Jack Thompson disbarred
Jack Thompson, the scourge of the gaming underworld, has been disbarred by the Florida Supreme Court, permanently. Now for those of you not in the know, which would probably be everyone who don’t spend their free time playing video games, Jack Thompson is, or rather was, an American lawyer known primarily for his highly outspoken stance against video games.
For the last ten years, Thompson has repeatedly accused video games of causing increased violence in kids, blaming them for, among others, the Virgina Tech shooting and pretty much everything else that offends him. Among his favorite targets are Rockstar and their Grand Theft Auto games and, incredulously enough, the Sims 2, which according to Thompson is a virtual playground for pedophiles. He’s appeared on dozens of American TV shows as an “anti-gaming attorney”, blaming video games every time another tragic school shooting takes place.
However, he is perhaps more known for his borderline harassment of video game industry figures, repeatedly accusing them of being amoral, greedy and just plain evil. He’s sent hundreds of emails, insulting not only them but, occasionally, their mothers as well. Dogged, determined and more then a little aggressive, Thompson has become one of the more popular targets of ridicule and hate among video gamers, a fire easily fueled by the man's erratic and fanatic behavior and his unwillingness to compromise or even attempt to form a dialog with his so-called opponents in the video game industry and the culture that surrounds it.
But now, his career as a Florida state lawyer has come to an end, after his many antics, shenanigans and hootnannies finally pushed the Florida Supreme Court just a little bit too far. After countless complaints against him from those who he harassed with threatening and insulting emails, and a rather interesting incident where Thompson included gay porn in a document he filled with the court, the Florida Court finally had enough and disbarred him, for life. And, combined with a previous court ruling that prevents Thompson from filling motions on his own behalf, it is extremely unlikely that the ruling will be overturned.
Personally, as a gamer, I find this quite joyous news. While I'm not one to enjoy the misery of others, I can't stop myself from hoping that this incident will finally discredit Thompson in the eyes of the public and finally get the man and his fanatic views off the air, though I'm sure Fox news will continue to feature him as they continue airing stories with no factual basis. (I can only hope that they, in time, will follow Thompson's shinning example and finally prove themselves inept enough to ignore.)
As a gamer, my views on video games are quite obviously anything but objective. But even so, I realize that a discussion concerning the effects of video games on young children is an important one to have, and I think it is vital that we educate parents in what video games are, and how they can effect children. So, why then would I rejoice at the removal of one of video games strongest and most vocal critics? Because Thompson is a fanatic, unwilling to let such silly things as reason and logic cloud his judgment as he pursues his crusade. It's quite simply impossible to argue with a man, or woman, that is simply unwilling to change their views on the subject. People like him, who certainly exist on both sides of the fence in this debate, make a rational, reasonable and civilized discussion all but impossible. With video gamers being unwilling to see their favorite pastime as even remotely unhealthy or potentially dangerous, and men like Thompson fueling the public with a twisted, factually inaccurate view of video games powered by fear, there is no room for sincere debate.
Hopefully, with Thompson gone or at the very least on the way out, this cultural conflict is one step closer to cooling down enough to allow a healthy, friendly and open-minded discussion to emerge. Allowing me to enter my future career without having to deal with aggressive lawyers keying my car. Paintjobs are expensive, and video game development ain't exactly the highest paying job out there. Hmm, maybe we should have a discussion about that too?
For the last ten years, Thompson has repeatedly accused video games of causing increased violence in kids, blaming them for, among others, the Virgina Tech shooting and pretty much everything else that offends him. Among his favorite targets are Rockstar and their Grand Theft Auto games and, incredulously enough, the Sims 2, which according to Thompson is a virtual playground for pedophiles. He’s appeared on dozens of American TV shows as an “anti-gaming attorney”, blaming video games every time another tragic school shooting takes place.
However, he is perhaps more known for his borderline harassment of video game industry figures, repeatedly accusing them of being amoral, greedy and just plain evil. He’s sent hundreds of emails, insulting not only them but, occasionally, their mothers as well. Dogged, determined and more then a little aggressive, Thompson has become one of the more popular targets of ridicule and hate among video gamers, a fire easily fueled by the man's erratic and fanatic behavior and his unwillingness to compromise or even attempt to form a dialog with his so-called opponents in the video game industry and the culture that surrounds it.
But now, his career as a Florida state lawyer has come to an end, after his many antics, shenanigans and hootnannies finally pushed the Florida Supreme Court just a little bit too far. After countless complaints against him from those who he harassed with threatening and insulting emails, and a rather interesting incident where Thompson included gay porn in a document he filled with the court, the Florida Court finally had enough and disbarred him, for life. And, combined with a previous court ruling that prevents Thompson from filling motions on his own behalf, it is extremely unlikely that the ruling will be overturned.
Personally, as a gamer, I find this quite joyous news. While I'm not one to enjoy the misery of others, I can't stop myself from hoping that this incident will finally discredit Thompson in the eyes of the public and finally get the man and his fanatic views off the air, though I'm sure Fox news will continue to feature him as they continue airing stories with no factual basis. (I can only hope that they, in time, will follow Thompson's shinning example and finally prove themselves inept enough to ignore.)
As a gamer, my views on video games are quite obviously anything but objective. But even so, I realize that a discussion concerning the effects of video games on young children is an important one to have, and I think it is vital that we educate parents in what video games are, and how they can effect children. So, why then would I rejoice at the removal of one of video games strongest and most vocal critics? Because Thompson is a fanatic, unwilling to let such silly things as reason and logic cloud his judgment as he pursues his crusade. It's quite simply impossible to argue with a man, or woman, that is simply unwilling to change their views on the subject. People like him, who certainly exist on both sides of the fence in this debate, make a rational, reasonable and civilized discussion all but impossible. With video gamers being unwilling to see their favorite pastime as even remotely unhealthy or potentially dangerous, and men like Thompson fueling the public with a twisted, factually inaccurate view of video games powered by fear, there is no room for sincere debate.
Hopefully, with Thompson gone or at the very least on the way out, this cultural conflict is one step closer to cooling down enough to allow a healthy, friendly and open-minded discussion to emerge. Allowing me to enter my future career without having to deal with aggressive lawyers keying my car. Paintjobs are expensive, and video game development ain't exactly the highest paying job out there. Hmm, maybe we should have a discussion about that too?
Kommentarer
Trackback
