Please note that I labled this as off topic.
Hi everyone. Sorry to bother you with this, but I feel this is important. This guy called Jack Thompson is trying to shut down the video game industry. He was recently interviewed by CBS in their video game section (can't remember the web address) and he is psycho. Read the email I wrote him and then read his pathetic response. Please flood this guy's inbox with protests, I beg you! His email is jackpeace_at_comcast.net.
-Capt. Havoc
Note: forwarded message attached.
"All Gorgonite scum must die!"
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attached mail follows:
your favorite industry is going to be exposed on 60 minutes sunday night
----- Original Message -----
From: Capt. Havoc
To: jackpeace_at_comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 05, 2005 8:23 PM
Subject: Video Game Violence
Dear Mr. Thompson,
My name is Stefan Mazzara. We've never met but I have read your interview on the CBS website. I would like to make a few points in reference to your opinions on video game violence.
Let me begin by saying that I am a 17-year-old high school student. I play video games, including ones that you and concerned parents would classify as "violent and inappropriate". Let me clarify that by saying that I do not play such games that show animated blood, nor animated gore, nor animated sex. My parents don't hold wih such things. However I am intrigued by them and would give them a try if the opportunity presented itself. The games that I play are more like the James Bond series, Medal of Honor, and Star Wars.
What may surprise you is this: everyone I know at my school plays such games as this, and none of them have ever committed acts of violence. I do not believe in the opinion that video games promote violence, ill treatment of women, or any type of irrational behavior.
I do, however, believe that video games are the new scapegoat. A decade ago, it was rap music that was causing the behavior that you blame on video games. Before that, it was comic books, before that rock and roll, and God knows what else has been blamed for kids acting up. The only thing that people seem loathe to blame for child crime is poor parenting.
I would like to know where you got your evidence that the DC sniper "trained" on video games. I put trained in quotation marks because it is an absurd statement. There is no way that anyone can train to be a sniper by playing video games. First of all, it is totally unrealistic and I think you are an intelligent enough individual to know that. Second, if a person wants to go out and kill people with a sniper rifle, there's probably something already wrong with him that didn't need video games to set off.
If a parent is truly concerned about their child's exposure to video game violence, there is a simple solution. It is one that doesn't need high-priced lawyers, a court order, or new legislation. That solution is to get involved in your child's life instead of allowing them to be raised on television and the internet. If you don't want your child playing video games, turn off the TV. If you see your child playing a video game that you don't approve of, take it away instead of trying to shut down a whole industry.
I believe anti-violence advocates like you would be spending their time much more wisely by speaking out for gun control, better parenting, or attending anti-war rallies. I don't have much experience in politics, but I believe one of the problems in this country is a president who doesn't hesitate to go to war with faulty intelligence.
In closing, I would like to request the source for where you get your statistics on video game violence. I am interested to see how many of those sources are non-biased. This means not from a video game violence watchgroup, or something like that. I would also like to know, as I said before, where you get your statements that children train in combat on video games.
Thank you for your time, and I truly wish you luck in your quest, because I think you're gonna need it.
Sincerely,
Stefan Mazzara
Cary, North Carolina
capthavoc123_at_yahoo.com
P.S. - If you do not respond to my email, I will take it as a sign that you do not have the guts to face facts. I will spread this around the Internet, mark my words.
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Received on Sat Mar 05 2005 - 20:27:41 CST