Jack Thompson Blames Bill Gates for VT Shooting

[Meshuggah]

What an IDIOT.

Last time we published a letter from Jack Thompson, we had to clarify it wasn't joke. His messianic words and biblical quotes indeed came from the attorney and Christian conservative activist obsessed with video game violence. Once again, we need to clarify that what you are about to read is a real letter coming from Thompson.

Game Almighty has received an email from Thompson that includes an open letter sent to Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. The letter reads as follows:

April 18, 2007

Bill Gates

Microsoft

1 Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052 Via Fax and e-mail

Dear Mr. Gates:

On Monday, April 16, at 3:10 pm, I was a guest, as I often have been in the past, on the Fox News Channel. News anchor Bill Hemmer asked me to profile the Virginia Tech rampage killer. I did so, noting that until that day the worst school massacre in world history was at the hands of Robert Steinhaeuser, who literally trained on the Microsoft on-line, hyper-violent shooter game, Counterstrike. I mentioned your company?s game by name. I explained that the rehearsal for such a massacre is key to being able to pull it off, as efficiently as Cho, whose name we didn?t even know at the time. Cho and Steinhaeuser were able to do what they did the first time because it was not the first time. This is why the military uses this same virtual reality simulation to train soldiers to want to kill and how to kill calmly, as the witnesses of Cho said he did.

Sure enough, last night I was doing a west coast radio interview when the host said to me, "Mr. Thompson, you are right. The Washington Post is reporting right now the following:

?Several Korean youths who knew Cho Seung Hui from his high school days said he was a fan of violent video games, particuCounterstrike, a hugely popular online game published by Microsoftft, in which players join terrorism or counterterrorism groups and try to shoot each other using all types of guns.?"

I thus went back on the Fox News Channel, and Bill Hemmer and I explained not only that I was right about your game figuring in the Virginia Tech massacre but also that the Washington Post excised the above excerpt from the story this morning. That is yet another story. The bad news for the Post however is that you can still get the excised excerpt at http://www.washingtonpost.com/...AR2007041...ml?hpid=topnews. Thus, the cat is out of the bag, and his paw prints are still on the bag. Is this a great Internet, or what?

As you know, I similalry [sic] went on NBC?s Today Show with the DC Beltway Sniper still unidentified and at-large a few years ago and told Matt Lauer and the nation that the triggerman would most likely be a teen video gamer trained on a sniper video game. The tarot card was a clue, but there were other clues. I was right, as Malvo trained on your Microsoft game, Halo. NBC reported that three months later, and it was part of the criminal trial of Malvo.

Mr. Gates, your company is potentially legally liable the harm done at Virginia Tech. Your game, a killing simulator, according to the news that used to be in the Post, trained him to enjoy killing and how to kill. You knew five years ago that your on-line game, Counterstrike, so clearly figured in the massacre by a student in Erfurt that the event and the game impacted the race for Chancellor in Germany at the time!

Yet, here you are, five years after "Erfurt," still marketing Counterstrike. having done nothing to disable the server(s) for this mass murder simulator, and it looks like "Virginia Tech" is a consequence. There?s more going on in the world than Vista. Just ask the bereaved Virginia Tech families.

Mr. Gates, pull the plug on Counterstrike today, or do we need more dead to convince you? "Virginia Tech" was the 9-11 of school shootings, and it appears Microsoft is in the middle of it, in more ways than one.

Regards, Jack Thompson

Yeah sure, they published the game for xbox, but what big CS guy ever played it on a console to begin with? Vivendi published it. This guy is a disgrace, always trying to put his own face into the spotlight every time something happens as a "moral crusade." He just wants :angry:ney. :angry:

[LightIdea]

OMFG!

Thats just a new low.

BG has absolutely NOTHING to do with anything, except for innovating.

PLUS isn't BG retired?

[Wanderermy]

What a douchebag...what does Bill Gates have to do with anything?

[FreqFace]

This is just terrible, there is nothing to suggest that these tragic killings were caused by video games or anything of the sort. It's disgusting how he immediately tries to capitalize on the situation like this, there's simply no need for it. :no:

[CoLdFuSi0n]

since when has CS published by Microsoft?

[LightIdea]

Oh noes!!!111

What about all the violence in WW1/2 and the Mafia/Pirate killings.

Not EVERYTHING can be caused by computer games.

[episode]

The other night, Chris Matthews from Hardball interviewed the murderer's roommate. The roommate stated that he never saw Cho play any video games.

[SimplySchizo]

"He enjoyed video games/played hyper-violent shooter game, Counterstrike" ... that make him an massmurderin maniac?

/me looks around the forums @ all the video game freeks :ninja:

sound the freekin alarmz0rz!

[Tech Star]

HAHAHAHAHAHHA....noob.

He should get his brain checked. :p

[neufuse Veteran]

huh? since when is Valve owned by Microsoft?

[Hurmoth]

huh? since when is Valve owned by Microsoft?

It isn't. I have to wonder if this idiot got confused because Gabe Newell use to work for Microsoft. He saw Valve, Gabe, and Microsoft and assumed that Valve is owned by Microsoft. :unsure:

[MGS4-SS]

Maybe he is telling the truth?

[troist]

lol! that guy cracks me up... he always sounds so retarded. i'd love to meet him in real life, he must be a maniac.

[neoadorable]

LOL the truth! i don't think this thompson character is even real himself. we're being tested by the machine architect.

[neufuse Veteran]

Wow what a ..... and people use to use him as a lawyer? I feel sorry for them and hope they can appeal their cases on the basis of an incompetent lawyer *lol*

[goji]

Jack Thompson... what a joke.

[altermind]

lol

really quite sad

[remix17]

Can someone put this guy out of his misery already? He is so retarded, he is actually lowering the average intelligence of a human being. The crap that comes out of his mouth, I wouldn't even say if I was high on acid after having a hangover.

[MrCobra]

Is there a public email for this joker anywhere? I ned to write a letter.

[neoadorable]

don't waste those nanoseconds, please.

[Lexcyn]

LOL. Before this guy speaks in public maybe he should get his facts straight so he doesn't end up looking like a complete douchebag.

[DELTETHISACCOUNT]

It would be great if Thompson was in that classroom too...

[macmax]

what about OLDBOY then ?

[+Nik Louch Subscriber²]

Someone needs to shut this guy up NOW.

He is monopolising on this tragedy, using the grief and anguish felt to further his own agenda.

[Inplode]

what a moron

some people should not be allowed to reproduce !!!