UK teen murder spurs Conservatives against videogames, Jack Thompson approves |
In light of the tragic ride-by killing of 11-year-old Rhys Jones, U.K. Conservative David Cameron cited and spoke out against various cultural influences - one of which is violent videogames - to be responsible for such abhorrent behavior among today's youth. The part of his rather lengthy speech about videogames, verbatim:
What has become of our society when we have this spate of children killing children?
It means understanding and acting on that age-old maxim that it takes a village to raise a child. It means retailers stopping the sale of alcohol to young teenagers.
It means music companies, media companies, games manufacturers, not just thinking, ‘What is my social responsibility as a company in terms of the projects I support and the charities I back, good and important as they are’, but asking, ‘What is the effect of the music I produce, the games I market and the programmes I broadcast?’
A fellow conservative by the name of Jeremy Hunt also released a similar-toned statement, this time citing the all-too-familiar incident between Sony and the Church of England with the popular PlayStation 3 FPS title, Resistance: Fall of Man. His statement, unedited and as is:
The UK video games industry is obviously a vitally important part of our economy. The Government needs to do all it can to support the video games sector and allow it to flourish.
I would, however, place equal weight on the cultural influence that games can have. As children and young people make up a significant proportion of video game users it is important for the industry to act in a responsible and sensitive way.
Issues involving content have largely focused on the negative aspects associated with games. The arguments around Resistance: Fall of Man and Manchester Cathedral being the most recent example. The industry needs to accept it has a duty to act responsibly when it comes to appropriate content and politicians and the media needs to realise that the industry can have a positive impact on young peopleÂ’s lives.
I believe that it is time for the games industry to act in a responsible and sensitive way and play their part in the prevention of unsuitable material falling into the hands of children. It is essential that manufacturers take seriously the messages sent out by violent and increasingly life-like video games and I believe that most currently do so.
Certainly strong words and valid points raised by both gentlemen. Of course, Jack Thompson, Florida-based attorney, also gave his own two cents via a comment in the GamePolitics blog. Here it is:
Cameron understands what teen gamers do not: That adults are in charge of this world and should be. Further, everyone on this planet who has power has a responsibility to exercise it for the common good. Heck, even Spiderman gets that.
Thank God for MP Cameron, as adult leaders on both sides of the pond are understanding that pop culture is by and large raw sewage in which teens are drowning. Once you kids grow up, youÂ’ll understand. Until then, pay attention. YouÂ’ll learn something. Remember, I was once as ignorant as you. I grew up.
While we certainly can agree that today's acts of tragic violence involving the youth is a sad state of affairs, it's also to note that the other potential causes of such acts can be traced back even before videogames began to attract attention as being "too violent". One of these is poverty, which forces youths and young adults into crime.
Another is incessant bullying and one-upmanship in schools - this could create a mindset of wanting to please the "cooler" kids, or inversely, create an introverted individual who keeps his emotions bottled in.
It's certainly good that politicians are addressing these issues, serious as they are, and are drawing attention to them. Here's hoping, though, that they delve further into the more prevalent and important matters, rather than take notice of something that is merely a source of entertainment that remains digital, i.e. not real. Developments as they happen, and you can let us know what you think by your comments below.
Via GamePolitics
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Comments [refresh]
Jack Thompson is a lil gay mofo
jus wow
....... Its The Individuals Not The Games, Get A Fakkkin Life Cameron Ur Face Is Wierd Uc?
I consider myself to be fairly conservative and I think these guys are full of *****. In a free market, we should be able to buy and sell what we want to an extent well beyond violent video games.
Jack Thompson is, was, and always will be a complete moron. It's been said a thousand times before, but people like Thompson need to stop shifting the blame to easy targets. Does he seriously believe that teen violence is caused solely by video games and mass-media? What a moron. Plus, this is comedy gold:
"Once you kids grow up, you’ll understand. Until then, pay attention. You’ll learn something. Remember, I was once as ignorant as you. I grew up"
How can a man like a Jack Thompson, a man who cannot see past his self-delusional fantasy world where anyone under the age of 21 turns into a mass-murderer by playing a video game, claim he is no longer ignorant? Perhaps he wants to ask himself how a young child can obtain a rated video game. Who are those people? Oh that's right - the parents.
Jack Thompson is a waste of space.
Shut the F*ck up Cameron, your so full of BS the flys are scared to approach....sorry, but i hate him and this view
This kid got killed because of his football jersey wasn't it? I heard he was shot by a revolver in Liverpool, and he's a hardcore Everton fan (a football club in Liverpool). Liverpool (a football club in Liverpool) and Everton are naturally bitter rivals. Put 2 and 2 together....
Well, it might not be, but that's my guess anyway.
This guy wouldnt have a career would if it wasnt for the media.
How I wish he would grow some dignity. But for all his time in the spot light. Hes still as much of a joke as he always was.
Whaa wahh give me attention im Jack *****ing Thompson. He makes me sick.
I give up, the world is too stupid to understand. The problem is the society, the excluion of the poor community, racism.... everything that leads to anger. Video games does not lead to anger toward a particular person or a group. The problem is people are getting arrogant, they are ready to step on their neighbors for their own purpose, destroyng a life to get his or hers a little better. People are not able to deal with their problems in a humanly way. They just act like dogs and pigs, it's not videogames fault, it i theirs, so stop making others pay for someone's crime, ask yourslf if your country solved poverty, health and employment problems. See if those kids needs to get into crime to pay for all the products we ask them to buy from publicity. Could that be the problem? The way hapiness is now gained through control of money, control of powers and control of lives...
Poor Jack better watch himself, or he might end up on the end of 'yet another' video game related murder, meanwhile I say bring back the gladiators arena :] we know no such carnage
the blame lie upon the parents for raising a *****ed up child, everyone here has played a violent videogame, and non of us has killed anyone.
And blame the utah mines on Video Games.
What a prick he is.
For being against the juvenile and violent media called video games, Jack Thompson sure does mention comic book heroes alot. Aren't comic books like Batman and Spiderman violent and marketed to kids? Seems like a bit of hypocrisy there.
yet violent movies dont have a responsibilty to be more kid-friendly. the problem is people still continue to connect video games with young kids. they don't understand most gamers are adults who know the difference between fiction and real life.
Don't you see his white? All whiteys are gay!
ya, i play a LOT OF GTA, i'm going to kill avery1 i see.
There has always been violent youth crime. Only the scapegoat has changed.
I'm currently sharing a house with a conservative (shudder) but even HE wouldn't dare vote for Cameron, the guy has no support and is clutching at random straws. And as for Jack Thompson's comment, I play video games, I am well beyond being a teen, I also has a fundamental understanding of the world around me, something you obviously do not, now who was it that should grow up again?
"I grew up"
You sure about that jack? Cos you seem to be acting more childish than most kids at least where I live.
Yeah, let's break this article down into a few sentences. I'll go even farther: let's break down the views of these mofos.
"Hey! Teenagers kill people sometimes. Videogames are beginning to get violent. The videogames must cause the teenagers to kill people!"
1) They classify us as a different type of person, simply becasue of our age. Isn't there something in the constitution against that? Discrimination laws or something?
2) Murders have been around a hell of a lot longer than videogames.
3) Movies are violent, too? Whoa! And why don't we all go listen to some rap songs and see what they say? (No offense to any rap listeners... I like some of it, but it does talk about shooting people a fair amount.)
...And to break the semi-professional tone:
4) The people saying that are morons.
we all know what these people are up to - they're all vultures and parasites - ignore them
White people are ridiculous.
Shoot this guy already? He's just a waste of space on the Earth..
DutchMasta, I see what you mean but it was unfortunatly wrong.
What actually happened was, that day was the annirversary for a gang killing. The gang whos member got killed on that day decided to do a rival attack and kill one of the gang members that killed theirs. Unfortunatly this boy was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This is bull*****, he's blaming the entertainment industry for the bad job that *****ty parents do.
Oh right. Thanks for the explanation.
Cameron (Conservative) = Big Joke in the UK, leader of a Party that has had it's chance and *****ed up many times before. Labour Is Here To Stay.
is and will always be a joke, he is all image and no substance, he is doing all he can to win back votes because he is being trounced in the polls by gordon brown
You only help further his point if you do that.
Damn you Cameron! Blame the crime rate of this crappy country on games rather than what they should blame it on, like rap music, crappy educational system and the fact that the police are nothing more than babysitters.
He isnt saying this because he believes it, hes saying this because he wants another vote....politics are stupid, its about who tells the most believable lies
Kids in violence? Give me a break!! Who the helll do you think are fighting our wars? Kids..who the hell started them..adults.
Violence will always be a part of our civilization, however, like what-his-face- said, maybe they should do something about poverty first..
Didn't you know that the Utah mines played Manhunt and becamed violent and killed those miners? Even a caveman knows that :S
"but asking, ‘What is the effect of the music I produce, the games I market "
im sure game developers do ask themselves this question but as there has been zero evidence of any long term negative effect on children by music or games im astonished anyone could even say this. he sounds like one of those old guy's from back on the 50's who thought rock n roll was the devil
***** the ***** is back at it again
Anyone else notice that the close up on his eyes make him look like Senator Palpatine in Star Wars?
the countries at war, in debt, and there so many problems, i think the least is violent media, as there millions of users, and like 1 or 2 go crazy, it isnt the media, its the person, now do something with your life thompson, and co
Become a Buddhist, and gain peace and happiness through renunciation.
is a f*cking vulture.
He's a leech, sucking at the sweet lifeblood of America.
He takes pleasure in our sorrow, eagerly latching onto tragedy whenever it can benefit him.
He's a shameful excuse for a human being.
if tony blair had not said he would ban handguns before the 97 election and then win it and ban them we wouldent be in this mess now.
I have Mr. Jack know that I am 27 years old and I have two kids of my own. Who is he to say that people need to grow up. Kids killing kids has been around for ages. Really even the first school shootings were before even television. I guess back in the day a photo made you kill and now a game makes you kill. Really how immature does some middle age adults have to be to point fingers and blame the problems of the youth on something other than poor parenting.
ZOMG VIDEOGAMEZ R A BAD INFLUENCE!1!!111! While we're at it, let's just ban anything with violence, as seeing it clearly means that you will try to imitate it. So there goes all the horror books, spy novels, TV series, and Roman History.
why do i get this uncontrollable urge to hit him in the face with a plank full of rusty nails whenever i see that face... oh wait! i'll blame video games and NOT the fact that this ADULT has some childhood issues that NEEDS to be resolved and keeps *****ing about how video games are EVIL. that and the fact he looks INSANE
not only a waste of space, a waste of a life, waste of food, waste of water. waste of money, waste of f ucking everything
Damn it Jack Thompson leave us gamers alone!! jeez its just a freaking video game and its the parents that raises the kids not YOU!!!
I play violent games so I don't go out there and actually shot someone in the head. I watch violent movies that mostly are pure crap now a days, but still, you don't see this lame whitey preaching about making the next die hard movie less violent. What a *****ing douche.
No he's to dumb to be gay, gay people aren't idiots.
I just realized that Jack Thompson is a living contradiction to his own convictions! According to him, video games make violent children. He is trying to stop the manufacturing of violent games. Now hasn't history shown that people always fight back and/or kill those who threaten their way of life? That being said, the fact that Jack Thompson has not been killed yet by a kid turned violent by video games invalidates his point.
As soon as you're dead Jack, I might start to see your point!
I know I shouldn't be concerned about this guys stupidity, but wathever.
I'd be interrested to know how he could explain (using facts instead of speculation) how videogames can makes people kill if I, one of the 99.999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999999 999999999999% of videogames players in the world, didn't kill anyone in my life, lol.
I'm studying in psychology myself, and I really wonder (if he's still alive till I finish my courses) if I should sue him, destroying all his arguments... That would be soo cool, I suppose a lot of people would spam happy smileys all over the net after the news, lol.
READ ONLY THIS (under) IF YOU DONT WANNA WASTE YOUR TIME
anyway, Qj should stop posting crap about this guy, even if he suing the world, it's not like he wins his files. His rates are about 15% of wins I'm sure. It's surely why he's always pursuing innocent people instead of criminals, lol. I mean, I think he's stupid and really bad at his job, but it's only my opinion. Maybe it's worse than that, maybe he's one of the best in the world and maybe his talents are wronly used while he could have put tons of criminals into jail. lol. Anyway, we waste our time talking, arguing and reading about him. We should do like in the movie named "Merlin" with the guy from jurassic park. To kill the sorceress, they simply stopped talking and thinking about her, and since he powers came from the thinking of the people, she just dissapeared!
POLITICIANS DO NOT UNDERSTAND PSYCHOLOGY. They were educated in politics and economics, they did not train to be doctors. We should let DOCTORS (you know, the people who went to college for this, many of them for eight years or more) be the definitive answer to these things. Not people like Mr Cameron, and certainly not Jack Thompson.
And on top of that, the people who should have the definitive word HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN. They almost unanimously agree that video games do not influence to any great degree real-world violence.
Mr Cameron and Mr Thompson, plz STFU
they act like this ***** wasnt happenin 30, 40, or even 100 years ago.... this type of behavior isnt new
I'm sick of intolerant a*sholes like Jack Thompson.
..Which is to say, I'm intolerant of his.. intolerance.
How can you pin this to violent video games...
The reason that kid shot an 11 year old is because
of londons 'gang culture'..
and not coz the kid was in a gang or anything.. (he was 13 or 14 i think)..
but because he thinks he gangsta.
plus alot of the kids i see around here
have egos too big for their heads..
That was poetic. I shed a single tear. I really felt that you are passionate about this issue.
I'd like to add that censorship will not solve the problem of violence in the world. If anything violent games, movies, music and books allow people to experience violence without literally partaking in the act. There's an obvious division between those who play conterstrike and those who are willing to shoot another person given the opportunity. Why don't we instead place blame on the parents who choose not to control their unruly children? Or perhaps that would be the responsible thing to do. Heaven forbid our politicians encourage taking responsibility for ones actions. Imagine the trouble George and Tony would be in.
All the bull***** about music producers and game programmers thinking about their audience... for starters the people who play them aren't even the audience intended which i don't know about you but that kinda nulls a small part of the responsibility.
In the end if things get banned then piracy will just go on the rise, people are still going to get the goods just a lot cheaper and a lot more illegal.
I wonder if we can get J.T arrested for inciting piracy... worth a shot huh?
I think manhunt 2 is still banned here right, but got an M in America? yeah im getting manhunt 2 then... so much for for censoring video game violence.
I find it hilarious that they abuse the rating system when it benefits them, one minute its the law and is absolute, next minute its ignored and people the game isn't intended for are playing it and someone of a similar age does something violent and suddenly people are demandng vengeance on the easiest thing to attack, video games.
End of the day its a *****ing parental guidance rating system that only bars you from purchasing it without your parents approval which is the way it originally was. Now the system is used by console makers and shop owners to determine whether they have the balls to stock/support it or not and it seems they've all been suffering from small balls lately.
This is why i approve on heavy duty piracy on things like this, unfairly ripped from your reach when you should clearly be able to obtain it. Why do you think drug dealers exist? it's illegal and people want it so they make a heavy profit that gets bumped up because the whole things illegal. Make it legal and its still an addiction problem but if you manage to screw the economy of it people wont see it as such a profitable business, exact same thing with weapons.
I *****ing hate living here...
That is because they misuse the term conservative. True conservatives abhor censorship! They believe in moral responsibility and self control.
He really doesn't understand anything. Blaming video games is just a way of shifting the blame onto something that is easier to blame. The child's upbringing is the problem, which is his parents and the environment he grew up in, and who with.
Video games do not make a child violent, if anything, they act as stress relief, they allow people to relieve their stress through video games, instead of taking it out on something (or someone) else.
Isn;t it your parent's responsibility to do this stuff. they even had an episode of mind of mencia where carlos mencia bashed the v-chip because parents wouldn't do the job themselves.
I couldn't help reading this. Once I saw the name "Jack Thomp" in the quick links, I knew I had to read this. Anyhow, let's join this site to make lots of money to kill Jack: (QUOTE): please read this, and you'll be happy you did. there are companies paying $1-$40 on average per survey! just join www.c4shcrate.com259295 (replace the 4 with an A), and join. Email me at uber1337h4xx0r
END QUOTE.
It works too
...its magical and rad...
I quote that guy from scream:
"movies don't make psychos, Cindy, movies make psychos more creative"
the same goes for video games, they were gonna kill people anyway. all the video games did was influence the manner they did it in
I never understand why people blame other things for people actions, just like columbine high school murders they blamed marilyn manson and his music and now they blame video games but they never blame the person who commited the crime do they...........
Im sorry, even though some video games can be violent, they are in no way responsible for the deaths of children. When a death does happen, there is only 1 person to blame, the childrens parent(s). They bought the game, they allowed their child to play it, its as simple as that. Its not the video games, it lowsy parenting.
quote:
if tony blair had not said he would ban handguns before the 97 election and then win it and ban them we wouldent be in this mess now.
dude! this is England... handguns ARE banned / illegal
If some senator muttered videogames in his sleep and his secretary called you guys here at Qj and told you would that make its way to the news also? Seriously though stop posting about every little mention of videogames by people and focus on things that are important and related to gaming directly. He threw games in there along with other things but you don't see VH1 or MTV having reports about the senator accusing music of the murder. I could care less about murders in my VIDEO GAME related news. Leave this stuff to the real news folk please.
Jack Thompson is only latching himself with this for one reason -- his ego. We know most liberals hate politically incorrect games like GTA for their KILL ALL HATIAINS and pro-gun stance. But that tells you right there, put a violent game in front of a violent minority and boom -- children, mothers, sisters, brothers all die. Funny how most of these killers actually didn't play any games, it's just a B.S. story that the media likes to make up.
Here's how the thing goes.Instead of blaming the people responsible for the kid (I don't know,maybe his freaking parents for example),you go and place the blame on something greater,oh let's say,a form of media (video games,tv).That way everybody is happy from the irresponsible parents to the conservatives.
[sarcasm]
Yeay for rational thinking.[/sarcasm]
SHUT THE HELL UP JACK!!!!!!Will you please go die already so we can play what ever game we want.
what a complete reject, in Britain, if a game is rated 12, under 12s can't buy it, if a game is rated 15 under 15s can't buy it, if a game is rated 18 under 18s can't buy it, thats the law. it's the same for movie ratings. also, most games stores will not sell a game to someone under the recommended age(the esrb ratings). so, stop blaming the games, blame the F***ING PARENTS for buying games that are far to mature for their sweet little children.
humans are violent. it has nothing to do with influence from videogames or movies...
I didn't play a video game until I was about 8, I didn't play a violent videogame until I was 11, I hadn't watched any particularly violent movies until I was about 9 or 10 either... yet when I look back at my primary school books from the age of about 5/6 I see my drawings of skeletons, dismembered corpses, skulls, gunfights and all manners of violence... What games did I play before videogames? playfighting, war (throwing sticks and mud at each other), cowbotys and indians... all rather vicious and violent games... yet I had no influence from the media...
if I had access to a gun when I was that old Id have probably shot someone. it sounds insensitive in light of recent events, but its true... but why didn't I kill people?
simple. I didn't have a gun.
now, in the UK guns are totally illegal for non military personel, armed police and various other factions (a licence for airguns and shotguns can be purchased for hunters and farmers) so one has to wonder where the kid found the gun... I can most certainly guarantee that he didn't find it in a DVD, game or CD case...
the arms industry is to blame more than he media, as is human nature, though in this case I think urban lifestyle and generaly arseyness in todays youth is more to blame.
I'm sorry mr. Thompson but unfortunately I cannot decide when I am born, or that I have had to grow up in a selfish hateful society that your party was responsible for creating in the 1980s. And the next time you decide to patronise and blacklist me and everyone else of my age group as violent anti social rap obsessed thugs, you better do some proper research to back it up, but you can't, because you will find that our generation is no worse than any other previous generation, including yours. The scumbags who did this are part of a minority. Just like there is a minority in every generation. The majority of people my age are sensible law abiding citizens who know the difference between right and wrong. Unfortunately idiots like you, the over exaggerating news media and the fear mongering tabloids, will always make out as if every single person between age 13 - 21 are criminals to the general public. It is complete garbage and pathetic. It is Disgusting that the murder of a young boy only a few years younger than me is being used to feed this moron's ego and as a weapon against his futile war against video games.