Jack Thompson Disbarred [Slashdot]

[diskoboy]

Good riddance!

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/09/25/ja...ed-in-florida/

[Trebuken]

They can't get OJ but at least they got Thompson...

[DP ServBot]

Sockatume writes "The Florida Supreme Court has approved Judge Dava Tunis' recommendations for the permanent disbarment of John B. "Jack" Thompson, with no leave to reapply and $43,675.35 in disciplinary costs. The ruling is a step up from the enhanced disbarment that had been suggested by the prosecution, which would have forbidden him from reapplying for ten years. Thompson has 30 days to appeal the ruling before the disbarment is permanent. Thompson responds to the ruling."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
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[Pantechnicon]

Don't let your children start playing GTA-IV just yet. Disbarment in one state does not necessarily exclude one from practicing law anywhere else in the U.S. I'm certain Jack is on the bar in at least one other state.

[7th lutz]

Jack can practice law yet.

The problem is Jack can practice law in 49 other states including Wisconsin.

Wisconsin was in the news for a video game crime a couple weeks ago. The crime was as "the xbox murder." What basically happen was a group of hoodlums killing a middle age women for a game system.

I don't want Jack to stick his nose into this. Jack now has time to stick nose into cases like this since Thompson got disbarred in Florida.

[Muscelli]

I never understood why people don't like Jack Thompson.

From what I read, he is trying to make sure that violent games don't reach younger gamers, as well as censor the games to prevent crimes from occurring from people who can't distinguish make believe from reality.

Is it because he gives video games a bad name? Is it honestly a that big of a deal? Perhaps people should stop whining about somebody who is trying to expose the reality of the violent games and vent on the parents who buy their kids games that are obviously geared towards adults.

Is it honestly that personal to gamers that videogames are getting a bad name? The only thing that will happen is more parents will become educated on the ratings system. Id rather see headlines about games being recalled/censored then ones about crimes performed from the influence of video-games. As long as games like Manhunt and GTA are around, violent games will get a bad name, with or without Jack Tompson.

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I just fail to see why people get pissed off at Jack Tompson. Am I missing something?

[Berserker]

Am I missing something?

I can only assume so. For years he's been conducting a pretty vicious campaign of attempted censorship that goes far above and beyond the rather benign synopsis you've presented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(attorney)

[Graham Mitchell]

I can only assume so. For years he's been conducting a pretty vicious campaign of attempted censorship that goes far above and beyond the rather benign synopsis you've presented.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(attorney)

Wow, I didn't know this guy was also wrapped up in the 2 Live Crew fiasco as well.

"Martinez wife, you know she suck a mean dick..."

[diskoboy]

Looks like I beat the 'bot.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthread.php?t=122443

[vintagegamecrazy]

I never understood why people don't like Jack Thompson.

From what I read, he is trying to make sure that violent games don't reach younger gamers, as well as censor the games to prevent crimes from occurring from people who can't distinguish make believe from reality.

Is it because he gives video games a bad name? Is it honestly a that big of a deal? Perhaps people should stop whining about somebody who is trying to expose the reality of the violent games and vent on the parents who buy their kids games that are obviously geared towards adults.

Is it honestly that personal to gamers that videogames are getting a bad name? The only thing that will happen is more parents will become educated on the ratings system. Id rather see headlines about games being recalled/censored then ones about crimes performed from the influence of video-games. As long as games like Manhunt and GTA are around, violent games will get a bad name, with or without Jack Tompson.

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I just fail to see why people get pissed off at Jack Tompson. Am I missing something?

I have to agree with you.

[Kid Ice]

I never understood why people don't like Jack Thompson.

Because he is one of those "blame people's behavior on video games" guys.

More often than not these same ignorami that advocate the banning of video games because their violent content causes real violence have REAL GUNS IN THEIR HOMES.

And since you have been here for years, can you honestly tell us you are surprised the DP'ers are thrilled about this news? Haven't there been at least a dozen threads on what a nutbar this "public servant" is?

[The 1 2 P]

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I just fail to see why people get pissed off at Jack Tompson. Am I missing something?

Are you serious? Where have you been the last 5 plus years The last thing Jack Thompson wants to do is serve justice. He proved this by attacking all his collegues when they decided to take him to court. All Jack ever wanted to do was to get rich and famous off of tragedies that he deemed were caused by video games.

Remember that horrible shooting last April at Virginia Tech? The one where the dude killed 32 people? Well Jack took it upon himself to go on some national news show the next day and proclaim how he was almost certain that the killer was an advid violent video game player. Thats funny considering his roomates said he "never" played video games while on campus. And that is just one of hundreds of examples of why we ALL hate Jack Thompson. He's a nuisance to our industry and we are ALL glad his career is finally over. I know he can practice law somewhere else, but much like coach Bobby Knight--he'll just end up getting fired again

[Cobra Commander]

Am I missing something?

I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of censorship. That kind of defeats the purpose of having ratings in the first place. Unless you're playing golf or sudoku, this guy wants to ban it. He doesn't really want to just keep violent games away from children; he really wants to keep these games away from all us.

"nobody shoots anybody in the face unless you're a hit man or a video gamer."

Yeah. I don't what the hell MY problem is.

[Cav]

So....you're pro-censorship AND you think content in video games should pass a "Would this upset a mentally ill person?" test.

Just out of curiosity could you please define, "...censor the games to prevent crimes from occurring from people who can't distinguish make believe from reality" ?

What's the criteria?

Just be consistent. Should this criteria also apply to books, magazines, comic books, movies, music, plays, and television shows?

Thanks.

I never understood why people don't like Jack Thompson.

From what I read, he is trying to make sure that violent games don't reach younger gamers, as well as censor the games to prevent crimes from occurring from people who can't distinguish make believe from reality.

Is it because he gives video games a bad name? Is it honestly a that big of a deal? Perhaps people should stop whining about somebody who is trying to expose the reality of the violent games and vent on the parents who buy their kids games that are obviously geared towards adults.

Is it honestly that personal to gamers that videogames are getting a bad name? The only thing that will happen is more parents will become educated on the ratings system. Id rather see headlines about games being recalled/censored then ones about crimes performed from the influence of video-games. As long as games like Manhunt and GTA are around, violent games will get a bad name, with or without Jack Tompson.

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but I just fail to see why people get pissed off at Jack Tompson. Am I missing something?

[mailman187666]

If anything Jack Thompson should try to make sure mentally ill people are either on the medicine they need or get the help they need altogether and actually stop the problem where it stems from. Its either shitty parenting or a medical condition that causes people to commit crimes or feel as though they need to repeat the crap they see in videogames or movies. I don't want to live in a over-censored world because a bunch or crazy people don't have the proper treatment they need. I could see if somebody shot all thier friends and had Doom posters all over thier walls and an exact working replica of the BFG on thier nightstand with a letter written next to it saying "all my friends must die because doom told me I can't trust them" or something like that. Then maybe we could reconsider some of the censorship. If I'm told I can't shoot people in games, hear swears in my music, or watch dirty movies or horror movies...I'm moving to Amsterdam

[theChad]

Shitty parenting or mental disorders are only two of hundreds of theories on crime; there's no "proof" that any of them are the one true cause.

I mean, I certainly don't agree that the video games have enough power to convince someone the things they do in the game are alright to do in real life, but you can't pin the cause on anything else either.

[rbudrick]

They can't get OJ but at least they got Thompson...

Quote of the Week!

-Rob

[The 1 2 P]

I could see if somebody shot all thier friends and had Doom posters all over thier walls and an exact working replica of the BFG on thier nightstand with a letter written next to it saying "all my friends must die because doom told me I can't trust them"

Lol That made my day. But still, the prosecutors would probably have to find that scene in Doom where it "told him" he couldn't trust his friends. Otherwise he gets blamed for mental instability, lack of common sense and being a dumbass in a non-dumbass zone

[FrakAttack]

Great, now he's got nothing but free time and a bigger grudge to bear.

[Push Upstairs]

No, he'll run his mouth about how the bar/judicial system in Florida is corrupt. He'll try to twist it so that he sounds like a "victim" but then he'll say something incredibly inane and just look like an even bigger crazy.

Personally, when I finish reading *anything* Jack says I play the the the closing Merry Melodies theme in my head.