Jack Thompson Squeals On Strauss Zelnick To His Mom

[Andy Chalk]

Jack Thompson Squeals On Strauss Zelnick To His Mom

With the release of Grand Theft Auto IV [http://www.rockstargames.com] looming, Jack Thompson predictably has made his presence felt in a most unpredictable manner - by writing a letter to Strauss Zelnick's mom.

The letter to the shareholders meeting [http://www.take2games.com], at which he said, "My mom couldn't write better reviews" than the ones he had seen for Grand Theft Auto IV. Thompson, assuming that Mrs. Zelnick hasn't actually played the game herself, suggested in his letter that she either do so or find a gamer to play it for her, adding that she should try to find one "who hasn't killed someone yet."

Thompson goes on to claim that "the recent plethora of cop killings is caused in part by your darling son's entrepreneurial energy," and also referenced his appearance on 60 Minutes, quoted the Bible, and compared "little Strauss" to a member of the Hitler Youth [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Youth]. In his conclusion, Thompson wrote, "Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Zelnick, which this year is May 11, two weeks after your son unleashes porn and violence upon other mothers' boys. I'm sure you're very proud."

Speaking to here [http://diehardgamefan.insidepulse.com/2008/04/22/jack-thompsons-open-letter-to-take-two-ceos-mother/].


Permalink

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Dear God.

And we're the fucked up ones?

I hope Zelnick's mum kicks his ass. In public. On 60 minutes.

 

[GyroCaptain]

You're familiar with the concept of 'shame', right?

Mr. Pot, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He's over there on the stove whistling, I think you and he have a lot in common...

The Hitler Youth? Really? Irony being irony, the Hitler Youth were all about the indoctrination of ideals (such as they were...), which are the antithesis of GTA in every form. Meanwhile, I don't think it has to be said that Jack Thompson's own 'ideals' are somewhat warped as well.

When empirically contrasting the ethics of someone who made a career out of scaremongering to the ignorant and fueling irrational fears with someone who makes a living selling pop-culture ethics-deprived dross (parodistic or not), it's hard to prefer one side or the other. But then Jack makes it easy for us...

 

[Anton P. Nym]

You could almost swear Jack Thompson is laying the groundwork for a "diminished capacity" defense of some future crime. (Probably beating a hooker to death given his GTA fixation.) Seriously, he looks like squirrel-bait these days instead of the misguided defender of the public morals he appeared to be years ago.

Then again, anybody trying to make an election issue out of Janet Reno's sexual orientation has to have serious head-gasket leaks... maybe he's always been cracked.

-- Steve

 

[Crusnik]

Thompson needs to stop and devote his time to something else. Instead of advocating to ban games like GTA IV, he should be advocating for the proliferation of non-violent, or at least less violent, games. Then, he won't inevitably go down in history as a stupid, egotistical, douche-bag.

Edit:

Mr. Pot, there's someone I'd like you to meet. He's over there on the stove whistling, I think you and he have a lot in common...

I don't think that's entirely fair. Steam was actually useful for a while.

 

[sammyfreak]

All of this hate becuase he couldent beat GTA 1. Poor sod.

 

[Easykill]

Would it count as videogame violence if tracked him down and beat the shit out of him?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Would it count as videogame violence if tracked him down and beat the shit out of him?

Unfortunately yes, but if his mum does it, then it proves him wrong as well. Not 'arf.

 

[L.B. Jeffries]

You ever wonder what people would blame violence in youth on if video games weren't around? As in, tomorrow, all video games suddenly ceased to exist.

I think they'd blame it on reality t.v. Maybe 'Cops'.

 

[Crusnik]

You ever wonder what people would blame violence in youth on if video games weren't around? As in, tomorrow, all video games suddenly ceased to exist.

I think they'd blame it on reality t.v. Maybe 'Cops'.

They used to do that before video games, although it might not have been 'Cops' specifically.

 

[GyroCaptain]

Then again, anybody trying to make an election issue out of Janet Reno's sexual orientation has to have serious head-gasket leaks... maybe he's always been cracked.

-- Steve

Best engine related joke I've read all day. I personally posit that it takes a special kind of cretin to lose a campaign against Janet Reno, regardless of circumstance.

Crusnik, the analogy was pot and kettle calling one another black/hot. Jack Thompson has not however ever been useful, point taken. At least you can warm your chili in a pot.

 

[Crusnik]

Oh, I thought it was about blowing steam. I'm in the middle of studying for finals, so I'm not really all here.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Oh, I thought it was about blowing steam. I'm in the middle of studying for finals, so I'm not really all here.

Best of luck to yer!

Anyways...
In the 40's it was comics, in the 50 it was rock and roll, in the 60's its was communism, in the 70's it was Punk, in the 80's it was Arnold Schwarzenneger, in the 90's it was Hip hop, in the 00's its games.
As long as there are ambulance chasing Sheisters with agendas to press, something will be to blame.

Also does Thompson seriosuly think that Strauss' mother won't have noticed GTA? Given mothers tendencies to track their offspring's career with a microscope. She probably has every game, poster, review and controversy in aphabetically and chronologically indexed binders.

 

[greygelgoog]

Has this man been dis-barred yet? Or at the very least put on some powerful anti-psychotics?

 

[TimeTraveller]

I reckon Jack Thompson was that kid in the arcade who always got pushed out of the way by bigger kids when he wanted to play Pong.

 

[Pixelantes Anonymous]

Batshit. Insane. All. The. Way.

 

[Talisker]

I wonder if someone wrote a letter to Thompsons mom telling her how little Jackie is doing his damndest to wreck the lives of others if he would crawl back under the rock he came from?

 

[Melaisis]

"Happy Mother's Day, Mrs. Zelnick, which this year is May 11, two weeks after your son unleashes porn and violence upon other mothers' boys. I'm sure you're very proud."

Dirty tactics, that. I think Jack can be a very funny man (sometimes intentionally), but a statement like that? This man is going above and beyond legalities here, into very dangerous waters. Er, again.

 

[Doug]

In the 40's it was comics, in the 50 it was rock and roll, in the 60's its was communism, in the 70's it was Punk, in the 80's it was Arnold Schwarzenneger, in the 90's it was Hip hop, in the 00's its games.

I seem to recall a quote from some monk back in the 800's AD about the world being about to end due to the 'horrors' of the young and there over-sexed-ness. If I find the quote, I'll post it.

Lets just say, they are always looking for an excuse for their kids awful behaviour - i.e. instead of there poor parenting or complete ignorance of what their children get.

Not to draw too fine a point on this, but even though there is no 'official' review board for games (or at least here in the UK), all games get marked with age-ratings. If you give your kid 18+ rated material and its wraps their minds, then I think whining about these 'awful games' is a case in favour of making parenthood license only.

That said, there is a massive knee-jerk reaction to this stuff regardless. 'Cop killer simulator' my bum-cheek. If you start shooting cops in game, judging from previous GTA's, you will get hundreds of them and even tanks swarming you. If anything, it'll teach children 'Cop-killing == Getting shot to dead by a tank'. Still an odd message, for sure, but very different to what 'wacko Jacko' would have you believe.

Anywho...back on point - I don't think GTA is 'morally bankupt', really. Its up to the player in alot of cases what they choose to do - games like Mario (for a random example) aren't really teaching kids morality, because you don't have any opinion but to be the good guy - now, I like to play the good guy regardless (tis my preference) but its much more satisifing mentally that being a good guy because I have no choice.