Boston Herald: Video Game Law is "Low-Hanging Fruit"

March 18, 2008

As GamePolitics reported yesterday, elected officials will gather in Massachusetts today to consider HB1423, a law that would restrict the access of minors to violent video games in the same way in which they are blocked from purchasing sexually explicit material.

This morning's Boston Herald has weighed in with an editorial urging legislators and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino (left) to drop the measure and focus their energies on more tangible problems:

We know of no direct link between violent video games and... actual violence... This one is, shall we say, constitutionally problematic. Other states have been stopped cold in their efforts to ban the sale of violent video games to kids - as recently as yesterday...

While we appreciate the mayor’s concern over the truly horrifying material in question... the idea has more than a few holes. Is the mayor going to deploy a Video Game Task Force to patrol local stores?

...Other states have spent a fortune defending their bans - and losing... [Mayor Menino] needs to make better use of his time than going after such low-hanging fruit.

GP: Game industry nemesis Jack Thompson apparently will not be involved in today's hearing, even though he drafted the wording of HB1423 for Menino's office in early 2007. Thompson denies that he's out of the loop, however, and apparently was interviewed about the video game law on a Boston radio station this morning.

UPDATE: Thompson's 24-minute WAAF interview here.

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Comments

Submitted by -Jes- (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 18:39.

Article: Genious work. Great comment in the end. :D

Radio show: Oh look, more lies by Jack. NEXT!

Submitted by King of Fiji (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 20:34.

Jack Thompson: Destroying the credibility of morning talk shows that let him blatently lie on their show, one show at a time.

Submitted by Aliasalpha (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 22:18.

@StealthKnight

Jacks a tool, that much is certain but I think he's that blunt, rusted one thats found in the least used part of the shed and is obviously damaged and you can't really figure out what it was supposed to do.

Like some kind of gardening spork with all the tines pointing in different directions & half the handle missing.

Submitted by tony selby (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 22:45.

the problem really is that with the exception of people like us who actually know what the reports say, and have done the checking up on jacks "facts" he actually does sound credible, this is why he often still gets calls to do these shows are speak to politicians, is because the average masses don't realise that he's lying to them

he only hurts the morning shows credibility if the average listener of said show know and care that he is lying to them

Submitted by Aliasalpha (not verified) on Tue, 03/18/2008 - 23:05.

Does anyone has an MP3 of that radio show? I'm having trouble with the flash stream (as well as the site design, who the hell did that?) & can't listen to it.

Submitted by Yuki (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 05:50.

See people, this is why I say that the industry needs to threaten anyone who dares to put Thompson on the air without counter point. The man was able to lie at will WITHOUT any counter at all cause the Hosts were retarded and didn't do any research on the man they were hosting.

Thats the whole point I make, Over and OVER again. If these people are told, and warned, that any liable or slander he spews that will be held accountable for, maybe, just maybe, they'd knock it off.

Now, you all fight with me about it every time I bring it up, but here, in this 24 minutes of BULLSHIT, is proof posisitive of what I've said all along.

Unless media is held accountable, real debate does not occur. It's just jack getting to spout his bullshit un challanged by anyone with any facts or insight.

The industry has sat back and used the "Ignore him and he will go away method" for years. Guess what. IT DIDN'T WORK!!!

Submitted by Aliasalpha (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 06:24.

@Yuki
Well it was a morning show, we can't expect much from the format that seems to consist mostly of one guy who's whacky and one who's totally crazy (IE: Exactly the same as each other, dickheads). Serious intellectual discourse is not likely to occur on a radio show aimed at people driving to work.

The problem with wanting intellectual discussion is it can only take place under certain conditions, the main one being that both parties actually WANT to discuss things. With jack, there'd be one discussor and one "LALALALALA I'm not listening. LALALALA!"

Submitted by E. Zachary Knight on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 06:25.

The John Bruce interview is stupid. Seriously. JT blames the failure of the Louisiana bill because the industry threatened to pull all their operations out of the state.

Stupid.

E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower

Submitted by BearDogg-X (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 07:50.

@ EZK

Considering that there's hardly any video game companies based in Louisiana(maybe one or two small companies I've never heard of, if any), that's a retarded statement from Thompson.

Submitted by DCOW (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 08:04.

@beardogg-x

it doesn't really matter. as long as it sounds like he's in the right, he'll use it. he's been making that claim since they wouldn't give him control of the bill in LA

Submitted by Benji (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 08:21.

@EZK: Not in Louisiana, but that's a factor I hadn't thought of in getting the MA law passed. There's a respectable industry presence in Boston and a lot of MA schools (including my alma mater) have degree programs in interactive media design. A lot of people in the state make a livelihood out of games and they probably won't take kindly to senseless regulation.

Submitted by TONy (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 16:27.

im gana ask again what is it that these ppl wana do exactly?? the games has ratings and the stores must inforce it just like theaters and porn spots and if one of those get caught by secret shopers there will be a fine.. what more can they do?? or wana do??

Submitted by JackDon'tKnowJack (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 17:15.

Actually, to give credit were credit is due, they didn't give Jack a free pass like so many other shows he's appeared on do. In fact, the "bad cop" (why do all radio morning shows have a "good cop" and a "bad cop?") kinda clowns Jack a coupla times. Like when he goes into his spiel about 2Live Crew and his amicus brief, blah, blah, blah, the bad cop cuts him of with, "O.K. So you banned rap . . . ." I thought that was a good one.

Submitted by Altair (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 17:44.

Does anybody else think he looks like Jabba-da-Hut (misspelling intended) in that pic? O_o

Submitted by Aliasalpha (not verified) on Wed, 03/19/2008 - 22:32.

He looks more like one of those ultra conservative talk radio hosts caught in mid phobia induced rant. Kind of like that vile rush limbaugh fuck when ranting about muslims

Submitted by Ebonheart (not verified) on Thu, 03/20/2008 - 12:40.

@ Aliasalpha

I've never heard anything like that from Rush Limbaugh, I have heard that from Shawn Hannady though.

Submitted by Ragnaar (not verified) on Tue, 03/25/2008 - 15:37.

@ JDKJ and Aliasalpha:

Just so you guys know, this interview was on a rock station which I happen to know rather well. While the morning show is often politically charged, it's not the most intelligent piece to listen to. I am surprised that the host (the aforementioned "bad cop") wasn't the one to agree due to other political comments he's mentioned.

The station used to have another person in the afternoon who often gave insightful comments about whatever... in between his midget sightings and monkeys.

I am surprised at how cogent Jackie boy was for once... perhaps he changed meds for the interview.

Shout box

Cecil475: @PHX Corp - The dude's a moron who wouldn't know crap if it came up and kicked him.05/19/2013 - 6:36am

PHX Corp: http://kotaku.com/ea-sports-developer-calls-wii-u-crap-and-nintendo-wa-508481261 EA Sports Canada Moron calls Wii U 'Crap' and Nintendo 'Walking Dead'05/18/2013 - 11:42am

E. Zachary Knight: If the videos are of sufficient quality that people subscribe and watch regularly, then those let's players are providing a service that people want. That is the heart of capitalism. That is not something that should be shamed.05/17/2013 - 8:06am

E. Zachary Knight: I have no idea who either of those people are. However, I still don't see why making a business out of creating let's play videos is somehow evil or wrong.05/17/2013 - 8:04am

MaskedPixelante: It sure is if you're just doing it for the money. See Tobuscus and/or Pewdiepie for what happens when people get into it just for the money.05/17/2013 - 7:30am

E. Zachary Knight: Why is it wrong to make money doing LPs? Why should that be something that should be shamed?05/17/2013 - 6:20am

MaskedPixelante: https://twitter.com/PsychedelicSA/status/335183893214924801 Now here's an interesting, glass half full thought about the Nintendo LP thing. It outs the people who are just doing LPs to make money.05/17/2013 - 5:56am

E. Zachary Knight: I responded in writing to all this "let's play" stuff Nintendo Started. No need for my permission, I won't give it. It's not mine to give. http://divineknightgaming.com/?p=29205/16/2013 - 2:21pm

E. Zachary Knight: Lars Doucet of Levelup Labs has a Reddit going on game companies that allow monetization of Let's Play videos. http://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/1egayn/lets_build_a_list_of_game_studios_that_allow/05/16/2013 - 1:04pm

Sleaker: @Imautobot - yah I wouldn't use an emulator as a good first run test of how stable the console is, haha.05/16/2013 - 11:47am

E. Zachary Knight: The 50th person to jump off a bridge is just as dumb if not dumber than the 1st.05/16/2013 - 10:03am

MaskedPixelante: Yeah, let's all jump on Nintendo for doing this, even though they're hardly the first company to do this...05/16/2013 - 9:47am

E. Zachary Knight: Wow Nintendo, this is wrong. http://kotaku.com/nintendo-forcing-ads-on-some-youtube-lets-play-video-50709238305/16/2013 - 8:44am

Imautobot: @Sleaker, further gameplay has revealed that the controller button do stick under the faceplate. Also, The NES emulator (Emuya)keeps crashing on me, though I think a bad ROM is causing it.05/16/2013 - 7:10am

Papa Midnight: AE: I wonder if any other publishers will follow suit.05/15/2013 - 8:12pm

Andrew Eisen: EA is ditching Online Pass. http://venturebeat.com/2013/05/15/ea-kills-its-controversial-online-pass-program/05/15/2013 - 7:20pm

Avalongod: @Zach and quicnkold...I've read the bill and the intent of it is to fear-monger. It's not a balanced message. I don't recall the ESRB being mentioned at all. It's more "keeps your kids away from these movies/games or they'll become violent"05/15/2013 - 4:35pm

E. Zachary Knight: quiknkold, The big problem with that legislation is the amount of misinformation out there. Who is going to ensure that the information in the pamphlet is accurate?05/15/2013 - 3:25pm

quiknkold: REBeardogg : I'm on the fence about this. on one side, I want parents to be aware of the ESRB, and even Movie Ratings. On the other hand, I feel this will be used for nothing but Propaganda. The ESRB does a good job.05/15/2013 - 3:07pm

IanC: Frostbite is coming out on iOS devices. Yet the Wii U cant handle it? *coughbullshitcough*05/15/2013 - 2:31pm

All shouts

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