Please Take Your Seat Mr. Thompson
By all reports the man is a little off in the head, with his requests for a game developer to make his violent game in protest of violent games everywhere, his inability to maintain coherent conversation, and as Penny Arcade so snarkily puts, odd logic.
Turns out it’s not just people in the game industry that think so. All of his rhetoric and name dropping have gotten him in a weegie bit of trouble on the home front. Dr. David Walsh, founder of the American National Institute on Media and the Family sent a letter to Thompson asking him to politely refrain from using their name in his speeches and writings and to remove the link to NIMF from his personal website. The letter was also sent to some higher ups in the gaming industry, as if to say “we don’t want anything to do with this guy, please know that”. Apparently NIMF is concerned that being associated with Thompson will not only tarnish their reputation, but also hinder any efforts in the future. And this, keep in mind, is from a group who very much seeks to educate the public on the effect that violent media has on children. Walsh told Thompson that his “commentary has included extreme hyperbole and [his] tactics have included personally attacking individuals for whom I have a great deal of respect. I believe that respect is essential in all our dealings, including respect for those with whom we disagree.”
Thompson responded to Walsh’s letter in a patronizingly idiotic way that makes me wonder how he ever got called to the bar. So idiotic in fact that I couldn’t even get through it, nor his second letter. The man is completely inept at carrying on a civil discussion of his viewpoints.
And holy cow did Thompson deal some snark regarding a Gamepolitics post about some anti-Jack modders who had created a skin of Thompson for use in the ultra violent Grand Theft Auto games.
I’m not interested and won’t be commenting on the mod. The satirical piece entitled ‘A Modest Video Game Proposal’ was intended to highlight the patent hypocrisy and recklessness exhibited by the video game industry’s willingness to target cops, women, homosexuals, and other groups with some of their violent games. To be fair, though, you can’t expect a bunch of gamers to understand the satire if they think that Jonathon Swift, the author of ‘A Modest Proposal,’ is the name of a new Nike running shoe…
…I will say this though, the ‘video game community’ (what’s next, ‘the necromancy community’?) surely seems exercised about someone who is a ‘joke’ and who is accomplishing nothing. You all seem rather bothered and worried about a nonentity. God is in this battle, and I am privileged to be a foot soldier. You all should be concerned, not about me, but about Him.
Yes we bunch of gamers are a completely uneducated, mentally inept bunch. I have never, ever heard of Jonathon Swift before, or ‘A Modest Proposal’…(that Mr. Thompson, is sarcasm sir, but I wouldn’t expect you to understand).
Here’s the thing, I haven’t said anything on the Thompson topic because I think the man has a right to talk, and I think that his opinion about violence in video games is one that should be considered. We call this freedom of speech and expression. It is his right, and he is welcome to discuss what he feels passionately about. But for an apparently intelligent man, he seems prone to lowering himself to name-calling and petty finger pointing the minute anyone criticizes him. Whatever he is trying to accomplish is now playing second fiddle to the ridiculous drivel that comes out of his mouth. It’s a shame he didn’t keep himself more humble, I bet he would get a lot further with the public. If he is holding himself up as some kind of moral standard for the rest of us to look up to and emulate, oh dear. A Crusader of God no less, who is doing his bit to save our eternal souls, and will be so thanked for his work as to be allowed entry into heaven…well good gracious I think I prefer hell.
2 opinions for Please Take Your Seat Mr. Thompson
Matt
Oct 17, 2005 at 5:25 am
I hate people who do that. The man is a complete fool. This has nothing to do with God. I know plenty of Christian gamers who enjoy the violence and actually look forward to a good slaughter. This is the kind of man who gives Christianity a bad name. He has his own agenda and he thinks that by putting God on his team that it’ll make it right. He may be a God-fearing man, but if God was truly on his side, he wouldn’t look like a complete idiot.
Erin
Oct 17, 2005 at 7:49 am
He has a good moral ground for stating the dangers of violent games. If he could control his need to rant, and get his points across in less patronizing manner, I really think he’d do a lot better for himself.
In his letter to Dr. Walsh he sounds like a jilted lover needing to throw barbs at his ex now that they’ve broken up.
The difference between Thompson and Walsh, who are both arguing the same points as far as I can tell, is that Walsh does so intelligently. He says things at the appropriate time, with the appropriate wording and the appropriate tone. I would actually listen to him. Thompson? I’m more likely to throw things.
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