An open letter to Jack Thompson

[Aquendwato]

Dear Mr. Thompson,

Over the past years you have been one of the most outspoken anti-video game zealots in the United States, if not the entire world. Throughout this period you have repeatedly attacked video games, referring to them as “Murder Simulators” and “Sexual Simulators”. You have also insulted the millions of people who play these games, telling them to "put down the controller and get a life". While I could continue by cursing and making lewd comments about you, I will not. I will not lower myself to that level because that is not the type of person that I am. Unlike you, I am willing to listen to others and consider their viewpoints before acting.

I did not criticize you when you sued entertainment companies claiming that they were at fault for the 1997 Paducah schoolhouse shootings. I bit my tongue when you blamed the Grand Theft Auto series for violent crime in general. I turned the other cheek when you blamed Manhunt for the murders of two people in England. I was willing to accept your point of view when you claimed that The Sims 2 allowed pedophiles to plan out child abuse. When you went back on your offer to donate ten thousand dollars to charity if anyone made an excessively violent video game to your specifications I disagreed with your actions, but still respected you as a person. Even when you attempted to have legal action taken against the owners of Penny Arcade for donating money to charity I kept my mouth shut.

But with your comments following The death of Mitchell S. pushed the boundaries of human decency too far. How dare you take this tragedy and blame it on video games. How dare you blame the other users of MetalGearSolid.org for his death. How dare you assume that we as gamers do not are an unintelligent, uneducated rabble of bloodthirsty adrenaline fiends with no regard for others. And above all, how dare you take one person's suicide and try to twist it to suit your goals.

The real evil here is not video games Mr. Thompson. The real evil is narrow-minded individuals like yourself who see every opportunity as a chance to slander something which they do not agree with. Be it school shootings, beatings, murders, sexual assaults, or the much-hated charitable donations you persist in your crusade to mold the world to your ideals, to make everyone think like you. Video games are here to stay Mr. Thompson, and the sooner you learn to accept that the sooner we can all be at peace.



Your's truly,

Jeff “Aquendwato” E.

[Sikawtic]

He's just senile.

People think all gamers are numb-skulls... when in reality, only strictly console ones are... us pc-queraders (mac ones too... I suppose) are hilghly intelligent beings.

(jk, but seriously... out of my 2 video game heavy friends, only 1 is a complete idiot. Then, you take my dad... he's crazy smart. I don't mean to boast... but I do better than alright in school myself. Then you take my cousins that game, and none of them are stupid.

The majority of gamers on WBs, as far as I can tell, are intelligent...

Why am I rambling on about intelligence? Because intelligent individuals don't re-enact wow base jumping... or murder for video game weapons... etc etc.

He takes the few retarded examples (out of how many? like... 1 billion?) and tries to use them to pinpoint the world's problems on.

Fact: violent crimes have significantly decreased since the introduction of video games. You can't really attribute this to vg (the decline), but you certainly can't say vgs have a great hold on the temperaments of the world's youth. I, for one, actually find vgs to be somewhat of a retreat at times. They help me chill out and take my mind of problems.

Thompson is a fucktard. End of story.

[LinkTheGameFreak]

I don't think he visits warboards, but it's a great read bro - You stole my idea tho, I was going to write my own and read it and discuss it on my next show :mad: oh well, mind if i read yours instead?

[Spartan-II]

I agree. I read about the Mitchell S. suicide on CtrlAltDel and I was horrified by his response. You should go online and have people 'sign' their names to it.

If the idea grows, i'll add my name. Just make sure it's #2!

[LinkTheGameFreak]

Even when you attempted to have legal action taken against the owners of Penny Arcade for donating money to charity I kept my mouth shut.

FTW!?!? can someone tell me about this?

[Aquendwato]

I don't think he visits warboards, but it's a great read bro - You stole my idea tho, I was going to write my own and read it and discuss it on my next show :mad: oh well, mind if i read yours instead?

Well, the point of an open letter is that everyone sees it.

And if you want to use it go ahead.

[GenocideAlive]

Meh, 3/10. Those two points were for good grammar and sentence structure.

Beyond that, this is pretty much recycling the same crap you read on every gamer's website.

[Modred]

FTW!?!? can someone tell me about this?

Thompson put out an "offer," claiming that if anyone made a violent game in the GTA: San Andreas style, only where the player is the parent of a child killed due to video game inspired violence who takes action against video game CEOs, he would donate $10,000 to charity. The two guys who run Penny Arcade called him on it, and attempted to hold him to his promise (a mod for GTA:SA like his game was released not long after). Naturally, he excused his move as a "satircal piece" that was "intented to highly the patent hypocrisy and recklessness exhibited by the video-game industry's willingness to target cops, women, homosexuals, and other groups." (quote of Jack Thompson taken from January '06 issue of PC Gamer) So Penny Arcade donated the $10k for him, and as a result of his actions, lots of people (but not the two guys who run PA) began harrasing him, making death threats, etc. So he sued the two guys that own PA for harrassment, despite the local prosecutor reporting that no evidence linked the gamers to the harrassment.

More publicity stunts like that and someone in the mainstream media (by which I mean networks) will expose him.

[Kazeofwinds]

Did everyone's favorite dumbass do something again? Or is this just a retroactive letter in response to him in general.

I didnt feel like reading it since 99% of these things say the same thing.

[Aquarian]

Jack Thompson su-...Erm,if he is here,best not to do say anything bad bout him.You know,he's that sensitive type who's scared of AIM Buddy Icons.


Even when you attempted to have legal action taken against the owners of Penny Arcade for donating money to charity I kept my mouth shut.

Thommy here made a bet with the gamers on the net.If they could make a game that was the worst,he would donate his money to charity.Well,a HTML game was created in various sites.(You don't want to try it,it's totally very very bad).In the end,he refused to donate.Those poor kids have expected so much.So Penny Arcade donated some money just to clear poor Thommy.Thompson, you should go away.Stick your buissness some where else you sue happy fool

Of course,there's always WikiPedia to check on him ;)

[Mtank]

Theres little point sending such a letter. It would look more like whining than anything else. "Polite Angry Letters" rarely impress those reading them.

I highly doubt Jack Thompson actually reads any such letters with any seriousness, and I'm sure he gets a lot of them. Theres little point in wasting your energy on this, in my opinion.

[Schwitzer]

The hilarity wasn't just that Penny Arcade donated the $10K for him... they did it in his name. Talk about sticking it up him :D

[Leosam096]

games were intended for those people whose minds are highly developed and help develop it and the way the game wants it to go...you can criticize me if you want if i'm wrong,i would gladly humble myself and will accept your criticism.

[Mtank]

games were intended for those people whose minds are highly developed and help develop it and the way the game wants it to go...you can criticize me if you want if i'm wrong,i would gladly humble myself and will accept your criticism.

You are wrong. But if believing that you are superior in intellect because you play games makes you feel good, do so by all means.

Games are a form of entertainment. Like so many forms of entertainment, overdoing them will turn you into a vegetable.

The important thing, as in so many aspects of life, is balance. Moderation, as the Buddha said.

[GenocideAlive]

You are wrong. But if believing that you are superior in intellect because you play games makes you feel good, do so by all means.
I missed the part where someone said "games make me superior in intellect". From what I could gather about Leosam's post, I was thinking he was attempting to insinuate something about maturity, not intellect.
Games are a form of entertainment. Like so many forms of entertainment, overdoing them will turn you into a vegetable.
I'm fairly certain that you paid a visit to the Obvious Mine, having come up with those invaluable gems. However, I'm not entirely sure how that's at all on topic or even pertinent overall.
The important thing, as in so many aspects of life, is balance. Moderation, as the Buddha said.
Wasn't it the Greeks?

[Ecthelion]

People always focus on the negative aspects of video games, the shooting, the violence. I find the older generations are always ready to bear down on the video game industry. My grandfather was on my case the other day for always playing, "the ones with the knives". "Prince of Persia?" I respond. "I dunno, the one where your always killing people and doing the same thing over and over." I thought for a moment to argue, then I realized anything I said would fall on deaf ears. Then he said something I just had to retort: "Why don't you play for of them drivin' games like your cousin?" Okay, if they're not repetitive, I don't know what is. "Oh, you mean the one where he races around town breaking all known road laws in an illegal street race to win the illegal prize money to improve his car with illegal add-ons! Is that the one?" "Um...yeah..." That's what I thought.

People don't realize that behind the fighting and violence there is are puzzles (some very difficult ones in some cases), a riveting plot, engrossing characters, and ultimately, a game to rival some novels. I know I'd rather engross myself in Prince of Persia than read Tale of Two Cities.

[GenocideAlive]

People don't realize that behind the fighting and violence there is are puzzles (some very difficult ones in some cases), a riveting plot, engrossing characters, and ultimately, a game to rival some novels. I know I'd rather engross myself in Prince of Persia than read Tale of Two Cities.
Hmm. I think a better way to term it would be, "People don't realize that fighting and violence are an integral part of everyday life all around the world. Games are largely based on their storyline, and that storyline is rooted in conflict. As in any struggle, there will inevitably and sometimes frequently be contests of force."

I'm not arguing any case for games like GTA:SA, because I think those games are for adults. I don't like murder porn and the messages it puts across, but I'm only left to assume that those that enjoy that as a form of entertainment / erotica realize that it's not an acceptable concept to enter into reality. Otherwise, I think enforcements need to change; if some 16 year old gets caught with the game, I think it should be confiscated and the vendor determined. Fines all around.

I think the vendors don't take the law regarding the sales seriously because they're not concerned about enforcement.

[Ecthelion]

Hmm. I think a better way to term it would be, "People don't realize that fighting and violence are an integral part of everyday life all around the world. Games are largely based on their storyline, and that storyline is rooted in conflict. As in any struggle, there will inevitably and sometimes frequently be contests of force."A just point as well. A majority of games are centered around war, thus violence is too be involved just as in any real war.
Fines all around.Huzzah!

[Mtank]

I missed the part where someone said "games make me superior in intellect". From what I could gather about Leosam's post, I was thinking he was attempting to insinuate something about maturity, not intellect.

games were intended for those people whose minds are highly developed and help develop it and the way the game wants it to go

I think he's talking of games in general, not games for "mature" people. Its hard to tell, really. So I could be wrong.

A highly "developed" mind could possibly mean maturity as well as intelligence.

"help develop it and the way the game wants it to go"

This, however, I am confused about. What are you saying? Games help develop the mind?


I'm fairly certain that you paid a visit to the Obvious Mine, having come up with those invaluable gems. However, I'm not entirely sure how that's at all on topic or even pertinent overall.

Correct on both counts. It wasn't on topic, it was on the response to the previous post.

Wasn't it the Greeks?

Havn't heard it from a Greek source. But Im sure hordes of people have encouraged "moderation".

[GenocideAlive]

I think he's talking of games in general, not games for "mature" people. Its hard to tell, really. So I could be wrong.

A highly "developed" mind could possibly mean maturity as well as intelligence.

This, however, I am confused about. What are you saying? Games help develop the mind?
Yes, sadly this tends to be more and more of a commonplace. People attempt to either debate or rebut points but fail miserably because they can't alliterate in basic English.
Havn't heard it from a Greek source. But Im sure hordes of people have encouraged "moderation".
I'm fairly certain the Greeks were the first to popularize it.

PAN METRON ARISTON according to Thales(?), whom was around 600 B.C.

[hammocksleeper]

I'm fairly certain the Greeks were the first to popularize it.

PAN METRON ARISTON according to Thales(?), whom was around 600 B.C.

Yeah the Greeks were big on moderation. One famous thing that I'm fond of, and that is always talked about in philosophy and ethics courses, is Aristotle's "virtue ethics," which basically describes various qualities on a continuum of deficiency and excess, tempered by moderation, with the virtue being the moderate quality.

Cowardice <-------> Courage <-------> Foolhardiness

Stinginess <-------> Generosity <-------> Spendthrift

Humility <-------> Pride <-------> Vanity