite ombudsman Barbara Howell's explanation, which we received from Thompson via e-mail:
Mr. Thompson, what you saw was an early version of a story. It was replaced later by more reporting. Several reporters did look at the video game part and concluded that it wasn't important enough in the whole thing to include.
What the Post saw as good journalistic practice, Thompson painted as a vast liberal conspiracy:
The news media are increasingly owned by entertainment companies. Liberals who infest both worlds don’t want you to think that adult-rated entertainment, containing violence and sex, has any behavioral consequences...
But the Washington Post is not owned by an entertainment company. It is owned by the Washington Post Company, which describes itself as a "diversified media and education company." Its subsidiaries are neither video game nor entertainment companies.
And then on Friday, a lengthy article on MSNBC probed Thompson's claims in some detail:
Video games. They were to blame for the dozens dead and wounded. They were behind the bloodiest massacre in U.S. history.
Or so Jack Thompson told Fox News and, in the days that followed, would continue to tell anyone who'd listen.
Reporter Winda Benedetti, who wrote the MSNBC piece, got reaction to the idea that games provoked the massacre from Jason Della Rocca, executive director of the International Game Developers Association (IGDA):
It's so sad. These massacre chasers — they're worse than ambulance chasers — they're waiting for these things to happen so they can jump on their soapbox.
Comments
~ Jason Della Rocca
Ouch. That's gotta hurt. Then again knowing JT he's already sent an email to Dennis declaring his victory over the "liberal media" by exposing their "true colors". Probably condemned GamePolitics as being in the pocket of the "Columbine simulators" developers. Then something about being a Soldier or Satan, er... I mean, God.
"The news media are increasingly owned by entertainment companies. Liberals who infest both worlds don’t want you to think that adult-rated entertainment, containing violence and sex, has any behavioral consequences…"
~John (Jack) Bruce Thompson (big surprise eh?)
Should I be outraged by HIS bias, or should I laugh at his stupidity? The whole idea that any form of media can make and mold people into killers, or anything for that matter, is just ridiculous. I will not say that a game/movie/book/etc can't influence a crime. People could view a form of media and then commit a crime in the same or a similar manner. That does not mean they wouldn't have commited a crime, or the same crime, anyway. They would probably just do so in a different manner.
And like it has been pointed out multiple times (even during a television interview with Jack), as game sales have increased, youth crimes and violence has decreased.
As many previsious posters have said, It is very sad that anyone would use this tragedy to further their own agenda. The idea that he was waiting for such an event to happen is more than just sickening, it is morally reprehensible. And this coming from a "man" who claims to follow Jesus.
@ Rob
I completely agree.
@ eXm
Only in his own twisted little mind.
Alas, this is nothing more than what JT's done with T2 for years, and the only reason he's not popping off about them is because I'm sure that court theatrics from a few days ago is fresh on his mind and so he's trying to mind his Ps and Qs so he doesn't end up in the slammer.
Lastly, I love the Ambulance chaser line. Its pretty much exactly what happened with JT and Dr. Phil. Folks want to get on their soap box and blame what happened on whatever they don't like, be it video games, religion, nationality, or who knows what else. Its really a sad world when folks would rather blame what happened on what they don't like and not on the person who was ultimately responsible.
The Washington Times is the conservative-leaning newspaper in the District. It was founded in 1982 by Unification Church leader Sun Myung Moon as "a Conservative alternative to the Liberal Washington Post".
The Post (like the New York Times) is one of the media outlets accused of the "liberal media bias".
Just thought I would clear that up. Absolutely no harm (or flaming) intended.
;-)
I heartily await his denouncement of the entire fucking media as being part of the LIBERAL VIDEO GAME CONSPIRACY.
Isn't it some program on the same channel that has a beef with Fox's O'Reily or whatever? I hate to think it, but what if this just part of the little war between people?
In the long run, someone is always going to listen to the loon.
He'll probably say in response that he was including the time before the country was founded or some other such inane nonsense. There's no way to win an argument with him save for a good swift punch in the jaw. :P
Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson
It's about time people stepped up and got their heads out of their asses and adopted some common sense. I mean it's one thing to play the "video game violence" with a child who's done something "horrific", but the VT killer was far from a child at this point and it BS to assume any kind of media violence really drove him to do such things. Not even the movies they've been claiming had some connection to his crime.
He was screwed up from the get go. Years of people saying so, years of people saying they knew he'd eventually do something harmful to either himself or others. Therapists have even stated that he is unfit to care for himself and is a danger to society, and what did they do after making that conclusions about him? They let him go! Blame them! What about the times he'd been reported to the police for stalking women on the campus? Or how about the teacher who kicked him out of her class because she saw something troubling in him and when attempting to tutor him she made sure to have people on call in case he was to try something? That same teacher reported to the school that she felt he was unstable and could possibly do something drastic to himself or others in the future. What did the school do? NOTHING! Blame them!
Blame the therapist in the metal hospital, blame the police who never locked his ass up, blame the school for ignoring the cautionary complaint of a teacher, blame the students who knew he was dangerous and said nothing, blame even him who was simply fucked up to begin with! But don't pull the "video game violence" shit. Don't do it when we know nothing about the killer or his habits, don't do it before they even have an official body count, and especially don't do it when they report that NO video games were found in his room.
Jack Thompson you disgusting worthless tragedy chasing piece of shit, climb back under the rock you came from and never so your stupid mug or that idiotic smirk again. I hope people shut you down for good, and soon perhaps you'll have your own padded cell and straight jacket as you should have been given long again you crazy old bastard.
And I'm done!
i was reading through JT's two bar complaint dockets (SC07-80 and SC07-354) and couldn't help notice the following from the 80:
"Respondent [Thompson] is reminded to comply with the orders of this Court. Additionally, the Court notes that respondent has attached inappropriate and pornographic materials to his petitions that are irrelevant to his arguments. Respondent is warned that should he continue to submit such inappropriate filings, the Court will consider imposing sanctions which may include, but are not limited to, a limitation on Respondent's ability to submit further filings without the signature of an attorney other than himself"
You're not wrong. The the Washington Post is a good paper, but it definitley leans heavily towards the conservative side of things.
HOOAH!
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I attribute it in part to the wising-up of the news media. In the face of such horror and loss of life, pinning the blame on video games sounds very facile. And when it became apparent that Cho did NOT play video games, I think the MSM began to realize that games might not be the cause after all, that they needed to look for more serious answers, and held Cho as responsible for his own actions. I think also they realized as Dr. Sterheimer said, that video games are commonplace now, so it would be difficult to find a male of Cho's age who HADN'T played them at some point.
As I said in another thread, it's nice to see how the tables have turned, as before JT could go on TV, spout his lies and get away with it. Now they're not so quick to believe him anymore, and will probably be quicker nest time.
BTW Dennis, you forgot to mention his earlier MSNBC appearance with David Gregory. After JT's rant Gregory said, "Jack Thompson: an attorney who specializes - uh - terribly in these events." To which Thompson responded with what I thought was an insulting and condescending crack about how he had debated at VT earlier. Like I said, I doubt they'll ask him back there again. (Although it would be funny to see the words "Failed Attorney" or "Soon-To-Be Disbarred Lawyer" appear under his name the next time!)
As Della Rocca indicated, JT was waiting for something like this. He's been fond of saying, "I predicted Columbine," and during and after the Bully trial he kept warning that there would be a "Columbine times 100" tragedy. No doubt this was the schoolyard apocalypse he had been waiting for. But even though this was the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, there is NO evidence that video games were involved and while JT might have tried (and boy did he try) public opinion ultimately turned against him.
After this, I think you'll start to see a movement away from blaming video games for tragedies like this. It's a shame that it took a tragedy of this magnitude however, to make it abundantly clear.
As for JT, it's a matter of time now as he's lost whatever public support he may have had. The Cody Posey case is a forgone conclusion now, and the odds have increased that the Florida SC will disbar him. And even if he drops games and moves onto another target, it's doubtful that people will beleive anything he says anymore.
I am glad that people are more intelligent than JT. I wish that Fox would retract the interview and admit their mistake though.
You've been PWNED, Thompson!
This is very good. While Thompson will never shut up, if less and less people listen to him and more call him out on his lies, then his credibility will be destroyed.
Of course, there will still be morons (read: politicians) that listen to him, but we have courts to deal with their unconstitutional legislation.
That would be a rather quick way to end his career.
Oh, SNAP. OH. SNAP.
^ Give a person a gun and students trapped in a classroom and I bet they'd kill many. It'd be like shooting fish in a barrel.
"One thing that people often don't realize is that in the years since video game sales have really exploded, not only have youth violence rates decreased but violence rates in the U.S. have declined precipitously" ~
Dr. Karen Sternheimer
^ JT should read a few times.
I could be wrong about the WaPo, it's just my observation.
BTW, is there any new news about Jack disbarment proces ?
http://www.english.vt.edu/
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200070466090
It's a Texas Instrument's TI-83 calculator, WITH GAMES!!!
Games: Galaxian, Bomberkids, The 4th Element, Jezzball, Labyrinth, Mars Patrol, SubHunt, Uncle Worm.
Puzzle Pack games: Yoshi, Block Dude, Tetris Attack, Pegs
I knew Tetris was involved somehow. I just knew it.
He also purchased ammunition and rubber duckies on ebay.
Looks like Jacky-boy (or Satan, as it's Hebrew for "adversary" and "accuser") should do some research.
Ace beats Jack.
If anything, paint ball would be more effective. Gun weight, reloading, recoil, physical limitations, etc.
Last time I checked, you don't learn about any of that from a FPS.
http://www.ampednews.com/features/253/
I'm glad that people are starting to stave off Jack Thompson, but you still have places like Fox News claiming he's an expert in school shootings and such, so I doubt we've seen the last of the Wacko Jacko on national TV...unfortunately.
MSNBC (and Chris Matthews), lean liberal.
Liberal or conservative, good on them for busting Thompson's balls.
This story is a great wrapup of what's been going on. Keep it up!
#1: If video games were a direct cause of violence, there would be utter anarchy right now.
#2: Sure they may have TRAINED on the game. Key word... TRAINED!!!. Oh, here's another way they could train. Paint Ball matches. That could do it too. Why don't you start going up against Paint Ball gun manufactorers?
#3: Many of us use games as stress relief... they keep us normal people out of trouble.
#4: Stop trying to go against our First Amendment rights
#5: You forget that shooters often tend to be loners. Now whatever caused them to be violent loners is the REAL cause to everything. There is more to it then video games. Why don't you check if these kids had ever been bullied, outcast, etc in school. Let's see your results then.
#6: Even the most hardened war veterens often have nightmares about what they've done. The kind of thing Cho did not even the most trained (sane, mind you) military officer would be able to do. You have to have something wrong in your head.
“Pioneer” Jack Thompson blames video games for the recent shootings on the Virginia Tech campus, he says Seung-Hui Cho had to be a video gamer. Why? Apparently he hates video games and he’s not going to take it anymore. Even though no...
Clearly the solution is to start a mass dismember programme.
Also, shame on Fox News for their inability to make objective and impartial news coverage.