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2:22 PM on 04.16.2007

119 comments
A shooting tragedy, Jack Thompson is there to take advantage
World Famous

A shooting tragedy, Jack Thompson is there to take advantage screenshot

Right now, right this very second, Mr. Jack "video games cause cancer" Thompson is on FOX news talking about today's Virginia Tech tragedy. Mr. Thompson has already dropped some video game names and will surely use this as a prime example as to why there is violence in the first place.

In fact, Jack already said video games trained this shooter -- keep in mind, we know nothing about this situation other than people died. He's already name dropped Grand Theft Auto, Doom, and other "murder simulations."

Way to go Jack! Way to take tragedy and twist it into your own sick agenda.



MORE IN OUR Violence SECTION

Latest comment by Visionary |view all 119 comments
This is a really good article chastising Jack Thompson and others for trying to push an agenda after a national tragedy. http://digg.com/gaming_news/Jack_Thompson_and_others_should_be_ashamed_of......



OutrageousToob's Avatar
OutrageousToob at 04/16/2007 14:21

Jack Thompson is a tool.
christpunchermpls's Avatar
christpunchermpls at 04/16/2007 14:22

What a DONK!!
World Famous's Avatar
World Famous at 04/16/2007 14:23

He cried for about a second. It was pure gold.
Slacker's Avatar
Slacker at 04/16/2007 14:23

Way to be a media whore, Jack. As they said after he talked on the news, it's fucked up when one can be a "specialist" on school shootings, as Thompson supposedly is.
World Famous's Avatar
World Famous at 04/16/2007 14:24

That's Fox news for ya!
Toneman's Avatar
Toneman at 04/16/2007 14:25

I heard he loves boys.
pandlcg's Avatar
pandlcg at 04/16/2007 14:28

Man, and he's doing this the same day that a Louisiana judge ordered the state to pay back the ESA it's legal fees for the bill he helped push. Nothing keeps this man down.

check out Gamepolitics for the Louisiana thing
JJ Rage's Avatar
JJ Rage at 04/16/2007 14:28

That son of a bitch.

The largest school shooting in the history of this country, reports having the number dead at over 30 now. I've spent all day in a panic, trying to get in contact with every back home in Virginia, to make sure no one I know was injured.

And Jack again exploits it for his own agenda.

Fuck you Jack Thompson. You're less than human.
Slacker's Avatar
Slacker at 04/16/2007 14:29

Fuck Fox News. I had good timing though, I turned to that channel right as Jack started using other people's tragedy as a means to further his anti-gaming agenda.

Isn't Super Columbine Massacre an RPG? How could you "train" to shoot up a school in that? I don't even get how you could "train" in DOOM. I mean, evidently IDDQD doesn't work IRL...
Goliath's Avatar
Goliath at 04/16/2007 14:29

You wouldn't think that the shooter behind this massacre was messed up in the head before video games ever came into the picture? No, that just involves too much common sense.

It's sad that Jack Thompson hasn't let more than a day go by before he uses this horrific event to further his propaganda.

Jack Thompson is to video games as Al Sharpton is to African Americans. They are both ambulance chasers.
savagesaladin's Avatar
savagesaladin at 04/16/2007 14:30

Never try to communicate with Jack Thompson. Its quite frustrating and it makes me want to poop in his mouth.
UNDERSTAR's Avatar
UNDERSTAR at 04/16/2007 14:31

GAWD!!! Can someone throw him in the asylum already!!!
atheistium's Avatar
atheistium at 04/16/2007 14:31

No fucking way, i gotta see this shit :O
j-noob's Avatar
j-noob at 04/16/2007 14:34

I live about two hours away from Blacksburg.
This is so sad. Is this what society has come to: taking advantage of truly tragic and horrific events only to create a platform and grandstand for one's own glory and ego? These are the type of people who will meet the shooter in Hell.
Wow. Pretty serious stuff for a gaming blog, huh?
All of our thoughts and prayers are with your victims and families, Hokie Nation!
OutrageousToob's Avatar
OutrageousToob at 04/16/2007 14:36

There's so much I want to say about Thompson and this whole situation, and yet it seems as though its all been said before.
Jecrell's Avatar
Jecrell at 04/16/2007 14:36

Fucking Jack Thompson
Adamska's Avatar
Adamska at 04/16/2007 14:37

They must have that guy on speed dial.
JamesSorensen's Avatar
JamesSorensen at 04/16/2007 14:37

awesome, it's just like Al Sharpton with that Imus shit last week.


nothing like sharks taking advantage of others for the benefit of their own career.
winojesus's Avatar
winojesus at 04/16/2007 14:38

watch you dont slip off the recently deceased coffins you malicious, pious old cunt.
Vesty's Avatar
Vesty at 04/16/2007 14:38

We don't know a damn thing about the shooter yet and already he's saying GTA made him do it. wtf
vishusdelishus's Avatar
vishusdelishus at 04/16/2007 14:38

The only thing sadder than what happened is the fact that none of us are really surprised by his behaviour.
Rockvillian's Avatar
Rockvillian at 04/16/2007 14:40

I KNEW I'd hear him say something fucking stupid before I found out if my cousin was okay. Ass.
Aktrez's Avatar
Aktrez at 04/16/2007 14:41

The FIRST thing I said, when I heard about the shootings, was "Let's hope this kid isn't a gamer". Looks like you don't even need to be a gamer for Jack to get his claws in you. It's just automatically assumed. And what's worse, the people who watch FOX are those who are already looking to blame someone else for their issues. Thank you Jack for making us all out to be criminals. We seriously need to retaliate. This is too much at this point.
Cardoweth's Avatar
Cardoweth at 04/16/2007 14:41

This just in Fox news has just got in touch with expert on violent video games Jack Thompson..

This guy is just beyond words... I mean the dust hasnt even settled and no information has been released about the gunman... yet he still blames video games, because god knows that using a mouse or controller is exactly how a gun handles in real life.

It really pisses me off knowing that time and time again he has been proven wrong, yet in his feeble mind he has accomplished something; and whats even worse to me is this so called Christian is willing to gain from the victims families JT one day you will have to answer to the man yourself, and I really wouldnt want to be in your shoes when that day comes.
heroclixer87's Avatar
heroclixer87 at 04/16/2007 14:42

Jack Thompson is lower than scum. He is the type of person who makes want to physically vomit. Twisting such a tragedy to his sick agenda goes to show he is not a decent human being. I can only hope for the day when he is disbarred and publicly humiliated to the point where he wouldn't dare show his face in public again from fear of being ridiculed.
Teamjesus's Avatar
Teamjesus at 04/16/2007 14:46

For some reason, I cant learn about these thing till after school, I come home and my mom tells me there's been a shooting, and I say "Shit,Jacks all over this one".
crila's Avatar
crila at 04/16/2007 14:46

what an ass. i cant believe someone would use this to push their own agenda. i just dont understand how he can blame video games for every problem ever. i mean come on, did he not see any of the violent movies that came out just this week?

my thoughts go out to all of the family and friends of the victims in this horrible mess.
kenoji's Avatar
kenoji at 04/16/2007 14:48

Enough of this guy. Anyone who is educated, knows he is a lying beguiler of wretched poopery. However, I will always be saddened to know that people will believe him.

For him to exploit such a horrendous event, I believe gets him an offical hot seat reserved down in hell. I use that reference, in the context that he uses religion as a veil for his blamepage (blame + rampage).

Remember guys, he is a foot soldier of god... oh nos, the foot! (there is an image of ctrl alt delete, but I forgot where).
demonelite's Avatar
demonelite at 04/16/2007 14:48

I cant help but feel sickened by the people like Jack Thompson who use a terrible event like this to highlight there own agenda.
heroclixer87's Avatar
heroclixer87 at 04/16/2007 14:50

As an addendum I think this comic sums up Jack Thompson very well. http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2007/01/05
ohGr's Avatar
ohGr at 04/16/2007 14:50

How sad. Shows just how much of a ghoulish egotist Jack really is.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 04/16/2007 14:51

Disgusting. That's all I can say.
Cardoweth's Avatar
Cardoweth at 04/16/2007 14:52

I LOLED at the penny arcade comic.

It really doesnt surprise me with this man.

I can't wait to see him crushed with the florida bar ruling.
covah's Avatar
covah at 04/16/2007 14:57

god damn, what a whore. He needs to crawl back the fuck into his hole. No one even knows why the shooter did this, and already he's saying its video games? On what fucking basis does he say that crap?
imcowman's Avatar
imcowman at 04/16/2007 14:58

FUCK HIM
AngelsDontBurn's Avatar
AngelsDontBurn at 04/16/2007 15:05

God, I hate Jack Thompson.
Dexter345's Avatar
Dexter345 at 04/16/2007 15:06

Ugh. Couldn't he have at least waited until there was some evidence that this person played video games? Even then, couldn't he just shut up?
Goliath's Avatar
Goliath at 04/16/2007 15:08

Speaking on purely political terms based on past failed legislation: the shooter was over 18 years old. All the legislation that Thompson has proposed has been restricting the distribution of violent video games to MINORS. Using this as an example for Thompson's argument simply points to advocating all-out censorship, which is even scarier than just barring minors' access to video games.
lawsonm's Avatar
lawsonm at 04/16/2007 15:08

This is bullshit. I am a student at Virginia Tech and as of right now we know absolutely nothing about motive, or even who the shooter is. Fuck him.
Aksumka's Avatar
Aksumka at 04/16/2007 15:10

Why the hell does the media continue to feed this moron?
signal's Avatar
signal at 04/16/2007 15:11

We don't even know the identity of the shooter yet and he's already pointing the finger at video games. I seriously want to throw up when I think about how people like this manage to get on every major newscast in the US to spout off their bullshit opinions for all the world to hear.
KilgoreTrout XL's Avatar
KilgoreTrout XL at 04/16/2007 15:12

How horrible that he would use this tragedy to advance his childish need for attention.

Pathetic, Mr. Thompson.
DrRockso's Avatar
DrRockso at 04/16/2007 15:12

Appalling, but not unexpected (on Jack's part).
Civnerd's Avatar
Civnerd at 04/16/2007 15:12

We should just ignore his ass.... It's not like he even reads the blogs we frequent..... he's so out of touch with reality, if we all as a community just stopped even bringing up his name, it would be the best for both parties.
DrRockso's Avatar
DrRockso at 04/16/2007 15:13

And sorry for double posting, but Dex makes a point.

I wonder how Jacko's gonna twist this one around.
Grim's Avatar
Grim at 04/16/2007 15:15

I hate Faux news.
Aktrez's Avatar
Aktrez at 04/16/2007 15:15

I don't want to sound preachy but take a look at WWW.THEECA.COM. I joined a while back because of how much I HATE this asshole. The ECA are the people who are fighting to silence him, Hillary and all the other wankers out there who are trying to villify the gaming industry. It's times like this where I want to march on the White House myself and demand for him to STFU!!!
Pixelated Lilac's Avatar
Pixelated Lilac at 04/16/2007 15:23

As someone who not only lives near VA Tech but has relatives and friends who go there, I'm extremely pissed at Thompson.

Earlier today, while I'm surrounded by panicking people bum rushing the teacher to find out if their loved ones are okay, he's devising his plot to use this tragedy to his advantage. That's goes beyond the level of asshole. It makes me sick.
GuitarAtomik's Avatar
GuitarAtomik at 04/16/2007 15:25

@Goliath

That' one of the things I was wondering when I first heard about the shootings. I was like "Maybe JT will stay away from this one since it's not involving a minor......Nah"

One of the things JT has kept saying to defend himself is that he only wants to restrict violent games from minors and that he's not actually against violent games in general. This pretty much contradicts that argument.

UglyPhil 's Avatar
UglyPhil at 04/16/2007 15:32

Is anyone else here waiting on a FOX or YouTube video of this?
Wodkaredbubu's Avatar
Wodkaredbubu at 04/16/2007 15:34

You kind of get the "feeling" now of what it`s like to be a gamer in Germany.

Awful situation and unfortunately pathetic cocksuckers like Jack Thompson get way too much airtime to publish their bullshit to a broader audience.
Aevalad's Avatar
Aevalad at 04/16/2007 15:39

Fucking hell. Jackie boy is already throwing a hissy fit?
I heard about the shooting at noon, and the first thing I said was "Now lets watch them blame games". Looks like I was right.

I really cannot wait till this douche gets disbarred.
j-noob's Avatar
j-noob at 04/16/2007 15:40

You didn't hear this from me, but the rumors out of Blacksburg are that this was about a bad breakup between this guy and his girlfriend. He left the campus after killing her in the dorms, and came back "fully loaded" and just started shooting in the engineering building. Crazy.
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 04/16/2007 15:44

I kind of want to do unpleasant things to Jack Thompson right now. I'd like to get more specific, but I'm so angry that I might well manage to get myself in trouble if I do. Use your imagination.
Namelessted's Avatar
Namelessted at 04/16/2007 15:46

Jack Thompson is a sick human being. the ability to come out and accuse video games only hours after something like this happened. That take a special kind of sick. over 30 people were killed today, it is the biggest school shooting in history. Wait a few fucking days Jack, jesus christ.
pkhilson's Avatar
pkhilson at 04/16/2007 15:52

This is terrible, fuck some people are sick...

I also like how CNN mentions every other shooting in history, but doesn't even mention the one that happened up here in Canada just this past September. Remember? The one in Montreal where a goth dude who was a member of "vampirefreaks.com" shot up a bunch of students at his college?

I don't even think Jack Thompson jumped all over this one because it didn't happen in the US. The dude even had a list of favorite video games on his vampirefreaks.com profile including Postal, GTAs and all the other violent shooting games.

But what would Jack Thompson care about people dying in Canada suposedly because of "video games violence" right? That would have no impact on whatever motives he truly has. Just more evidence (not that there is any needed) that all this is for his own selfish self.
pkhilson's Avatar
pkhilson at 04/16/2007 15:54

selfish self. Hah. I like it.
Namelessted's Avatar
Namelessted at 04/16/2007 15:57

@Aktrez, please stop trying to tell people to give their money to a lobby organization.
Im OK's Avatar
Im OK at 04/16/2007 15:59

Jack Thompson is, as usual, being a slimy asshat and world-class attention whore.

Nothing new here.
reytawn's Avatar
reytawn at 04/16/2007 16:05

anyone down for an assasination?
Lord Helmet's Avatar
Lord Helmet at 04/16/2007 16:08

@reytawn:

Nah, a good old fashioned taring & feathering should do it.
Mozgus's Avatar
Mozgus at 04/16/2007 16:09

The innocent die and while pricks live forever.
BritiniMartini's Avatar
BritiniMartini at 04/16/2007 16:10

It's gonna be awesome when they find out the kid hasn't touched a gaming console. But if he does... That's so fucking stupid that just because a kid plays a video game and is OBVIOUSLY fucked up in the head... All the blame gets put on the video game. Not the fact that he's insane. Not that his parents SUCK at raising a kid, but simply because he played a simulated game that obviously triggered his demented mind and made him want to go on a shooting spree. [obviously] Hell... I know when I miss my bxr I feel like going and shooting up a school. I mean... Who doesn't?

/sarcasm

>.<
icarus's Avatar
icarus at 04/16/2007 16:14

Vile.
mikeohara's Avatar
mikeohara at 04/16/2007 16:18

Jack Thompson has gone beyond his usual mumblings and idiotic fingerpointing in claiming that the person who shot up the Virginia Tech campus was influenced by Video Games ...

Mr. Thompson, you are a blight unto us all and what you have failed to understand until this day is that every one of us here on Destrucoid as well as in the gaming community in general has a very extreme dislike of you. It is now time for all of us to unite to have you, this shitdick removed from all importance, period.

Goodbye Mr. Thompson.
tehArtist's Avatar
tehArtist at 04/16/2007 16:23

Ya know, the violence in video games of today didn't exist in the 1920's 1930's and 1940's during the age of the hardcore gangsters and mobsters?

No Wait! Checkers made them do it!

Or did the evil spirit in the ouija board tell them to do it?

bah
BlindsideDork's Avatar
BlindsideDork at 04/16/2007 16:39

Next he will target Guitar Hero and how that is a simulator of ppl to be lazy and not have jobs cause they are in "bands"
BlindsideDork's Avatar
BlindsideDork at 04/16/2007 16:40

Obscure 2!
Mxyzptlk's Avatar
Mxyzptlk at 04/16/2007 16:40

First thing I thought when I turned on the news this morning was how long it would take for Jack to start his zealotry machine up. Disgusting.

I looked up his birth date with the hopes that he'd be croaking from old age soon, and the guy's only 55. He looks a hell of a lot older. Being an evil douche must do that to you.

My brother has several friends at VT, none of them were hurt thankfully.
BritiniMartini's Avatar
BritiniMartini at 04/16/2007 16:46

I heard that the reason the guy shot up the place was cuz his gf broke up with him.

Damn... Fucking video games strike again!
Christina Faith Winterburn's Avatar
Christina Faith Winterburn at 04/16/2007 16:50

The shooter apparently killed his girlfriend. I say relationshop problems caused this guy to go nuts or something like that.
Eschatos's Avatar
Eschatos at 04/16/2007 16:50

This disgusts me to the point of sickness. That's all I have to say.
Android8675's Avatar
Android8675 at 04/16/2007 16:55

Dear god make him stop.
king3vbo's Avatar
king3vbo at 04/16/2007 17:07

God damn Jack Thompson, does that bastard have a soul?
pkhilson's Avatar
pkhilson at 04/16/2007 17:11

His gf broke up with him and that's why he did it?!?!

Quick! We need to start a movement against sex before marriage!!! It has obviously corrupted this pure soul's mind!!!

...wait, they already have those movements don't they? Has a representative of the church commented on pre marital sex and shootings yet?
momiji58's Avatar
momiji58 at 04/16/2007 17:12

Such an idiot. Honestly, it really makes me wonder why anyone would give him any air time.
momiji58's Avatar
momiji58 at 04/16/2007 17:14

He doesn't really care for those poor people who got shot, he just wants the media coverage.. Such an attention whore...
ClarenceBoddicker's Avatar
ClarenceBoddicker at 04/16/2007 17:31

It is too bad our country eats this shit up if we didn't,this wackjob wouldn't even have a pot to piss in
asdfjkl's Avatar
asdfjkl at 04/16/2007 17:34

wtf
Pangloss's Avatar
Pangloss at 04/16/2007 17:38

Faux News has repeatedly emphasized that the shooter was a "young Asian." Bet you tomorrow Jack Thompson will be talking about how DDR trained this young man to kill.

Were I a student at VA Tech, and I knew about this, I would have called in to Fox News earlier today (under the guise of wanting to talk about the shooting) and called them out on letting a nutcase like Jack on air.

The whole situation makes me ill. Jack Thompson just adds a multiplier.
CrackaSlim's Avatar
CrackaSlim at 04/16/2007 17:46

It's pretty sad how this man is simply pushing his agenda, and even being given the title "violent video game expert" despite naming the same scapegoat games.

Off-topic, I really don't mind being labeled as an enemy because I play video games. But I guess it's just teenage rebellion kicking in.

None of the less, I wish the best for the victims, students, and their families.
Pangloss's Avatar
Pangloss at 04/16/2007 17:56

As a side note, I kept noticing a curious choice of words as Fox was interviewing people involved in the shooting, as well as some people affected by Columbine that they talked to. They said that if the subject under discussion was too sensitive, and the interviewee didn't want to talk about it, then they were "well within your rights" not to talk about it.

Within their rights? Did Fox become a police force when I wasn't looking? I thought they were journalists over there.
joeisremy's Avatar
joeisremy at 04/16/2007 17:58

I just held down r2 and O on my ps2 controller and no one died. because as far as video games go that's all they have trained me to do when it comes to shooting people.
B-Radicate's Avatar
B-Radicate at 04/16/2007 18:21

if this guy played videogames, i hope he only played games like the sims, animal crossing, or viva pinata. i wanna see old jacko spin a yarn about how such COMPLETELY nonviolent games are what "caused" this tragedy. his foot would be so far down his throat he'd be shitting boot laces.