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Thompson: Gamers don't care about dead people photo

The Destructoid community is abuzz with the arrival of its newest member (and avid Destructoid reader) Jack Thompson. Thompson, a man who still clings to the obsolete belief that gamers are sociopathic children, chose to make his grand entrance by calling us just that, and was even cutting enough to describe us all as E-tards. While most of the community fired right back at him, one of our readers sought some manner of rational discourse.

Paying him respect and urging him to engage Destructoid in a less hostile manner, CBlogger Mecha Monkey hoped to crack through the bravado and find a man whose beliefs we could get behind. It was a futile effort, but a noble one. After suggesting he appear on one of our podcasts, Jack Thompson quickly declined his own offer, deciding instead to retort to the up-until-then polite Mecha Monkey with condescending words and finally offering up this amazing description of all gamers:

Gamers are ill-mannered and uninformed, and they prove it everyday. They couldn't care less about the people killed. 

Thompson, the man who has a history of being rude to correspondents, called the manners of everybody reading this into question. Thompson, the man who continues to implicate videogames in the Virginia Tech shooting regardless of proof showing otherwise, has called everybody reading this uninformed. Furthermore, the man who used the NIU tragedy to plug his own book as gone on record as saying not a single one of us cares about the people killed.

If it any wonder that gamers treat him like a figure of fun and a complete joke when he can't even respond to polite ones with any degree of respect?


Continue: More Jack Thompson stories





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138 comments | showing # 51 to 100

odintal's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:20
odintal
@Colette

there is plenty of evidence for correlation.

there is a distinct lack of evidence for causation though.
JonDarkwood's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:22
JonDarkwood
Can we issue that moritorium on Jack stories that you guys talked about on Podtoid like two years ago now?
Cheeburga's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:22
Cheeburga
It's depressing to see that the man has no ounce of humanity in him to reply in a respectful and intelligent manner.
Really really sad.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:27
LarkOhiya
I don't care about dead people. they always seem to spawn right behind me for the gimp kill.
Clockwork's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:32
Clockwork
I really would hope he comes to respond to this article and comments.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:37
Jim Sterling
JamnOnTheOne: Would be an excellent point if he had responded just to myself or the commenters who reacted to his calling us sociopaths. However, he was rude to a man who was polite to him. End of story.
Necros's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:38
Necros
I hate to keep linking to this cblog I wrote, but I honestly think that Jack Thompson is too inconsequential to concern ourselves about what he's doing. It's obvious that he's not making a difference, and appearing on Fox News means nothing to most rational people.
Wookiee's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:39
Wookiee
According to GamePolitics, rather than letting them mourn, Jack is currently threatening the school with a lawsuit because he claims they are withholding "crucial" documents about the perp's gaming habits.

Talk about kicking the victims while they're down! Shame on you, Jack!
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:45
MechaMonkey
Didn't see that this got front paged until now. Need to learn to scroll better.

With regard to keeping things private: I offered to do so, and he did not say he wished to, which I took to be consent to post our correspondence. If he wishes, I will be more than happy to remove them.

Jack Thompson is a man of sincere conviction and drive, or at least he was at some point. Somewhere along the way he became bitter and jaded, and both sides of this issue have suffered. Let him speak his piece, and we'll speak ours. There's no need to continue bandying childish insults about.

Jim, I really appreciate that you kept the tone of this article civil. Like I did in my e-mails, we all need to show that we can take the higher path. And thank you for frontpaging it. There were a lot of us hoping we could get something real going with Mr. Thompson, but it's clear that he's too far past polite and honest discourse.
BluFire's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:46
BluFire
Has anyone ever asked him what his favorite video game is? I'd like to take this opportunity to ask him, if he's reading this (there's a good chance, isn't there?):

Jack Thompson, what is your favorite video game to play?

I'm not trying to start an argument. I'm just wondering.
Loki Power's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:48
Loki Power
How can we have ANY respect for him, if it's so blatantly obvious he's an attention whore.
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:51
Sharpless
Okay, this is the last straw. (Yes, it's taken this long.) Who the hell do you think you are, Mr. Thompson? Who the hell do you think you are? Can you judge me? Does God give you authority to judge me without any knowledge of me? You do not know me, you do not know every single gamer in the world, you know nothing of what you speak. Don't you EVER render judgment on me, when it comes to something as serious as the victims of these tragedies.

As a devout evangelical Christian, I am appalled at what a poor representation of your supposed faith you are. I can't imagine what damage you're doing to the name of Christianity. It's people like you that make Christians a laughing stock, for all the wrong reasons. Do you have any grasp of Christ's teachings, when you call gamers e-tards and make ridiculous claims and accusations?

You are unprofessional, you are obnoxious, you are frequently out-of-line. Stop. From time to time, you do seem reasonable, intelligent. Please stick to that. You will never win any fights by sinking to the level of the gaming community's worst members. Especially when you call yourself a lawyer.
FlammableMoose's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:51
FlammableMoose
New to Destructoid and just created first post and blog.
Look it up and tell me what you think.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 14:59
Jim Sterling
For whoever wanted to know Thompson's favorite videogame:

I've just asked him. Will let you know if he has an answer.
devilreyes's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:02
devilreyes
Jack's right! We need a ban on dangerous video games and give every kid a nice safe gun!
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:07
PrinceofCannedPeaches
I'm not sure I'm completely with you here, Jim. I mean, I agree with you: he is a self-righteous, violently prejudiced rhetorical buffoon, but... the way I've seen you react to him hasn't really given me any faith in reconciliation.

I read MechaMonkey's post, and it was brutal, and gory, and inhumane, but I'm afraid that I'll always be the Mahatma Gandhi to your John Brown in this situation, mate. I still - despite all odds, despite all the shit we've taken from him - believe that passive resistance is the best tactic.

WR
The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:10
The-Excel
I wonder who will miss Jack-Thompson when he dies.
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:11
PrinceofCannedPeaches
Well, from what he says, Excel: not us.
that1dood's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:13
that1dood
I just read the emails in their entirety. Jack's responses were completely uncalled for. MechaMonkey was holding in the process of organizing a memorial and he has the audacity to say that gamers don't care about the deaths at NIU?

I'm sorry, what line of reasoning can possibly be used to justify such a sweeping statement?

Honestly, I think he needs to watch what he says. Just like doctors, scientists, and leaders in particular fields of study have to be careful what they say about certain subjects so as to not bias the slightly less educated in a given subject; I think Mr. Thompson should put a cap on these disrespectful, sweeping generalizations about a people he knows very little about.

But despite his ridiculous comments, I would still like to see him in a decent conversation by way of podcast. It would be nice to see if he really is this hateful, or if there is, again, a genuine breakdown of communication somewhere.
BluFire's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:14
BluFire
Sweet. Thanks Jim.
Horatio Caine's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:15
Horatio Caine
To think about it, he doesn't do his research @ all.
Horatio Caine's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:16
Horatio Caine
That shows some gamers care in general.
Eschatos's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:18
Eschatos
This man is incredibly right, and you should listen to everything he says. He is my personal idol.
Kaos Angel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:21
Kaos Angel
Omg... people die...? Wow.
MatCD's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:22
MatCD
interesting fact, people around the world die EVERY DAY

and im sure that good willed Jack would care about them

so Jack, if your reading, why don't you go to Africa and serve some PB?
michiyoyoshiku's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:25
michiyoyoshiku
Jack Tompson is the officially the white Kanye West
Kaspar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:34
Kaspar
Maybe old Jack here got his ass handed to him one time too many when playing Pong back in the day?

I think Michael Jackson and old Thopson should fight to death for the title on Wacko Jacko.
And when the winner steps out of the ring, then you can say, that we don't care about dead people.
The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:39
The-Excel
I care about half-dead people.
The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:42
The-Excel
Someone should make him watch someone play Trauma Center. Watch his jaw drop as the player retries the operation after he lets the patient die. Do you know why he bothers? Because he cares about that person. He cares enough that he would have his medical license suspended seven thousand times until he gets it right.

You hearing me, son?
Sadie G's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:43
Sadie G
@michiyoyoshiku
What does that even mean?
Kayne is actually a pretty smart guy.
Barcode's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:49
Barcode
We don't care about the people killed? Jack, you don't sound like you care by calling us gamers people who are sociopaths and etards.

I have a life just like the rest of this community does. We're just like anyone else. There's people who congregate talking about cars, hunting, sports, and anything else that is can be considered a hobby. We just choose to congregate about video games.

Jack, you're sounding like a 13 year old kid who spends all their time talking online trying to trash talk other kids.
VWGTI's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:49
VWGTI
@ Sadie

I think he was referring to the time Kayne said, "George Bush doesn't care about black people!"
The-Excel's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:51
The-Excel
@Sharpless:
Do you mind if I quote your post on my own site? I'm Presbyterian myself and I think more people need to hear this.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:52
Tubatic
It seems like he (jack Thompson) is just this entity that refuses to see a shade of gray in his concept of good vs bad.

I am a gamer. I'm married and 28 years old.

Tragedies are not something I'm likely to joke about.

However, in Jack Thompson's crusade, he refuses to acknowledge my existence, which I guess is ok, right? I don't need his attention to forward my agenda.

But what's been really telling in his emails with Mecha Monkey, wherein he really seeks to diminish the value of a memorial/vigil held for a tragedy that is unrelated to a person's immediate life. His statements really point out how single minded he is in his crusade, and how that single mindedness shuts out anything in the way of respecting the feelings of individuals or trying to understand the culture and society of anything.

He's really acting, at least, in the same way that he pictures "gamers".

Long story short (too late), I really can't respect or take him seriously. Yes there are statistic, but there are differing views. He's cementing his legacy of forever attaching himself to the issue of and crusade against violent games. Beyond that, as far as I can tell, he appears to be beyond affect on a social, person to person level.

Educate the parents, parent your kids to the best of your ability, and realize that there is no good scapegoat for the nature and nurture of a person.
moot button's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:55
moot button
A man that plugs his book while being interviewed about a school shooting, and exploits the grief and sadness caused by school shootings to push forth his own personal agenda forfeits all rights to say that i "couldn't care less about the people killed". Please Mr. Thompson, investigate your own shameless actions before pointing fingers at others. Props to Mecha Monkey for trying something so futile as having a logical discussion with this man. Its unfortunate that the world needs people to play Jack Thompson's role. Thundercats would have been a pointless show without Mumrah. i could go on with that metaphor, but i'll stop.
devilreyes's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 15:57
devilreyes
Dead people don't care about gamers. Since there is a proven link between death and various anti-social behaviors such as apathy, lethargy, rapid weight loss, lack of proper hygene, and unemployment, the governement needs to get on banning this menace to our nation's children.
mistic's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:14
mistic
damn...

if gamers were truly so dangerous, one of us would've killed him long ago...

the fact that Jt is alive is truly the "living proof" that we are a benevolent group of people, we take so mutch abuse from him and the worst that we do is post online about it and maybe send him an angry email...

and luckily, that is enough for us, because we gamers are a kind and friendly people that don't do harm....

or grab the pitchforks and torches! time for a nice medieval thrashing! whatever gets more votes...
Origim's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:16
Origim
I find it quite funny that people are calling Thompson a troll and call for us to ignore him. I wonder if these same poeple will call for the same standards when a cblog troll is getting a 150 comments containing every image fail blog has on it. Those are the types that truly deserved to be ignored.

I still won't join the ingore him crowd but our good buddy Jack is getting close to that category. It's pretty pathetic he couldnt even be civil to Mecha Monkey who was both civil and inteliigent in his e-mails. He's also my new hero, Mecha Monkey that is.
Vigor's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:16
Vigor
@Jim This is Jack's favorite game duh
Sharpless's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:20
Sharpless
@The-Excel
Sure, be my guest. :)
BlackSunEmpire's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:33
BlackSunEmpire
@Bruceleethree Im not sure if you were being ironic, but most if not all people here are 1 chromosome short of Downs syndrome, its caused by having an extra chromosome.
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:37
Mxyzptlk
You guys should give Jack his own weekly column on Destructoid. I'm totally being serious about this.
mikeohara's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:43
mikeohara
I'm a gamer, and I care about what happened to those kids at NIU. More specifically, I play violent video games and have 3 different mental disorders and yet I can determine when someone's talking out of their ass and distinguish fantasy from reality at the same time! I haven't killed anyone, nor do I ever plan to. I care when people die, does that make me any different from anyone else?

Jack Thompson, please shut up and go away and leave us gamers alone in peace. You're a flat-out disgrace to your mother and father, my mother and father's generation (my mom and dad are both in their late 50s and early 60s), and to the law profession as a whole. I really hope that you get disbarred, so we don't have to deal with this abnormal train of thought that you have that even puts Dubya to shame anymore.

I feel a lot better after saying that.
MissHinasaki's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:45
MissHinasaki
So what does that I say about us? I mean, that Jack Thompson knows we exist?

Destructoid. Trolled by Jack Thompson.
CALkulon's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:46
CALkulon
Jim, Jack's favourite game is CLEARLY Superman 64.

On the slightly more serious side, I agree with Trev - the more air time JT gets, the more of a twat he becomes and people see him for that. The kind of people who believe him without question are the ones we really can't do much about anyway. Eventually he'll lose his license and we can all do happy dances.
CALkulon's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:47
CALkulon
Sorry for double post, but didn't see Mxyz's comment. Totally, 100% behind that, it would be immense.
Samit Sarkar's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 16:51
Samit Sarkar
As I said in my comment on MechaMonkey’s post, the responses that he got from Thompson were rude and insulting. How dare he judge me? How dare he? Blanket statements are usually a bad idea, but to generalize over all gamers — a group that is as varied as the entire human race — and say that they don’t care about the victims of events such as school shootings, is just unacceptable and unprofessional, not to mention absolutely wrong.
Urashima's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 17:06
Urashima
Jack needs to be disbarred. He's more incompetent than that Hyper-Chicken lawyer from a back woods asteroid in Futurama.
Phoenix Gamma's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 17:11
Phoenix Gamma
Jack's favorite game is a banned one.
Novalon's Avatar - Comment posted on 02/18/2008 17:11
Novalon
My comments mostly echo JonDarkwood's, seeing as how I met him at VT, anyhow...

To Jack Thompson:

6/10, I raged, but troll somewhere else, k?
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