View Full Version : Penny-Arcade Smacks Down Jack Thompson
bapenguin
10-17-2005, 01:17 PM
A mod team has created (http://hellfish.gtajunkies.com/Story.html) Jack Thompson's "dream game" in which he would have donated $10,000 to a charity of choice. But...Jack couldn't live up to his claims, and said it was insufficient. (http://www.joystiq.com/entry/1234000743063662/)
So what do our good friends at Penny-Arcade (http://www.penny-arcade.com/news.php?date=2005-10-17#2834) do?
Thompson now claims that his repellent suggestion was "satire," and we must conclude that his financial offer was also satire, some new breed of satire apparently that I'm sure is just hilarious to people in need.
You know what, Jack? We're going to be the men you're not. You said that your insulting, illusory ten thousand dollars would go to the charity of Paul Eibler's choice. We've got a good guess that he'd direct your nonexistant largesse toward The Entertainment Software Foundation, a body that has raised over six point seven million dollars over the last eight years. We've just made the donation you never would, and never meant to. Ten thousand dollars' worth. And we made it in your name.
Damn. Talk about getting served.
Wow. Fuck that asshole.
Can't wait for his response.
Tricky Thumb
10-17-2005, 01:25 PM
Props to Mike and Jerry.
Varsity
10-17-2005, 01:26 PM
Excellent job, but why not ask Pail Eibler who to give the money to?
Rakael
10-17-2005, 01:26 PM
Holy damn! That has to be one of the coolest things I have seen in years.
Tricky Thumb
10-17-2005, 01:27 PM
Excellent job, but why not ask Pail Eibler who to give the money to?
I think they did, as the post seems to indicate that they contacted him.
TheKeck
10-17-2005, 01:27 PM
I submitted this (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12259) the other day, but it apparently was deemed un-newsworthy. I guess I'll give it some love in this thread.
However, over the past few months, I and members of my board have a growing concern that your use of our name, without our permission, has had a negative influence as we try to educate the public on this important issue.
The result is that our position and reputation as a research based, non-partisan, solution-focused organisation has been jeopardised.
Wow! This is incredible. I give a ton of credit to Gabe and Tycho for stepping up to bat and hitting this out of the park.
Bravo, gentlemen.
Madhatter45
10-17-2005, 01:34 PM
Wow..Jack Thompson is a sad exscuse for a human being. He needs to be tossed into a burlap sack and beaten with tack hammers. Kudos to the PA guys for paying his "tab". I can also almost gurrantee he is going to threaten to sue them since they did this, he's done it several times before and he will do it again.
bapenguin
10-17-2005, 01:34 PM
I submitted this (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12259) the other day, but it apparently was deemed un-newsworthy. I guess I'll give it some love in this thread.
We generally have a no Jack Thompson policy here. I thought this one should slip through the cracks though, as it's worthy to bring PA into the spotlight for such a "good deed."
I wish this type of stuff would hit the main stream. PA rocks, with the funny and with life.
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
10-17-2005, 01:37 PM
I hate to be a killjoy, but Thompson's right -- looking over that mod's history (http://hellfish.gtajunkies.com/Jt.html), it looks like it was released on October 3, which is over a week before Thompson issued his challenge. From what I can tell the mod is not based on Thompson's idea, it's just a coincidence it happened to come out around the same time. They're working on a new mod that would meet his conditions (see the October 12 update) but it's not out yet.
Reanimated
10-17-2005, 01:37 PM
That's some serious fucking ownage right there.
DiBiddilyBop
10-17-2005, 01:39 PM
Man... makes me wish I could go up to Spokane and buy those guys a beer. They've done a lot of good work.
Varsity
10-17-2005, 01:39 PM
I submitted the story to BBC News. If they cover it, even in some barely accessible place, I think I'll be able to die happy.
I think they did, as the post seems to indicate that they contacted him.
"We've got a good guess that he'd direct your nonexistant largesse toward The Entertainment Software Foundation."?
What do you mean Thompson's right?
He said he'd give 10k to charity. Then he said he's just kidding. Right or wrong is irrelevant.
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
10-17-2005, 01:40 PM
Okay, an amplification: he was right about the mod not meeting his conditions.
DropD98
10-17-2005, 01:40 PM
I submitted this (http://www.gamesindustry.biz/content_page.php?aid=12259) the other day, but it apparently was deemed un-newsworthy. I guess I'll give it some love in this thread.
Thanks for posting that link. Good to see that they are distancing themselves from that guy. With every new thing Jack Thompson does, he's further proving he's truly ignorant and just trying to make a name for himself. They should dis-bar this guy and ignore anything that comes out of his mouth....
Varsity
10-17-2005, 01:41 PM
Okay, an amplification: he was right about the mod not meeting his conditions.
That isn't the reason why he's not coughing up, though.
Mod's site is /. :p
But even if it was he wouldn't of given the 10k, because the charity thing was a joke. Funny haha lol.
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
10-17-2005, 01:43 PM
Mod's site is /.
Works fine for me.
Tricky Thumb
10-17-2005, 01:43 PM
I submitted the story to BBC News. If they cover it, even in some barely accessible place, I think I'll be able to die happy.
"We've got a good guess that he'd direct your nonexistant largesse toward The Entertainment Software Foundation."?
Oooh! If that happens post a link in here.
A "good guess" seems to me like they're at least not purly guessing. Besides I don't think it really matters, they gave away $10,000 to charity in Jack Tompson's name. I think that's the main point here.
TheKeck
10-17-2005, 01:51 PM
Thanks for posting that link. Good to see that they are distancing themselves from that guy. With every new thing Jack Thompson does, he's further proving he's truly ignorant and just trying to make a name for himself. They should dis-bar this guy and ignore anything that comes out of his mouth....
No problem. They may try to hold me down, but I'll keep fighting!
Just kidding, bap, I even put something in my post about the no Jack Thompson policy.
Ravana
10-17-2005, 01:52 PM
Jack Thompson is making me angrier then any videogame ever has
Kefkataran
10-17-2005, 02:00 PM
Wow. That's just fucking amazing. I cannot emphasize enough how great the boys at Penny Arcade are for continuously raising my respect for them. Insane props.
KNOTE
10-17-2005, 02:18 PM
They are heroes, no doubt about it.
emperordahc
10-17-2005, 02:21 PM
*Salute to the PA guys*
KarmaGhost
10-17-2005, 02:26 PM
Okay, an amplification: he was right about the mod not meeting his conditions.Doesn't matter, he confirmed that his offer was mearly satire, and thus, so was his offer of $10,000.
Props to the fellas at Penny-Arcade.
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
10-17-2005, 02:33 PM
That wasn't really the point.
Doesn't matter, he confirmed that his offer was mearly satire, and thus, so was his offer of $10,000.
Props to the fellas at Penny-Arcade.
Exactly. If nothing else they should be credited for bringing Thompsons sham to light.
doyama
10-17-2005, 02:43 PM
Its sorta unfortunate thought that only gamers really will see this kind of news. Major news outlets will only carry Jack's rehtoric because it makes news. No one cares that people donated money to a cause. Its much more newsworthy to say instead that they killed some people.
We have only our society to blame because we don't want to hear good news, just bad news.
netcraazzy
10-17-2005, 02:46 PM
Although a bit spiteful in nature the PA guys have really shown up Mr. Thompson on this one. That mod also looks very funny.
51|RandoM
10-17-2005, 02:48 PM
Well, if you think about it, Jack Thompson caused these guys to donate $10k... so he actually kept his deal, and got a couple webnerds to foot the bill at the same time. Seems pretty effective to me. :-)
Eric_T_Cheng
10-17-2005, 02:49 PM
Someone did a Zork-type text-based adventure game (http://home.cwru.edu/%7Etss9/zorkthompson.swf) based on Thompson's specs.
Hieremias
10-17-2005, 02:54 PM
We generally have a no Jack Thompson policy here. I thought this one should slip through the cracks though, as it's worthy to bring PA into the spotlight for such a "good deed."
I like the no Jack Thompson policy. I've had farts that were more intelligent than him. He wants a spotlight, nothing more. Let's ignore him.
Xerxes
10-17-2005, 03:03 PM
I'm surprised EvAv has closed this thread yet. But come on, we can't kill the elephant in the room if we don't talk about him.
askheaves
10-17-2005, 03:05 PM
Mad props to the PA duo. I can't think of much better use of ad revenue.
/ no sarcasm at all
// that wasn't sarcastic either
/// seriously, that's one bold-ass calling-out
NoName
10-17-2005, 03:10 PM
Someone did a Zork-type text-based adventure game (http://home.cwru.edu/%7Etss9/zorkthompson.swf) based on Thompson's specs.
There's about 5 text based games that I've seen listed on one site. Course, I can't find the link and the site I went through to get there is down.
I was surprised seeing a Jack Thompson news post as I tried submitting one on his offer a few weeks ago. Anyways, if you want to see a nice response and don't read Cntl+Alt+Del then check this out. (http://www.cad-comic.com/?t=archives&date=2005-10-12)
XxSATANxX
10-17-2005, 03:26 PM
Cool does this man Derack Smart pHD can come back here now?????
...and boom goes the dynamite. That's an awesome move by PA.
Kelegacy
10-17-2005, 04:17 PM
Jack's crazy. It's a verifiable fact. He's an example of America's rancid, sue-crazy underbelly.
GunnyMo
10-17-2005, 04:33 PM
That is awesome! The more he gets out on the fringe the better it is for us. He's destroying himself. I love it!
kizke
10-17-2005, 04:42 PM
Mike and Jerry are self-proclaimed assholes, but they sure as hell know right from wrong...and they certainly recognize the real asshole is Jack Thompson.
Major props to PA.
ÜberJumper
10-17-2005, 04:45 PM
Did you guys see Gabe's link to the VGcats.com listing of that site's correspondence with Mr. Thompson? Comedy gold.
IndependentGMR
10-17-2005, 04:58 PM
Did you guys see Gabe's link to the VGcats.com listing of that site's correspondence with Mr. Thompson? Comedy gold.
I seen it. I wonder if he's getting bombarded with emails and phone calls? Haha!
Abednigo
10-17-2005, 05:03 PM
So incredibly awesome. As much as I hate 'leet speak'...
Jack, you got pwned!!!
nonchalance
10-17-2005, 05:10 PM
Well played.
TheKeck
10-17-2005, 05:17 PM
So incredibly awesome. As much as I hate 'leet speak'...
Jack, you got pwned!!!
I there something inherently not as powerful in being "owned" as being "pwned"?
Morrolan
10-17-2005, 05:23 PM
Anyone else question whether they gave them 10K DOLLARS? It seems as though it might have been ten thousand dollars' WORTH of stuff. Just the way he worded it. "Ten thousand dollars worth." Could just be a turn of phrase.
Either way, Penny Arcade is awesome as an organization, and the two guys, independent of the comic, are two of the coolest cats around. This is great, though truthfully I don't think it shames him any more than the original refusal to pay would have.
Major Dan
10-17-2005, 05:25 PM
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen: :p
31 Flavas
10-17-2005, 05:31 PM
So incredibly awesome. As much as I hate 'leet speak'...
Jack, you got pwned!!!Too bad it wasn't by PwnMastaMark....
Edit: Dunno if anyone will get that joke...
31 Flavas
10-17-2005, 05:38 PM
I there something inherently not as powerful in being "owned" as being "pwned"?I havn't kept up on my leet speak, but i'm gonna guess that they equate to the same state of being, give or take.
If I had to take a guess, my only guess would be that "pwned" is more ghetto.
TheKeck
10-17-2005, 05:47 PM
Too bad it wasn't by PwnMastaMark....
Edit: Dunno if anyone will get that joke...
Oh, I'm sure plenty of us get it. :)
I havn't kept up on my leet speak, but i'm gonna guess that they equate to the same state of being, give or take.
If I had to take a guess, my only guess would be that "pwned" is more ghetto.
Yeah, it's just funny to me that EVEN people who claim not to buy into the whole "leet speak" thing feel some need to spell owned with a p. To this day, I can't see that without pronouncing it p-owned (a la Strong Bad).
Major Dan
10-17-2005, 06:00 PM
Too bad it wasn't by PwnMastaMark....
Edit: Dunno if anyone will get that joke...
:D I Do, that guy came and went quick! :D
I can't stand how the PA guys continually brag about their donations and charity shit. Plus, they can wipe their ass with $10K with all the money they fleece from loyal fanboys.
It was clear Jack Thompson wasn't being serious when he made an off-the-wall comment about donating to charity. Were the roles reversed nobody would expect PA to cough up, let alone take them to task for 'promising' it in the first place.
It's not charity if you advertise it and use it as a publicity stunt. I wonder how many more t-shirts they'll sell as a result of this little zinger?
Finally, I was waiting for someone like easi to show up.
Now get the fuck out of here.
Xerxes
10-17-2005, 06:11 PM
Does anybody else fill this guy really just got knocked down a peg in the grand scheme of things.
I can't stand how the PA guys continually brag about their donations and charity shit. Plus, they can wipe their ass with $10K with all the money they fleece from loyal fanboys.
It was clear Jack Thompson wasn't being serious when he made an off-the-wall comment about donating to charity. Were the roles reversed nobody would expect PA to cough up, let alone take them to task for 'promising' it in the first place.
It's not charity if you advertise it and use it as a publicity stunt. I wonder how many more t-shirts they'll sell as a result of this little zinger?
I know it's obvious, but when you can part with a bag of cheetos for anyone in need of eating then you can talk. I hate to speak down at people because of their age, but you truly are such a child.
Finally, I was waiting for someone like easi to show up.
Now get the fuck out of here.
Did your mind just explode from trying to accomodate two points of view simultaneously?
Not at all, a gnat could understand your point of view. As soon as his IQ raised to the level of an earthworm he'd graduate to a more reasonable view.
Last of the Red Hot Mamas
10-17-2005, 06:15 PM
Does anybody else fill this guy really just got knocked down a peg in the grand scheme of things.
What do you mean, "grand scheme of things"? Are we talking Biblical or something? Sorry, Jack Thompson's a born-again Christian, he's as good as saved.
I know it's obvious, but when you can part with a bag of cheetos for anyone in need of eating then you can talk. I hate to speak down at people, but you truly are such a child.
Are you my accountant? So how do you know whether or not I've ever donated to charity or volunteered time to a charitable cause?
You're the one who's being childish and trying to keep this thread a back-patting extravaganza with no diversity of opinion.
Because I don't think you are old enough to legally hold a job?
Not at all, a gnat could understand your point of view. As soon as his IQ raised to the level of an earthworm he'd graduate to a more reasonable view.
The assumption that anyone who disagrees with you is in possession of a vastly inferior intelligence. In my experience people who opt for this stance right away are woefully inequipped for any adult conversation, so I can see replying further to you is a waste of time.
nonchalance
10-17-2005, 06:20 PM
It was clear Jack Thompson wasn't being serious when he made an off-the-wall comment about donating to charity. Were the roles reversed nobody would expect PA to cough up, let alone take them to task for 'promising' it in the first place.
I would.
If you send out press releases saying "I will give $10,000 to charity if you can make pigs fly", and then I make pigs fly and you don't cough up, you're a fuckwad, and I don't care what your name is or whether you were joking.
It's an absurdly childish thing to do.
Kelegacy
10-17-2005, 06:21 PM
This is one of the coolest things I have ever seen: :p
You haven't seen many cool things in your life, huh?
The assumption that anyone who disagrees with you is in possession of a vastly inferior intelligence. In my experience people who opt for this stance right away are woefully inequipped for any adult conversation, so I can see replying further to you is a waste of time.
Nope, only in a select few situations. This is one of them.
Paltry
10-17-2005, 06:34 PM
Not at all, a gnat could understand your point of view. As soon as his IQ raised to the level of an earthworm he'd graduate to a more reasonable view.
OOOOOOOooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOooooooooooooOOOoooh SNAP
RandomViolence
10-17-2005, 06:41 PM
I'll board the "Fuck JT" train temporarily, and hope we can go back to seeing no mention of him again
I can't stand how the PA guys continually brag about their donations and charity shit. Plus, they can wipe their ass with $10K with all the money they fleece from loyal fanboys.
It was clear Jack Thompson wasn't being serious when he made an off-the-wall comment about donating to charity. Were the roles reversed nobody would expect PA to cough up, let alone take them to task for 'promising' it in the first place.
It's not charity if you advertise it and use it as a publicity stunt. I wonder how many more t-shirts they'll sell as a result of this little zinger?
Wow, Jack Thompson took the time to create a EvAv account. I know this because only he could defend this behavior.
Just to update this is the latest post at PA. For some reason it made my laugh my ass off.
thought you might like to see the mail I got from Jack this afternoon:
This story is completely false and defamatory. Take it down or else.
And my reply to him:
****This is an automated response****
Thank you for contacting Penny Arcade. I’m sorry but I am simply not able to respond to all my fan mail. I want you to know that I’m glad you enjoy the comic strip and I appreciate you taking the time to mail me.
JT seems to play the political game decently, it's what has kept him in the limelight. But he messed up pretty bad getting that Family organization to seperate themselves from him. That'll hurt is "credibility" more than anything any of his targets could hope to do and hopefully his political allies will follow suit.
Dirty Harry
10-17-2005, 07:23 PM
FARK.com has linked the story so expect it to get picked up by the mainstream media :D.
Morrolan
10-17-2005, 07:28 PM
I think PA does less bragging and more advertising about their charity work. After all, how would they get more people to donate, if they never said "Hey, we're accepting donations, and we're doing a lot of good! Join the cause!" I truly don't think that they are waving their good works around like a badge of honour.
And yes, I think it was naive to ever expect Jacko to follow through on this 'promise.' It was obviously one of those 'I'll eat my hat' comments. The fact that he didn't see how tasteless (and how easily exploitable,) his choice of a charity donation would be is just more evidence that the man is fucking dunce.
Neverborne
10-17-2005, 07:38 PM
Wow, those PA guys kickass.
They do deserve a goddamn pat on the back for all the work they've done. Good deeds are good advertisements, but that's not a reason not to do them.
Hell, Easi is probably one of those guys that thinks anyone who works for money is a sellout. What a Jack Thompson-wannabe-douchebag.
nonchalance
10-17-2005, 07:44 PM
yes, I think it was naive to ever expect Jacko to follow through on this 'promise.' It was obviously one of those 'I'll eat my hat' comments.
For a man who claims he has God on his side to go back on his promise to give money to the poor is fucked in the head, whether he was joking or not.
If he'd followed through, I could have actually respected that. I would still disagree with the man, but I can understand his position.
It's standing up for your beliefs and living by your word that make the difference between a conservative and a fuckwit.
Kelegacy
10-17-2005, 08:03 PM
This thread is untrue and defamatory. I insist on locking and trashing it at once. Or else.
The Iron Weasel
10-17-2005, 08:23 PM
Jack Thompson is making me angrier then any videogame ever has
ANGRIER THEN NINJA GAIDEN.......DEAR GOD! (I actually agree the guy is a fucking dumbass. I would love to see Rockstar bring a lawsuit against him for slander or something). I'm actually considering going to law school to become a Pro-Game Lawyer, fuck yeah as I've said before i'll have shirts made "The Iron Weasel Presents: The Iron Lawyer". FUCK YEAH!
Ludoc
10-17-2005, 08:23 PM
Did you guys see Gabe's link to the VGcats.com listing of that site's correspondence with Mr. Thompson? Comedy gold.
From VGcats:
From: "Jack Thompson" <jackpeace@comcast.net>
To: scott@vgcats.com
Subject: This sex isn't hidden, Scott. Wouldn't want the facts to get in the way or your drawing, now would you?
Date: Fri, 5 Aug 2005 17:02:39 -0400
URGENT!
John B. Thompson, Attorney at Law
1172 South Dixie Hwy., Suite 111
Coral Gables, Florida 33146
305-666-4366
jackpeace@comcast.net
August 5, 2005
Patricia Vance
President
Entertainment Software Rating Board
[Address edited out]
Re: Killer 7
Dear Ms. Vance:...
(A bunch of text which amounts to: blah, blah, blah I'm a d-bag.)
Check out the phone number, Jack's great you couldn't make up shit this funny.
Bushido
10-17-2005, 08:24 PM
The satirical intent of A Modest Proposal was misunderstood by many of Swift's peers, and he was harshly criticised for writing prose in such exceptionally "bad taste". He came close to losing his patronage because of this essay. The misunderstanding of the intent of the satirical attack came about because of the disparity between the cannibalistic proposal and the sincere tone of the narrative voice.
Jack might be a bit crazy but the more people bash on him the more I like him. I actually read Jonathon Swifts a modest proposal and it was shocking. Jacks proposal not so much.
Xerxes
10-17-2005, 08:46 PM
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-42,GGLD:en&q=305%2D666%2D4366
Nope you can't make that up number...
Ludoc
10-17-2005, 08:55 PM
I'm just so suprised he has "666" in his phone number. Glad he usually goes by Jackm instead of John though, wouldn't want him sullying my good name.
Worldcrafter
10-17-2005, 09:18 PM
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-42,GGLD:en&q=305%2D666%2D4366
Nope you can't make that up number...
Wait, Patricia Thompson?! That man is married?! Dear sweet lord, that must be a hard life. I'll bet he locks her in a cage while prattling on about saving the world from satan's gamers.
As a side note, my girlfriend was reading about ol' Jackie on Wikipedia. Turns out in the 80s he was forced to take a mental examination to keep his license to practice. Seems he passed, which, I believe, officially indicates that the American legal system is broken.
omnithrope
10-17-2005, 09:30 PM
Jack might be a bit crazy but the more people bash on him the more I like him.
Great thinking!
Flawless logic.
Morrolan
10-17-2005, 09:30 PM
That was the 80's, dude. Bowie was still semi-relevant. They had bigger fish to fry.
Also, I sincerely hope that his phone number is not abused. Gamers are their own worst enemies, when it comes to breeding a good name for themselves. I can just imagine all the 'hilarious' death threats he'll be getting. Way to go, guys! Way to further the cause!
Oh, and aside from the name, this has nothing in common with Swift's masterpiece. For one, Swift was being sarcastic, his show of mock-brutality towards the Irish highlighting the way they were treated. Leaving aside the fact that the central push of the proposal was a deal with defined rules and rewards, and that his 'reward' made the whole in in genuinely bad taste rather than simply dark humour, what's Jack being sarcastic about? He can say it's satire if he wants, but trying to paralell that mess with one of the greatest pieces of satire in history just makes him look more foolish. The man truly does not think before he speaks.
Kagger
10-17-2005, 10:23 PM
Too bad it wasn't by PwnMastaMark....
Edit: Dunno if anyone will get that joke...
Just reading one of the guys posts..."master of pwn mark"...brilliant stuff.
Props to PA...you all did it again
Mason
10-17-2005, 10:36 PM
I can't stand how the PA guys continually brag about their donations and charity shit. Plus, they can wipe their ass with $10K with all the money they fleece from loyal fanboys.
It was clear Jack Thompson wasn't being serious when he made an off-the-wall comment about donating to charity. Were the roles reversed nobody would expect PA to cough up, let alone take them to task for 'promising' it in the first place.
It's not charity if you advertise it and use it as a publicity stunt. I wonder how many more t-shirts they'll sell as a result of this little zinger?
They don't brag about Child's Play, because they're just middle-men (albeit middle-men who spend a long time hauling and coordinating). They do bring it up as an example of gamers doing good, which seems fair. And since it is a community effort, they bring it up often, since that's how you get people to donate to a community effort.
Jack Thompson enumerated a very clear description of a game, and promised to pay $10k to a charity if it was made. He hyped it around as a legitimate, open proposal, until someone called him on it. There is a joke here, it is the blatant and simplistic attempt to demonstrate that game devs wouldn't like it if a game was about killing them, personally. But that joke has nothing to do with him honoring his end of his proposal. They're two separate things.
There's no joke to very clearly setting out a condition by which you'll give to charity and then refusing to do so when someone meets that condition. That just makes you a jerk and, in so far as the word can be applied to a lawyer, dishonorable.
Thompson lied about giving to charity in order to try and show that gaming culture is violent and evil. The PA crew gave to charity, in an open and publicized way, to show how empty Thompson's words and convictions are. They posted about it on the front page because the entire point is to humiliate Thompson and his crusade against the games we enjoy. This isn't Mike and Jerry's fight, they could've just made fun of Thompson like everyone else, but they gave $10k of their own money to discredit Thompson and, by extension, his morality witchhunt against gaming in general.
Maybe you don't understand what is really happening here. Local governments have been all too willing to listen to Jack and start legislating against games. Give it long enough, and the ESRB will be entirely undermined and the regulation of games will be fully under federal control. And there are jerks on both the right and the left (well, not that DLC dems count as the "left") gunning for the regulation of electronic entertainment in all forms. The media cheerleads this, as usual, blasting it on the front pages whenever someone speculates that games might've inspired a crime (even when it was the victim who played the game).
In short, games are losing the battle of public opinion to insane zealots like Thompson (which will have nasty results if you play anything that isn't currently rated E), and for the PA guys to pony up their own cash in an attempt to help the general reputation of gaming is a service that idiots like you don't deserve.
Mason
10-17-2005, 10:57 PM
Are you my accountant? So how do you know whether or not I've ever donated to charity or volunteered time to a charitable cause?
You're the one who's being childish and trying to keep this thread a back-patting extravaganza with no diversity of opinion.
You don't have an opinion, though. Your belief that making a detailed open proposal and then backing out of it constitutes a "joke" is moronic. And criticizing others for giving to charity and then speaking about it is not the enlightened viewpoint you believe it is.
Giving to charity is an objectively good act. Speaking about charity has no such valuation innately, but rather depends entirely on what the words entail. For example, if Bill Gates said "I've already given several billion dollars to charity this year, so other people probably shouldn't feel the need to contribute as much", that'd likely have a negative result.
In speaking of their own charity, PA's words will hopefully have the positive result of dispelling some of the undeservedly bad reputation that games have been assigned, relative to other forms of media. Assuming you don't feel games are innately evil, that's a positive effect.
So no, you have no rational basis for criticizing their behavior. Their actions were in the objective good, and their words were designed to further contribute to that good.
In normal situations (which this obviously isn't), speaking of your own charitable giving is typically considered somewhat tasteless, but still, giving while claiming credit is always a better course of action than failing to give in the first place.
If you can articulate your objections in a way that is halfway rational, then you might sway some minds. As I've clearly stated, and with full respect to your intellect, your arguments have fallen short of rationality. And I'm bored with the topic now, so I won't be stating it any more clearly.
gojira
10-17-2005, 11:38 PM
Also, I sincerely hope that his phone number is not abused. Gamers are their own worst enemies, when it comes to breeding a good name for themselves. I can just imagine all the 'hilarious' death threats he'll be getting. Way to go, guys! Way to further the cause!
Yes, never call in death threats. Instead, call him up and ask if his refrigorator runs. After about 3,000,000 of these, he'll go crazy and start making death threats. Then you've got him!
Xerxes
10-18-2005, 12:11 AM
Wait, based on easi statements, donating should be a big secret or mumbled under your breathe. Hell I bet more than most people do it for the tax break. Look at all these folks looking to accomedate the Katrina folks. They aren't doing it JUST to be nice. If that was the case they wouldn't have FEMA on speed dial. And PA doesn't yack yack about Child's Play to brag, it's about awareness. The more they show, the further they’ll go.
m0nk3yb0y
10-18-2005, 12:13 AM
"Hello, am I speaking to Mr. Jack Thompson?"
"Yes, this is him."
"Hello Mr. Thompson. I'm calling in reguard to your outstanding bill with the company I represent, Buttplugs-R-Us. It seems that you owe us a vast amount of money for products you ordered, totalling in nearly a thousand dollars. That's a lot of buttplugs Mr. Thompson."
Derwin
10-18-2005, 12:20 AM
"Daddy can we have this game? Frogger 2?"
"NO IT IS OFFENSIVE TO THE AMPHIBIAN COMMUNITY AND PROMOTES THE GENOCIDE OF FROGS WITH AUTOMOTIVES"
"...what did you say daddy?"
Buddha Lotus
10-18-2005, 01:11 AM
I like Jack Thompson...
He makes me feel like a rebel even when I play Kingdom Hearts
LilBunnyFuFu
10-18-2005, 01:26 AM
i'm gonna go play some old school doom to celebrate. I have the need to kill some pixels.
LilEvilFish
10-18-2005, 03:50 AM
Wish I could give him a call, would be international charge though :/
Just want to know if he thinks driving games breed road rage in young people. Or if he blames midnight club 3 for all the badly modified cars "kr00zing" around the place.
"NO IT IS OFFENSIVE TO THE AMPHIBIAN COMMUNITY AND PROMOTES THE GENOCIDE OF FROGS WITH AUTOMOTIVES"
sig'd!
Xerxes
10-18-2005, 08:01 AM
I like Jack Thompson...
He makes me feel like a rebel even when I play Kingdom Hearts
MICE CAN'T TALK, JUST REMEMBER COLUMBINE DAMMIT!!!
I WILL SUE YOU DISNEY!!!
http://www.livejournal.com/users/gamepolitics/110152.html
Jack Thompson sicks Seattle police on PA. Drones on and on about how Penny Arcade supports cop killing to make point.
Madhatter45
10-18-2005, 10:29 AM
http://www.livejournal.com/users/gamepolitics/110152.html
Jack Thompson sicks Seattle police on PA. Drones on and on about how Penny Arcade supports cop killing to make point.
Jesus christ this guy is a total loon. I hope the cops laugh at him and PA can get him arrested for actual harassment. Seems to me like he started this shit,and he won't drop it. The PA guys do something DECENT and he goes off the deep end. It's obvious this guy has a mental deficancy and seriously needs to be reevaluated and be removed from the bar. :mad: He's opnly digging his own grave deeper and deeper every time he owns his mouth, lets hope this is the final nail in the coffin for him.
NoName
10-18-2005, 11:11 AM
Wow, that's insane he's trying to get them arrested. I posted this as a follow news post from this thread... doubt it'll get posted though.
Paltry
10-18-2005, 11:34 AM
Look at the PA site... Ima say it again
OOOOooooooooOOOOOoo00Ooooooo000OOOoooooooH SNAP
Madhatter45
10-18-2005, 11:36 AM
LOL! Got to love the reason line of the check. "For Jack Thompson because Jack Thompson won't". Fucking golden. I wonder how many officers at that station laughed their asses off at the absurdity of the letter. I'm guessing all of them :D
vBulletin® v3.8.4, Copyright ©2000-2012, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.