Jack Thompson's Anti-Game Law

[Elite Lord Sigma]

Jack Thompson, one of the biggest critics of the gaming industry, has been asked to write a law by Florida Governor Jeb Bush to ban the sale of M rated games to minors. According to Thompson, video games are literally "murder simulators" that are teaching our kids how to kill. He also says:

-that the original Doom was a major factor in the Columbine killings
-that multiple copycat killings across the US were inspired by the Grand Theft Auto series
-that the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the US game industry lobby, is a "criminal organization" with a "thug" president
-that the Sims 2 is packed with easily accessible "full frontal nudity", basically with private organs

Don't believe me? Go to Gamespot and you'll see this on the front page as part of a Halo 3 rumors article.

First of all, I think insulting everyone who likes video games will make people hate you a lot (and possibly get you killed, if you happen to be in the wrong place).

Secondly, how the hell are all video games "murder simulators?" How does Tetris, Katamari Damacy, and Super Mario Bros. teach people how to kill?

Finally, saying that video games are the cause of all the world's problems proves that you are either an idiot or hate video games. People that kill are usually mental, and that is the main reason that people kill, not video games.

Post your thoughts on this topic.

[Rye]

Um, selling M rated games to minors is already not allowed? That's just silly, really. If they feel so strongly about it, why don't they punish the PARENTS for getting the games for the kids?

[TheAbominatrix]

Even though I think Jack Thompson is a friggin moron and he really needs to pull his head out of his butt, I dont see anything wrong with M rated games being banned from minors. While I do think that parents need to take resposnibility, we all know that wont happen anytime soon, and maybe the ban of M rated games for minors will take away the scapegoat parents use.

[Rye]

While I do think that parents need to take resposnibility, we all know that wont happen anytime soon, and maybe the ban of M rated games for minors will take away the scapegoat parents use.

:<3: I think I love you.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

Even though I think Jack Thompson is a friggin moron and he really needs to pull his head out of his butt,

Agreed.

[Flying Mullet]

Video games are just the latest "incarnation of satan" after rock n' roll, comic books and heavy metal. There have actually been studies done that show that people are no more prone to "bad" behavior after playing video games. Also, as video games have risen astronomically in popularity in the last 20 years, violent crimes, drug use and other "problems" of youth have decreased over the same time peoriod. (I got this from the latest issue of Game Informer but I can't find the article on their website.)

Then again seeing as this is a gaming board I doubt that we will disagree with each other much on the issue.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

Video games are just the latest "incarnation of satan" after rock n' roll, comic books and heavy metal. There have actually been studies done that show that people are no more prone to "bad" behavior after playing video games. Also, as video games have risen astronomically in popularity in the last 20 years, violent crimes, drug use and other "problems" of youth have decreased over the same time peoriod. (I got this from the latest issue of Game Informer but I can't find the article on their website.)

Then again seeing as this is a gaming board I doubt that we will disagree with each other much on the issue.

It sure doesn't seem like it. And thanks for the info from the article, which further proves Jack Thompson is a moron.

[FFGuevara]

I heard he also has a 9 year old son... Boy do i feel sorry for that kid.

[Ryth]

I heard he also has a 9 year old son... Boy do i feel sorry for that kid.

Someone breeded with him?!


Well this is probably a good idea, though yeah agreed Thompson should pull his head out of his butt. Hes a moron of the highest calibur. So I'm behind this decision but I still strongly dislike Jack Thompson. Its the parent's fault the minor's got their hands on these "murder simulations" since adults are the only ones who can buy them for them anyways.

[DMKA]

Wait, is he trying to keep 17 year olds from buying M rated games, or does he not realize that they already have that rating?

I don't know about here in Cali (haven't went game shopping since I got back, and when I was younger I know the rating system wasn't something many if any stores really paid attention to), but in Oklahoma they won't sell minors M rated games anyway (yes, you have to be over eighteen and show an I.D. to purchase 17 and up games there :rolleyes2 ), so it's nothing new.

I personally think when your seventeen, hell sixteen, there's nothing you're going to play/see that's going to damage you anymore than you already are anyway, and it's not like you aren't already seeing worse things in the real world than any video game could show you by then. I personally think if a game says 17+, then it should be sold to you if you're just that, 17+...the problem is, there's alot of 17 year olds that don't have the means (like a drivers license) to prove their age, whereas most 18 year olds do (seeing as when you're 18 you can't really get by without it any longer), so I really don't see what harm raising it to 18+ is going to do. It'd shut alot (well a few anyway) of people up, and then the parents would HAVE to buy the games for their kids, so then when everyone wants to bitch and whine the parents can be the ones who get randown by the church mobs, aswell as parents not being able to say "Oh it's the game's fault and best buy's for selling it to my kid that my kid blew up his school!" because they'll have had to buy it for them.

So, dare I say it, but I actually think this would be more of a good thing.

[TheAbominatrix]

It isnt a law, however. It's a voluntary deal between the ESRB and retailers. Most retailers comply (at least on paper), this measure would only make it an actual law as opposed to a voluntary measure.

And yeah, it's the same way here in California. I'm pretty sure it's nationwide.

-And damn you Rye, you got that song stuck in my head xD :<3:

[Cz]

*smacks forehead*

What a moron. It's one thing to criticise something you don't like, but quite another to do so without having even the slightest grasp of reality.

[Madame Adequate]

Video games are just the latest "incarnation of satan" after rock n' roll, comic books and heavy metal. There have actually been studies done that show that people are no more prone to "bad" behavior after playing video games. Also, as video games have risen astronomically in popularity in the last 20 years, violent crimes, drug use and other "problems" of youth have decreased over the same time peoriod. (I got this from the latest issue of Game Informer but I can't find the article on their website.)

Then again seeing as this is a gaming board I doubt that we will disagree with each other much on the issue.

It sure doesn't seem like it. And thanks for the info from the article, which further proves Jack Thompson is a moron.

There's this too, which is a pretty nifty little discourse on the matter.

[Elite Lord Sigma]

Video games are just the latest "incarnation of satan" after rock n' roll, comic books and heavy metal. There have actually been studies done that show that people are no more prone to "bad" behavior after playing video games. Also, as video games have risen astronomically in popularity in the last 20 years, violent crimes, drug use and other "problems" of youth have decreased over the same time peoriod. (I got this from the latest issue of Game Informer but I can't find the article on their website.)

Then again seeing as this is a gaming board I doubt that we will disagree with each other much on the issue.

It sure doesn't seem like it. And thanks for the info from the article, which further proves Jack Thompson is a moron.

There's this too, which is a pretty nifty little discourse on the matter.

Wonderful article. Anyone who thinks video games cause violence assumes TV tells the truth (which about 80% of time it doesn't), hasn't read that article, is ignorant, or is a total idiot.

And this is what I think of the media:

[Sephex]

Banning games from minors wouldn't do much of anything. Parents who allow their kids to play M rated games would just end up buying them at stores themselves. Parents who don't allow kids playing M rated games...would pretty much do the same thing they do now!