MSNBC Rips Thompson A New One

[CSN NewsBot]

This news post really does not need much in the way of explanation. MSNBC has pieced together a commentary that essentially slams Jack Thompson and Dr. Phil for making the baseless statements that videogames were the cause of the VT shootings. Sorry Thompson et al., but you are quite mistaken, and this is precisely where the MSNBC article comes into play.

Meanwhile, authorities released a search warrant listing the items found in Cho's dorm room. Not a single video game, console or gaming gadget was on the list, though a computer was confiscated. And in an interview with Chris Matthews of "Hardball," Cho's university suite-mate said he had never seen Cho play video games.



None of this seems to matter to Thompson.



"This is not rocket science. When a kid who has never killed anyone in his life goes on a rampage and looks like the Terminator, he's a video gamer," he told MSNBC.com.

So far, most persons quick to jump on the blame game for a few minutes in the spotlight have tried to focus their attack on Counter-Strike, claiming that the game has trained gamers on how to be efficient killers. Funny, I didn't know the action of clicking a mouse and sitting in a stationary position was the same thing as going on a rampage.



Apparently, if playing games like Counter-Strike cause a person to do these heinous acts of violence then it just stands to reason that there should be constant outbreaks of shootings given the hundreds of thousands (perhaps even millions?) of CS gamers out there. That should be the case, right? I'm looking around here, I'm not seeing any acts of violence as a result of gaming. Amazing, isn't it?



The article is only two pages, but it does a great job at calling out Thompson and his extreme BS. Be sure to also check out the Hardball clip listed on the same page as the article. Yet again, Thompson is called out on his flawed judgment, especially when it comes to apparently knowing more about the shooter than his own roommate did. Here's a few other readings you may be interested in:

• Kotaku Feature - Dissecting Jack's Lies
  
  
• Take Two Interative schools Thompson at his own game

[snkcube]

And for all of Thompson's claims that violent video games are the cause of school shootings, Sternheimer points out that before this week's Virginia Tech massacre, the most deadly school shooting in history took place at the University of Texas in Austin… in 1966. Not even "Pong" had been invented at that time.

Thompson should really give up.

[K-16]

Edited by [user="5650"] @ [time="1177207530"]

Thompson is quite clever I must say. Whenever there's certain points or evidence that goes against his claims, he would immediately (usually through interruption) bring up past cases of murders/massacres in order to steer you back into his mindset again (even if the evidence shown had nothing to do with the current case). The idea is to psychologically convince you that games should be suspected due to what happened in the past, so Thompson tries to cram that seed into your mind, whenever anybody tries to counter his points with actual facts and evidence.



Furthermore, Thompson tries to use the shooter's high school friends as proof that the shooter plays Counter-Strike, and yet he claims the VT classmates (and even the roommate as Zips mentioned) do not know what the shooter is up to on a normal basis, in order to disprove that the shooter has activities on his computer unrelated to Counter-Strike (such as typing literature according to the roommate). In other words, if somebody believes the shooter is a gamer, Thompson uses them as evidence, if somebody else believes the shooter is not a gamer, he claims that somebody doesn't watch the shooter closely enough.



Any lawyers who are opponents of Thompson can simply make notes of his repetitive sparse claims and evidence and easily find counter-points to them with facts and evidence (that can actually disprove the evidence Thompson found). Let Thompson speak, then counter them (since you know exactly what he's going to say); when (not if) Thompson rudely interrupts you to bring up a past irrelevant case, let him. Then counter with the point related to the current case. Let him interrupt again, and then counter again. Sooner or later, the judge will be pissed at Thompson and tell him to shut the **** up and let the other man speak for once. Easiest case to win if I was a lawyer.



On a different note, I feel really sorry for those who had to suffer since the administration of VT refused to stop the shooter since no actual threats were made (the way he acted was frightening to students and staff, but he did not qualify in the rules and even passed psychiatric assessments and left the clinic in a day); this could have been avoided (though it would be at the cost of some human rights admittedly speaking) and now they're the biggest statistic for the U.S. I find that painfully disturbing. Even the way I typed this feels very wrong for me. And for that I'm sorry again.

[DevgruSeal H.E]

Edited by [user="353279"] @ [time="1177205889"]

To a certain extent, games keep kids from committing such violence. They're much more entertained with the rushes of adrenaline that comes from headshotting 5 guys in a row on cs_militia.



And to quote:

"One thing that people often don't realize is that in the years since video game sales have really exploded, not only have youth violence rates decreased but violence rates in the U.S. have declined precipitously," she added.

Also, I lqtm at the video where he continuously refers to games as "training."



"The video game, doom, that he trained on.."

[-:Nighthawk:-]

While there is nothing entertaining or amusing about the VT situation, I have to admit that I find Jack Thompson and his antics rather amusing. Given his track record and methods, I doubt any sane judge is going to be ruling in his favor. Thompson's methodology of distraction and off the cuff "statistics" works well for the TV screen, but ultimately the lack of substance to his claims will always leave him falling short in the courtroom.



So at the end of the day, while Thompson might be successful in inspiring increased fear in the over 40 club about depressed gamers going on rampages, I really don't see much coming from his actions but a few good laughs.

[Thortok2000]

Thompson's an idiot.

[Diamond Dust]

still msnbc are a bunch of pussies for firing Imus because reverand al decided to get some publicity. but it's always good to see someone in the media who actually researches stuff.

[AzN_PrOPh3t]

Lawl. Thompson's an moron. His claims are so unsupported. It brings a sense of twisted amusement from his stupid political game. I hate politicians who take advantage of something as horrible as the VT shooting and twist it as to give personal advancement. Sick and twisted. T2 should have continued with their lawsuit and put that bastard behind bars. Save us some grief, ffs.

[le gritche]

AzN_PrOPh3t wrote..

T2 should have continued with their lawsuit and put that bastard behind bars. Save us some grief, ffs.

Opening him the path to martyrdom and giving him proof (in his twisted mnd) that the video game industry is out to get him.

[I2o[G]uE TacT-X]

Is this site a blog now? I guess the words "news" and "blog" no longer mean different things.

[Zips]

I2o[G]uE TacT-X wrote..

Is this site a blog now? I guess the words "news" and "blog" no longer mean different things.

Counter-Strike being mentioned on MSNBC... Not sure what your definition of news is, but this is very much news. Sorry it's not about an update to the game, but as those are few and far between, we're branching out and posting news on a wider scope.

[peagle]

-:Nighthawk:- wrote..

So at the end of the day, while Thompson might be successful in inspiring increased fear in the over 40 club about depressed gamers going on rampages, I really don't see much coming from his actions but a few good laughs.

I'd like to think that were the case, but to be honest, I think Thompson continues to represent and strike a chord with all ages of "small town America".

[I2o[G]uE TacT-X]

Zips wrote..

Counter-Strike being mentioned on MSNBC... Not sure what your definition of news is, but this is very much news. Sorry it's not about an update to the game, but as those are few and far between, we're branching out and posting news on a wider scope.

Not in that sense. It's not news because your piece argues a point. Not that I agree with Thompson.

[Zips]

I2o[G]uE TacT-X wrote..

Not in that sense. It's not news because your piece argues a point. Not that I agree with Thompson.

Well, adding some personality to the site never hurt anyone. It draws people in and gets them either agreeing, or disagreeing with me, or just flat out calling me names. Either way, win win!