We have to write a story about Jack Thompson today. The anti-video game firebrand and former Florida attorney fired off a letter to Valve Software threatening to do something (we're not sure what he is threatening to do because he hasn't indicated the consequences in his letter to Valve's CEO) if the company doesn't do something about the Half-Life 2 mod, "School Shooter: North American Tour 2012."
Before we get into what Valve can actually do about a mod it has nothing to do with, here is Thompson's letter:
"Dear Mr. Newell:
You either know or should know that the more moral midgets who run Checkerboarded Studios have created a mod for your company's Half-Life which they call School Shooter: North American Tour 2012. This mod is a full-blown Columbine massacre simulator which cannot function without your company's assistance and acquiescence.
Attached herewith is a letter from FHE-ASAP that expresses their, my, and others' concerns about this Columbine massacre mod. As you either know or should know, your Half-Life murder simulator was obsessively played, and thus became a training aid, for a) teenaged Robert Steinhauser, who authored at Erfurt, Germany, the worst school shooting massacre in European history, and b) Seung-Hi Cho, who authored at Virginia Tech University the worst school shooting massacre in world history. As to the latter, the sources of this information are the Washington Post and the New York Times. Now some sociopaths have made reprises of Erfurt and Virginia Tech far more likely.
Given the fact that your company has the technological ability to stop the operation of School Shooter, you must undertake steps immediately to do so.
Speaking for myself alone (for now), you have until five o'clock pm Eastern standard time this Friday, March 18, 2011, to shut down this public safety hazard I predicted years ago this school massacre game would arrive. I hate being right all the time.
GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.
Regards, Jack Thompson"
Okay.. We're not going to bother with the claims Thompson continues to make about the cause of various school shootings around the globe (or that Half-Life - a game about fighting aliens in a secret government facility - is somehow a murder simulator), but we do wonder what legal obligation Valve Software has to censor any mod. I'm not a lawyer, but i'd guess they probably have no obligation or authority to do anything about it. Besides, it’s not like Valve is spotlighting the mod or serving it up via Steam..
Source: The Escapist by way of TheSmokey. Thanks a lot TheSmokey, thanks a lot. Ahem.
Comments
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
That is what we call a hypocrite.
Oh crap, now Mr. Thompson is going to sue me for slander, lol.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Nah. one of the funny things about libel in this country is that if you can prove it's actually -true?-
Yeah. Not libel.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Actually, it would be libel since you did so in writing. But Jack isn't familar with those legal terms.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Sure blame the people that had nothing to do with a school shooting mod. How about going after the people that actually did the mod?
http://www.magicinkgaming.com/
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
To be fair, he did allegedly send a copy of his letter to Checkboarded Studios, otherwise known as the four guys behind the School Shooter mod.
Andrew Eisen
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Which I guess would be Thompson for "easy money".
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
As you either know or should know, your Half-Life murder simulator was obsessively played, and thus became a training aid, for a) teenaged Robert Steinhauser, who authored at Erfurt, Germany, the worst school shooting massacre in European history, and b) Seung-Hi Cho, who authored at Virginia Tech University the worst school shooting massacre in world history
Wait. I thought they played Counter Strike? Granted Counter Strike is based off the Half-Life source engine, but you get my point.
We also have John Bruce denying the Government investigation of the VT shooting which found no evidence of video game play by Cho.
E. Zachary Knight
Oklahoma City Chapter of the ECA
http://www.theeca.com/chapters_oklahoma
E. Zachary Knight
Divine Knight Gaming
OK Game Devs
Random Tower
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
You forget that according to him the hard drive was ditched in a lake because the video game were on it.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
unfortunately for Jack, if the platters and airtight seal were intact, data recovery still wouldn't be a problem. all you'd really have to do is replace the circuit board that's on the underside.
岩「if Phyllis Schlafly wants to undo Women's Rights, she should lead by example and get back in the kitchen」
岩「…」
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
LOL. Jack has them right where he wants them! Just like:
- Take Two
- Rock Star
- Dennis McCauley
- The ECA
- The ESA
- Midway
- Microsoft
- Judge Dava Tunis
- The Florida Bar
- The AG of Utah
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Also:
-US Marshalls
-Homosexuals
============== James Fletcher, member of ECA Canada
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James Fletcher, member of ECA Canada
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Don't forget EA over the Sims.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
So we can add EA and Maxis to that list then.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Ah Jack Thompson, how we missed your crazy shinagins.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
When it comes to being completely batshit insane no one does it quite like Jack. Many have tried but there is only one Jack Thompson.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
"Dear Mr. Newell:
You either know or should know that the more moral midgets who run Checkerboarded Studios have created a mod for your company's Half-Life which they call School Shooter: North American Tour 2012. This mod is a full-blown Columbine massacre simulator which cannot function without your company's assistance and acquiescence.
Actually Jacky-boy, all they need is the game, mod kit, and a website. They don't need Valve's "assistance and acquiescence".
Attached herewith is a letter from FHE-ASAP that expresses their, my, and others' concerns about this Columbine massacre mod.
Concern with what? It's a fucking mod for a video game, not something as dangerous as say religion.
As you either know or should know, your Half-Life murder simulator Okay I have to laugh at this line. Classic Jack is classic. I dare anyone to try saying Half-Life murder simulator 10 times fast without laughing, giggling or having their tongue twisted was obsessively played, and thus became a training aid, for a) teenaged Robert Steinhauser, who authored at Erfurt, Germany, the worst school shooting massacre in European history, and b) Seung-Hi Cho, who authored at Virginia Tech University the worst school shooting massacre in world history. But wasn't it proven that Cho wasn't playing it? And quit using the massacres for your own sick police state fantasy! As to the latter, the sources of this information are the Washington Post and the New York Times. Now some sociopaths have made reprises of Erfurt and Virginia Tech far more likely. No they haven't, there isn't a direct link to the FPS and these shootings. And even if there is, there are more serious reasons why it happens.
Given the fact that your company has the technological ability to stop the operation of School Shooter, you must undertake steps immediately to do so.
And what do you expect them to do Jacky-Boy censor any mods YOU find distasteful? The PTC tried that too, hey how's working out for them?
Speaking for myself alone (for now), you have until five o'clock pm Eastern standard time this Friday, March 18, 2011, to shut down this public safety hazard I predicted years ago this school massacre game would arrive.
Gee, didn't you say that about Bully, and it was completely the opposite of what you said?
I hate being right all the time.
O_o I'm just speechless here. I mean do you really believe that or is your ego just trying to consume anything in it's path?
GOVERN YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY.
You mean opposite of what you are suggesting?
Regards, Jack Thompson"
Okay, that was just... Painful and I'm glad it is over.
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Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
"Concern with what? It's a fucking mod for a video game, not something as dangerous as say religion."
Other then this, I agree with everything you posted, everything has it's crazies, religion included.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Other than the jab at religion and the swearing (Stay professional), it's a good reply.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
To be honest, religion can be very dangerous. Every religion has its crazies (Westboro baptist for one) and those can be regarded as the exception to the rule for the most part. But religion has historically played a part in many wars. Crusades, inquisitions, the haulocaust (though this was more race based, there were still religious aspects) are all largescale religion based travesties that had a major following, the people committing these acts weren't some small fringe group.
Religion can be a source of a lot of good things for people, it can provide moral code, social structure and more, but as a social structure it can also lead to discrimination and dehumanization of those not of the same religion.
So I think he is technically correct in saying that religion is more dangerous. Not every group is going out to wage war on other people, but historically religion has caused more harm than video games. We aren't taking the benefits into account, we are simply weighing the negative aspects of of the two concepts.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Dear Mr. Jack Thompson:
Please, go away and get a real job. No one cares what you have to say anymore. You are old news and we still laugh at you and your ridiculous crusade in which you lost your job and reputation (?).
Stop using the death of real people for personal gain. Stop making empty threats against people just for attention. That´s not very christian, you know?
I´m very sure that in your local Burger King they have a vacant for you.
Yours truly:
Me.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
No no no, you forgot to issue an ultimatim and a time frame. "Get a job and leave us alone, BY such and such a time, or else!"
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Jack's really gone off the deep end now. In that last paragraph, he sounds almost like some James Bond supervillain. The only thing that was missing was a demand for $100 million dollars!
I think Jack is trying to be like Fred Phelps and the WBC at this point: being a real-life troll and hoping that they'll get people angry enough to try and take a shot at them so they can be sued, while at the same time getting publicity for it.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
That's not a fair comparison.
The WBC go for higher and higher levels of jackass (protesting funerals)
while Jack Thompson goes for higher and higher levels of crazy/nonsense, although he's not the kind of person who would protest a funeral.
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Debates are like merry go rounds. Two people take their positions then they go through the same points over and over and over again. Then when it's over they have the same positions they started in.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
He's always been like that. That whole "you have 24 hours to meet my demands or else!" shtick isn't anything new for him.
Andrew Eisen
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Yeah, but it just sounds crazier than usual. Before when he was a lwayer, it usally carried the implied threat that he could back up what he said. He doesn't even have that anymore. So now more than ever, my first reaction is, "You and what army?"
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
You mean he didn't get reinstated like he assured everyone he was going to? I am shocked!
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
No, even when he was a lawyer, he was independent, and poking his nose into other people's cases. Always where he didn't belong, so, yeah, he was usually on his own. That's why he got disbarred.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Ah, slight correction, didn't belong and was never wanted.
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Ah, nostalgia. It's like he never left.
Andrew Eisen
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
Jack's Back; and a moment too soon!
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Papa Midnight
http://www.thesupersoldiers.com
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Papa Midnight
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
A declawed cat will still try and scratch the furniture :)
Yeah it is quite nostalgic. It brought a tear to my eye (due to laughter). I can't believe how I missed his inane baseless acusations, and insane theories.
============== James Fletcher, member of ECA Canada
==============
James Fletcher, member of ECA Canada
Re: Jack Thompson Threatens Valve over School Shooting Mod
He's back! I've missed him so much!
Good ol' Jack! Pointing fingers and breaking fax machines!