Jack Thompson Refuses Debate at PAX
By Ron on Saturday, June 2nd, 2007 at 3:02 PM PST In Gamer Life, Games Industry
The folks over at Penny Arcade were attempting to set up an epic event: A debate between Jack Thompson and (hopefully) an unnamed knowledgeable video game industry person, perhaps someone like ECA President Hal Halpin.
Apparently, the guys at PA had extended an invitation to Jack Thompson to come to PAX for the debate (at PA’s expense). Unfortunately, Jack had a disagreement with PA about how to promote the event. Their plan was to leave the debate as an unannounced, unpublicized part of PAX, mostly because they were worried that so many people would be trying to jam themselves into the room to watch. Jack, on the other hand, wanted to put out a press release announcing the event.
In an email sent to certain media outlets, Thompson basically said that he found the fact that PA wanted to keep the event under wraps “absurd and troubling.” Here’s a few other choice quotes from the email:
For Penny-Arcade to take the position that there must be a news blackout on this strikes me and others as hypocritical to the max. You guys are the ones who think that even adult entertainment materials should be marketed and sold to children because of “freedom of expression,†and yet I am not allowed to tell media and others of this debate? Come on, how transparently double-standard-bound in your machinations can you all be?
If you want me to come to Seattle and address 6000 hostile people as to why the United States is the only backward nation in the world when it comes to the distribution of adult video games to children, then I will be happy to do it. But your position that only Penny-Arcade gets to tell the world about this event and in the way that only you all get to decide is patently ridiculous.
Finally, he even added this: “I’ve been in far more hostile environs than what you offer. You all need to grow a pair of what a kid can cut off in Manhunt 2.”
First, I can’t believe the “only backward nation in the world when it comes to the distribution of adult video games to children” comment. I wonder if Jack has visited places like Europe, where pornographic material is in plain view and available for purchase at about every corner store; or Japan, home of manga and hentai. Also, I know lots of gamers. I don’t know any who advocate the sale or distribution of adult video games to kids.
Second, one wonders how Jack is so aware of the content coming in Manhunt 2, as the game isn’t on store shelves yet. Maybe his gamer son is helping beta test it?
All that aside, I can almost understand Jack’s position on this. He needs the publicity, and much like a vampire, grows weak if he can’t feed. There’s just one little problem: the debate was to take place at PAX. PAX is an event controlled, paid for, and sponsored by Penny Arcade. So, if you want to participate in their event, you follow their rules, just as you would if you were participating in any event that you were not hosting.
Whatever the reason, it appears that this debate won’t be happening, and that’s too bad. Spewing vitriolic comments makes great copy and headlines for CNN and Fox News, but it’s light years away from facing off in a debate against someone who is knowledgeable and well-versed in the game industry.
Widespread coverage of such a debate would really help the mainstream media and the public to realize just how wacky Jack really is, and the chance for it to take place in front of an audience that could see through his half-truths and misrepresentations is almost too much to hope for.
Wow, what an idiotic “news” story this is. The United States is the only country that age rates games and them sells them to kids under that age rating. That was the point.
Secondly,I agreed to the debate. If you had any sense, you would have asked for the emails I offered in my news release, and you would have seen that.
The bizarre aspect about all of this is that Penny Arcade wanted to keep it all under wraps. Sounds silly, or worse.
I agreed to debate. It was Penny Arcade that backed out. They’re cowards over there, as all bullies are.
Jack Thompson
Jack – only reason they didn’t was because it would be a public safety hazard. Bad stuff happens when lots of people are crammed into one room. You, self-appointed moral guardian of America wouldn’t want to get people hurt, would you? (
That’s not jack. Unless he games.
If that is Jack… Wow, really? Is this what you do with your free time, or do you just go hunting out there for feedback to your idiocy?
If that isn’t Jack… Wow, really? Is this what you do with your free time, or do you just go hunting out there for feedback to your idiocy?
Hunting for feedback? When I get an abnormally high level of death threats and other harassment from gamers, I google my name and see why. Don’t you love the gamer notion that violent games don’t affect their attitudes and behaviors, and then they threaten to kill me? Duh. Like the old joke: I’m not crazy, and if you say it one more time I’ll kill you.
Penny Arcade asked me to debate. I didn’t ask them. Apparently they never heard of turning people away at the door if you don’t have enough freaking room. Ever hear of a rock concert?
No, Penny Arcade wanted an event totally controlled by them in who knows what ways. These people don’t believe in freedom of expression. They’re control freaks, as all bullies are.
I’m happy to debate, anywhere, anytime. Part of the deal is not that you hide the debate from the public. Not everybody is a gamer, kids. Sorry to break the news to you. Jack Thompson
“The United States is the only country that age rates games and them sells them to kids under that age rating. That was the point.”
That’s a common problem with anything round the world that has age ratings. Besides, there are a heck of a lot of loop-holes to it anyhow. “Daddy, can you get me Grand Theft Auto, please?” “Ok son.” and before you know it, you’ve got a 12-year-old playing an 18 rated game (or whatever it is in the states, no idea as I’m from the UK).
Additionally, the media does what it likes to do in these situations and highlights the negative points about, in this case, video games. Considering that recently gamers are becoming increased in numbers, from the hard core to the casual pick-up-a-DS-on-the-way-to-work gamer. Naturally, if more people are included, there will be more types of people, so it’s clear to say that there will be more ‘violent’ people.
The fact is, there will be forever and always people getting past these rules and very little can be done to get those who just get away with it. Unless voilent games are banned altogether, this problem of age restrictions and the like will go on for as long as computer games are sold as they are.
One question though: How does one monitor sites where you can legally download games (buy them and then they go to your hard drive, so it’s all completely legitimate) that may be an 18, when it’s a 16 year old with their parents cards? Fact is, you can’t. As I said, there are many ways around it and they’re pertty obvious too.
I do agree that the age ratings should be more heavily enforce, I agree that they should be re labeled for clarity. I will not believe that there should be any kind of a ban on a game like Manhunt 2. Ultimately, it’s the parents responsibility to monitor this stuff. I think this time Penny Arcade went a little bit far by calling off the debate because it became publicized, I was originally gonna side with them because I thought that they were talking about an online debate that they didn’t wanna kill their bandwidth with. The idea of overfilling the event sounds like a stupid reason though.
Personally, I don’t agree with most everything that Jack Thompson says, but in this case Penny Arcades logic escapes me.
“Don’t you love the gamer notion that violent games don’t affect their attitudes and behaviors, and then they threaten to kill me?” Have you thought that maybe it’s because every person is different? Maybe not every person is just like you… Maybe some people get angry more quickly than others.
Maybe some people are just crazy?!?! What happened to good old crazy people? For the V-tech killings you instantly thought, “OMG VIDEO GAMES DONE IT!!!” Even though his room-mate specifically said that he didn’t play cs or any games.
He was just crazy. Why? Those drugs. You don’t hear about the drugs very much because those companies are so god damn filthy rich, thats why they weren’t in the “blame pile” (Video games, violent tv, etc.) It’s sad how the drug companies have so much control over America…
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