It would appear as if anti-video game lawyer Jack Thompson has gone from grasping at straws to make a case against gamers to now being the ringleader of an outright witch hunt.
This time he’s urged Louisiana police to search for video games as evidence in a slaying case involving two teenagers. The murder allegedly involved the two teens beating a man and then shooting him in the face.
Thompson’s reasoning for looking for games to connect to the case: “Nobody shoots anybody in the face unless you’re a hit man or a video gamer.”
From Arstechnica:
Thompson has earned notoriety by making outspoken and often ridiculous claims about the relation of video games and violence, and he extended his streak in this matter by making shockingly broad inferences based on the public reports of the case.
Those reports indicated that the prime suspect, Kurt Edward Neher, murdered his victim because the victim would not allow Neher to borrow his car. In Thompson's words, this is "the same scenario in 'Grand Theft Auto," presumably referring to the fact that the game features, well, grand theft auto and gratuitous violence.
Police, it seems, don’t quite see the connection. Go figure!
West Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Captain Spence Dilworth said that while they did uncover several M-rated games, he believes that the role of video games in this killing are "more of a debate for the living room rather than the courtroom."
Dilworth did not reveal if Grand Theft Auto was among the games seized.
Thompson has spent years on an anti-video game campaign that has involved several failed high profile lawsuits. Grand Theft Auto is the root of all evil, according to Thompson.
Thompson, it appears, passed the bar, but failed history. Violence, murder, rape and general animalistic behavior out of humans has existed about as long as humans have. Vile people were around long before video games and they’ll likely remain long after games go by the wayside for some other form of entertainment years from now.
Jack the Ripper’s murder spree. Hitler’s reign. Lizzie Borden. The Charles Manson murders. The Salem Witch Trials. The list of infamous atrocities (some involving guns, some not, granted) that pre-date video games goes on and on. Grand Theft Auto and other Thompson-targeted titles cannot be traced to these acts. The only correlation in this list is perhaps Thompson’s personal behavior and the Salem Witch Trials.
As a gamer, I’m outraged by Thompson’s statement. As a Floridian, I’m embarrassed he lives in my state. As an America, I flat out refuse to vote for any politician who bends an ear in his direction.
The sad fact of the matter is that Thompson seems to take other people’s very real personal tragedies for use to further his own twisted agenda. He should be ashamed. Those who support his antics should be ashamed, as well.
Related:
A Jack Attack – Thompson That Is
Jack Thompson Not Impressed Over Rockstar Gag
Game Developers Respond To Jack Thompson’s Proposal
Thompson bullies Rockstar over upcoming game
Jack Thompson up to his old tricks
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