February 19, 2008
Writing for MSNBC, contributor Winda Benedetti casts a critical eye toward Miami attorney Jack Thompson's claims that the NIU rampage was sparked by a grown man's video game play. From Benedetti's piece:The attorney-turned-anti-video-game crusader has what can only be described as a breathtaking genius for transforming ghastly national tragedies into shining moments of self promotion.
On Friday, police were still struggling to figure out why... But Thompson had it all figured out. Faster than you can say wild speculation and reckless sensationalism, he leapt in front of Fox News cameras and suggested that video games were to blame.
Meanwhile, Thompson obsequiously responded to a parody article, posted in style of Samuel L. Jackson, apparently believing it to be the real thing:
Mr. Jackson, I enjoyed your post about NIU and about me. Unfortunately, you could fit what you know about school shootings and their causes in a sleeve of Titleist golf balls. I’m a six handicap, and would love to play you a match anywhere anytime.
More importantly, Mr. Jackson, I saw you and the Jack Thompson spoof at the Spike TV Video Game Awards Show. Very funny, really.
Here’s a proposal: Why don’t you debate me on this issue... Saw you in Black Snake Moan this weekend. I thought you deserved an Oscar for your performance. Brilliant.
Thompson later posted a follow-up indicating that he understood the Samuel L. Jackson post was a fake, but not before he circulated his original response to GamePolitics and Kotaku.
UPDATE: Thompson claims that he has been libeled by the MSNBC article and plans to sue.
Comments
Jack's not Catholic mate. He's much, much worse.
lol the irony of JT sueing for the fact he feels information represented about him isnt true...
i mean come on seriously? how comes he is allowed to reel off whatever crap he likes?
I would like for him to continue with this libel suit however, just to see him get defeated in court once again, adding to the flawless scoreline of common sense and reality vs Jack Thompson.
I'm hoping I'm not the only one who thought of 'A few good men' there. :P
@WCC:
I'm surprised he hasn't choked to death on it by this point...
@VenomandCarnage:
Well when the 'opinion' doesn't coincide with what JT perceives as the 'truth', then yeah.
@NovaBlack:
I think he's 0 and... well however many he's attempted, I forget.
@Tyler Baumbarger:
Well, Sonic *can* get pretty frustrating, but driving someone to go on a rampage? Even *I* thought that sounded ridiculous.
@Oni:
Still, 'the enemy of our enemy' and all that.
@Quad9Damage:
Because Jack says so? What do you *mean* 'that's not good enough'?
@Pandralisk
I was for a time a Catholic but was excommicated for believing that the law of the state is above church law and I am also partial to Adoptionism.
Some of us are fine living our without a supreme being.
Oh and if I was a hedonist why would I be returning to NIU before the shitstorm has cleared in its entirety?
Well, that'll make about a dozen cases that he'll never get to pursue when he gets disbarred in the coming months.
This man is truly living in his own fantasy world.
Unless something has changed drastically recently, Pandralisk was parodying a church figure. Last I knew, he was a devout athiest who saw religion's influence in EVERYTHING.
Is that Bob Loblaw's Law Blog?
http://jweb.flcourts.org/pls/docket/ds_docket?p_caseyear=1960&p_casenumb...
I mean, naturally more accurate then the already accurate ones about him being a prat. I wonder if JT will even bother to read it. Maybe if we're lucky, we'll have another lawsuit announcement befor the day is out.
So if he's founf guilty does that mean he'll no longer be able to file lawsuits unless he gets approval from the Bar first (highly unlikely considering how frivilous all his cases are)?
I LOVE the MSNBC article though.
Jack should be more worried about Charles Barkley(Barkley called people like Jacky Boy "fake Christians" on CNN a few days ago).
"PWND!"
Ok back to my normal, if not sometimes incorrect, proper grammar.
Great article glad someone has decided to check out Jack more and respond with logic.
All I can say is he'd better not start with the harassment threats. What did he think would happen?
Also, I did not participate in any prank calling.
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
Where's the Charles Barkley comment? Is it on YouTube? I would love to see that.
I have been all across this world, but very rarely have I encountered stupidity on such a level.
As I read this article while standing up at my kitchen, I had to sit down; the level of stupidity was so blinding that for a minute, I forgot how to stand.
Meanwhile big bad Jack missed this. http://www.newsgroper.com/i/logo/newsgroper_logo_sidebar.gif
Very, very funny.
Heh, yeah good luck with that. Its not libel if its true.
Oh please please please let me be named in the suit! I did, after all, post comments in the discussion.
I can't wait to be sworn to tell The Truth, The WHOLE Truth, And Nothing But The Truth. Moreover, I can't wait to have the transcript publicized worldwide, ending John Bruce bid for the creation of a Theocratic Dictatorship built on lies and deceit.
OOOooooo... I'm all aquiver.
Nightwng2000
NW2K Software
I wanna hear Olberman rip him a new one. After what he did with Bush and Telcom Immunity, this'll be 10x better.
Name me as well! Then I can counter-sue for intent to defame!
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Papa Midnight
P.S. It's public domain GP and all mods!
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Papa Midnight
isn't the law fun!
Suing for libel? He doesn't seem to understand what libel is.
What a complete idiot.
Jack's keeping me amused on what has thus far been a rather rubbish day. Go Jack!
It's like back in high school. In almost every class I was in there was at least one other Dan.
I am tired of these muthafuckin' attorneys hatin' on my muthfuckin' games!
Anyone? No? Bueller?
*cries*
This guy is my hero for finally having the stuff to say the truth instead of calling him an 'expert' in the industry.
oh of course he plans to sue. pointless lawsuites are his thing, and without them he would not be so obviously mental.
msnbc just became my favorite news show.
Yah know his lawsuite might have something behind it if, you know, we didnt have freedom of the press...hell msnbc could call him a drugdealingpedofilenazi and walk away fresh as daisys