It had to happen: Video games blamed for Illinois University shooting
Mikey 20 comments
Yesterday I was speculating with Rodney about how long it would take before someone blamed video games for the yesterday.
No one should be surprised to learn that Jack Thompson has jumped in and blamed Steven Kazmierczak's rampage on video games like Counter-Strike.
For the uninitiated, Thompson is a Christian conservative douchebag Lawyer who makes a living out of assigning video game and rap music blame to the worlds problems. Thompson never delivers any factual evidence to support his accusations of course, but that doesn't stop him getting on his moral high horse to denounce and blame popular teenage leisure activities all the same.
And as you would have probably correctly guessed by now, there is no evidence to suggest Kazmierczak played Counter-Strike or any other video game for that matter. But why wait for any evidence?
Lack of evidence won't stop Thompson from flapping his lip as he always does in these events. Stand by as the media machine picks up momentum on this one.
Inky
Saturday 16th February 2008 | 03:47 PMNot surprised by a long shot. Jack Thompson is a freaking moron with thinks every problem can be traced back to when kids started to play video games instead of looking at the underlying causes. He knows the media are dumb sheep and will eat this crap up so as long as he has a spotlight this bogus issue will stay alive.
Frodo Muggins
Saturday 16th February 2008 | 04:11 PMThumbs up for the picture ROFL. That is soooo JT.
What is wrong with Fox News that they repeatedly allow such abysmal levels of untruthful journalism? What is wrong with America that such a tragedy can be used as a vehicle for a rabid self publicist?
Rodney
Sunday 17th February 2008 | 12:14 AMAnything to shift the blame from bad parenting, allowing school-yard bullying, or any other failure on the behalf of adults and a community to responsibly raise their kids.
So like people to always look for an easy scape-goat instead. Always have, always will.
Dan L.
Sunday 17th February 2008 | 09:20 PMDissecting Jack's Lies:
http://kotaku.com/357305/dissecting-jacks-lies-niu-shooting
Jake
Monday 18th February 2008 | 09:55 AMThey're happy to make guns so available that children can buy one, they're happy to send those children to war, in another country, where the administration has admitted to the war being over oil, and they blame video game developers!
Harry
Monday 18th February 2008 | 10:01 AMIts been revealed the killer only had a casual interest in video games a few years ago.
Dan L.
Monday 18th February 2008 | 10:03 AMFeature: Dissecting Jack's Lies (with video analysis)
http://kotaku.com/gaming/feature/feature-dissecting-jacks-lies-252914.php
Gilly
Monday 18th February 2008 | 02:46 PMThis is what I find so stupid about you Douchebags.
(I dont know how to put a line through the word Douchebag like Mike so I will leave it)
Like sheep you all follow the same path.
What is not to say that some people are not affected by computer games? Instantly you jump on the PROOF angle. Show me some proof that it doesnt affect everyone.
People are different, and are affected differently by different things. Well where is the proof Douchbags.
As for name calling Mike. Isnt that just a little pathetic.
or does me questioning your integrity or maturity violate your comments policy?
Grow up sunshine.
Read it carefully Gilly. My article doesn't question whether video games or rap music are the cause of this or previous incidents like it (that can be debated forever), the problem I have is that Jack Thompson jumped on his self-made bandwagon proclaiming Kazmierczak killed because he played video games - and he said this on national television and claimed it as fact before he even knew a thing about the kids history.
Well as it turns out Kazmierczak only had a slight interest in video games and that was about 4 years ago. But what Thompson failed to mention then and even now, is that Kazmierczak was off his medication when he went killed those people.
So what might be the more realistic prompt for Kazmierczak? His casual gaming habits from 4 years ago or his missed medication from the day of the killings?
There's nothing wrong with trying to fight these sorts of tragedies, but Thompson is going after the wrong target, and I reckon he cared less about self promotion he might actually have a taste of success if he tackled the gun issue instead.
Trevor
Monday 18th February 2008 | 03:13 PMMaybe he thinks its safer to go after video game companies instead of a company that keeps racks of AK'47's.
Gilly The peoples champ
Monday 18th February 2008 | 03:14 PMFrom Wikipedia
The night before Bundy was executed, he gave a television interview to James Dobson, head of the evangelical Christian organization Focus on the Family. During the interview, Bundy made repeated claims as to the pornographic "roots" of his crimes. He stated that, while pornography didn't cause him to commit murder, the consumption of violent pornography helped "shape and mold" his violence into "behavior too terrible to describe." He alleged that he felt that violence in the media, "particularly sexualized violence," sent boys "down the road to being Ted Bundys". In the same interview, Bundy stated:
"You are going to kill me, and that will protect society from me. But out there are many, many more people who are addicted to pornography, and you are doing nothing about that.
Ted Bundy states he was was influenced by pornography,
why cant others be influenced by violent games, you Oh I so want to write Douchebags here.
Sorry Gilly - you appear to have posted likely before noticing my response to yours. That's not what this article is about. It's about making claims without any evidence to support them. That's why Thompson is a douchebag. He uses these tragedies for self promotion and then goes after the wrong people.
Gilly
Monday 18th February 2008 | 03:26 PMWell all I got was Mikey self promoting himself over another Christians opinion. Deja vu and khe serah, whatever.
For whatever reason, I personally believe violent videos, games, and porn does affect some people negativly.
Bernard
Monday 18th February 2008 | 03:31 PMI think the answer is pretty clear when you look at the equation.
Dude plays counter strike.
Dude owns a gun he bought from his local 'guns n ammo'.
Dude has low self esteem.
Dude isn't popular with the other kids.
Dude is depressed.
Dude goes on killing spree.
Which is the underlying cause for the killing? My point is relating video games to killing is like relating fish to bicycles.
Ask yourself this: Is it fair to sue video game companies when there could be so many other underlying causes? That's like suing the checkout-chick because you got a bad batch of corn beef.
Gilly says: "For whatever reason, I personally believe violent videos, games, and porn does affect some people negativly."
I agree with you there.
Gilly
Monday 18th February 2008 | 04:00 PMQuick Mike with the edit button, Somebody is posting under your name.
Jack Thompson's Evil Twin
Monday 18th February 2008 | 05:48 PMBingo. The guy was on medication and he didn't take it. I will bet my left nut the medication wasn't to suppress video game urges.
Pete
Monday 18th February 2008 | 09:46 PMThompson has Fox on speed dial so he can set the propaganda wheels in motion the minute a kid goes postal on his class mates. Fox put him on TV as an 'expert' (yeah we all know constitutes a Fox 'expert') and people believe the crap he regurgitates.
The bastard has a wiki but every time someone adds any objectivity that makes his cause look bad he gets one of his minions to edit it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Thompson_(attorney)
I think SarcasticGamer summed him up pretty well in November of last year (Jack Thompson).
It's sad that people automatically assume that Video Games are responsible for everything wrong kids do, and that people actually believe people like Mr. Thompson when they say Video Games are the source.