GTA IV pulls Jack Thompson out of woodwork again

[Steve9347]

I am pretty sure calling people who follow a Christian moral code, "scum" is against the new rules in the Buster. At very least it is pretty offensive to me anyway.

Dude. He didn't say people who follow a Christian moral code are scum. He said Jack Thompson is scum because he wants to force people to follow his moral code.

 

GoSox05 said NOTHING about the Christian moral code being scum, he was talking about Thompson.

Edited May 5, 2008 by Steve9347

[GoSox05]

Like many things in our society, this does not benefit society, or the people who play the game. Nobody will say, I owe this promotion, or I'm a better person, because I play GTA. But, we tolerate it because we are a reasonably free society. At best, we try our best to limit the exposure to certain segments of society.

 

And a very slight defense for parents,

 

As a society we bombard our kids with positive messages about negative things, then blame the parents when kids are drawn to them. You cannot leave your kids locked up and blind from TV, radio, etc. You also cannot watch them 24/7. When will parents get a little help from society? I dislike using this as an example, because we will end up debating the merits of the game, but if this game was never produced, then parents would not need to try and make certain their kids never play it. Imagine the parent that asks does Johnny have GTA? Does his parents lock it up when they are not home? Sorry, you can no longer go to his house. Does that really seem plausable?

 

 

Where do you stop and who's to judge? Maybe if this game wasn't here, maybe if this record wasn't made, maybe if this book wasn't written. It's opening a door to a place I don't wanna go.

[Texsox]

It's the parents job to make sure kids aren't playing the game. Jack Thompson isn't saying that though. He's saying that these games should be banned from the country. Saying that the makers of the game are responsible for murder. He wants everyone to follow his conservative Christian moral code. He's scum.

 

A system of beliefs, add whatever label you want, is the basis for laws. Why is it illegal to kill your neighbors cat, but not a mouse in your house? Why is it illegal for a 30 year old to have sex with a 16 year old? These are all about morality and someone wants others to follow this moral code.

 

Your comment is insulting to over a billion humans on this planet.

[GoSox05]

A system of beliefs, add whatever label you want, is the basis for laws. Why is it illegal to kill your neighbors cat, but not a mouse in your house? Why is it illegal for a 30 year old to have sex with a 16 year old? These are all about morality and someone wants others to follow this moral code.

 

Your comment is insulting to over a billion humans on this planet.

 

 

I could only dream of insulting a billion people.

[Texsox]

Where do you stop and who's to judge? Maybe if this game wasn't here, maybe if this record wasn't made, maybe if this book wasn't written. It's opening a door to a place I don't wanna go.

 

We decide that children porn isn't healthy, so it is banned. Who judged that? We decided that nudity during after school viewing isn't good, so we banned that.

 

You might not want to go there, but fortunately we elect people and appoint people to go there.

[southsider2k5]

Dude. He didn't say people who follow a Christian moral code are scum. He said Jack Thompson is scum because he wants to force people to follow his moral code.

 

GoSox05 said NOTHING about the Christian moral code being scum, he was talking about Thompson.

 

And why is does he consider him scum? Because he wants people to follow a Christian moral code. To me that says it all. Its insulting. If he had said someone was scum for wanting people to follow a black code, a female code, or any other code, there would have been plenty of reactions. To me, it is the samething.

[Texsox]

It's the parents job to make sure kids aren't playing the game. Jack Thompson isn't saying that though. He's saying that these games should be banned from the country. Saying that the makers of the game are responsible for murder. He wants everyone to follow his conservative Christian moral code. He's scum.

 

Interesting no mention of tactics in this post.

[GoSox05]

And why is does he consider him scum? Because he wants people to follow a Christian moral code. To me that says it all. Its insulting. If he had said someone was scum for wanting people to follow a black code, a female code, or any other code, there would have been plenty of reactions. To me, it is the samething.

 

 

I think he's scum because of the tactics he uses. The Florida Bar is currently seeking sanctions against Thompson for inappropriate conduct. If you want to say that I called him scum because he's christian than go ahead. That's not why I did it.

Edited May 5, 2008 by GoSox05

[Steve9347]

And why is does he consider him scum? Because he wants people to follow a Christian moral code. To me that says it all. Its insulting. If he had said someone was scum for wanting people to follow a black code, a female code, or any other code, there would have been plenty of reactions. To me, it is the samething.

Have you ever been gambling? Ever watched an R-Rated flick? Ever sipped on an alcoholic beverage?

 

I understand if people are against a video game and don't want to play it, but sending hate filled e-mails to video game creators' mothers is another thing entirely. There's a reason the game has a rating, and for him to be a freak about it even existing is taking it too far. GoSox05 calling Thompson scum is different than calling his Christian beliefs scum. The pushing of the beliefs is where the problem lies, and the manner in which he does so.

Edited May 5, 2008 by Steve9347

[Buehrle>Wood]

With how much you guys were pumped about this game, I have to say I am stunned to hear

B-gt-w and Steve saying that they support this, and even moreso to hear Steve say that he sold the game.

 

And that is not an indictment on either of you

 

I actually don't support it because my game doesn't work and I'm stuck with a $60 coaster that Rockstar hasn't bothered to fix in fear of bad press when their stock is on the rise.

 

As for the topic at hand, for those who don't know who he is, Jack Thompson is an absolute moron, and his opinion is completely irrelevant when it comes to video games these days. I believe he has had his license to practice taken away now because of his antics. I would not support this guy on any of his believes. Video games should not have any restrictions put on them that are any worse than what the movie industry has. Let the parents handle it, and I don't think there is any arguing against it.

[GoSox05]

We decide that children porn isn't healthy, so it is banned. Who judged that? We decided that nudity during after school viewing isn't good, so we banned that.

 

You might not want to go there, but fortunately we elect people and appoint people to go there.

 

 

So are you comparing video games to child porn?

[Steve9347]

As for the topic at hand, for those who don't know who he is, Jack Thompson is an absolute moron, and his opinion is completely irrelevant when it comes to video games these days. I believe he has had his license to practice taken away now because of his antics. I would not support this guy on any of his believes. Video games should not have any restrictions put on them that are any worse than what the movie industry has. Let the parents handle it, and I don't think there is any arguing against it.

But he's a Christian so you just insulted a billion people!

[southsider2k5]

Interesting no mention of tactics in this post.

 

Exactly. Its not surprising either.

[lostfan]

So are you comparing video games to child porn?

Well, it's not like we are talking about Mario Bros. subject matter here. This is Grand Theft Auto.

[southsider2k5]

Have you ever been gambling? Ever watched an R-Rated flick? Ever sipped on an alcoholic beverage?

 

I understand if people are against a video game and don't want to play it, but sending hate filled e-mails to video game creators' mothers is another thing entirely. There's a reason the game has a rating, and for him to be a freak about it even existing is taking it too far. GoSox05 calling Thompson scum is different than calling his Christian beliefs scum. The pushing of the beliefs is where the problem lies, and the manner in which he does so.

 

So I guess according to your standards that would make you scum for pushing your beliefs on us? That's fair I guess.

 

[Steve9347]

Well, it's not like we are talking about Mario Bros. subject matter here. This is Grand Theft Auto.

Well, let's bring up movies like "Saw II" and books such as "Choke" while we're at it. Let's bring up any CD that has a Parental Advisory on it. His singling out of a video game is stupid.

 

DISCLAIMER: I only intend to call Thompson stupid, not his Christian moral code.

[Texsox]

So are you comparing video games to child porn?

 

No. You asked who should decide and where the line should be drawn. I was offering some obvious areas that most people agree should be banned, where we do censor. You don't want to go there, and that's fine. Again, we elect people who also appoint people, and we do go there. We draw lines and declare things illegal.

 

I think there could be games that push the boundaries to a point where they should not be available to adults as well. I doubt anyone would argue that any and all games, no matter the topic, should be allowed. So you too would agree there is a line. It's just who draws the line, and where.

[Steve9347]

So I guess according to your standards that would make you scum for pushing your beliefs on us? That's fair I guess.

Yeah, when I do that I'll link you up.

 

I didn't push anything, I argued that you overreacted/mis-read.

 

Now I realize you didn't mis-read...

Edited May 5, 2008 by Steve9347

[southsider2k5]

No. You asked who should decide and where the line should be drawn. I was offering some obvious areas that most people agree should be banned, where we do censor. You don't want to go there, and that's fine. Again, we elect people who also appoint people, and we do go there. We draw lines and declare things illegal.

 

I think there could be games that push the boundaries to a point where they should not be available to adults as well. I doubt anyone would argue that any and all games, no matter the topic, should be allowed. So you too would agree there is a line. It's just who draws the line, and where.

 

And that line is almost always drawn allow things "we" like, and exclude things "we" don't like.

[lostfan]

Well, let's bring up movies like "Saw II" and books such as "Choke" while we're at it. Let's bring up any CD that has a Parental Advisory on it. His singling out of a video game is stupid.

 

DISCLAIMER: I only intend to call Thompson stupid, not his Christian moral code.

I'm obviously not in favor of censorship, but the question was posed so as to make a comparison between video games and child porn absurd, but in a conversation about censorship we are basically talking about the holy grail and standard of violent video games. So when you are asking "where is the line" a comparison to something as obviously objectionable as child porn is valid.

[Steve9347]

I'm obviously not in favor of censorship, but the question was posed so as to make a comparison between video games and child porn absurd, but in a conversation about censorship we are basically talking about the holy grail and standard of violent video games. So when you are asking "where is the line" a comparison to something as obviously objectionable as child porn is valid.

No, it's not.

 

Child porn involves the video taping of sexual acts with a minor.

 

GTA IV involves pushing buttons and watching a television.

 

The comparison could not be further off and is ridiculous. Using child porn as an argument in any way against GTA IV is a goddamned joke and WAYYYY more offensive than GoSox05's misinterpreted post referring to Thompson and not "a billion people."

Edited May 5, 2008 by Steve9347

[whitesoxfan101]

This whole thing is stupid. For example, I have literally played every single GTA game that has ever been released, right down to GTA I which came out when Playstation 1 was the cool new thing and I was only a kid. And although I can't say a ton bragging about myself, I am probably the least violent person you will ever find, despite playing every single version of this game and beating the game on most of them, which takes hours of play to do in each case. Heck, I was playing these games when I shouldn't have been (12, 13, 15, 16 years old), and it's had no real affect on me other than I enjoy the game. If you can't decipher real life from video game, your just a looney anyways. Quit blaming the video game makers for people being crazy and parents not doing their job of keeping this game out of the hands of kids.

Edited May 5, 2008 by whitesoxfan101

[Texsox]

No, it's not.

 

Child porn involves the video taping of sexual acts with a minor.

 

GTA IV involves pushing buttons and watching a television.

 

The comparison could not be further off and is ridiculous. Using child porn as an argument in any way against GTA IV is a goddamned joke.

 

Do you believe there could be a video game created that should be banned?

[NorthSideSox72]

Regardless of what we may want to discuss about the game, society, etc., we need to not make this about any religion or class of people. We are coming dangerously close to personal attacks. Keep it under wraps please.

 

[Steve9347]

Do you believe there could be a video game created that should be banned?

If there's been a movie that's been banned then there could be a video game that is banned.

 

Ratings are there for a reason. In GTA IV, one can kill, there's talk of drugs, one can hear sexual acts, but that's it. There's no nudity, there's no actual shots of people doing drugs. GTA IV would be an R-rated film, hence the "MATURE" rating.

 

If a parent buys this game for their child, it's no different than letting said child watch Total Recall. Where's Thompson's quest to ban that film? Hell, there's a chick with three boobs in it!