It was inevitable; the issue was bound to be thrust upon us once again. A perceived threat is invading our society, destroying family mores and tearing the very fabric of civilization. During the troubling times which we live, accountability has been rendered obsolete. No longer can responsibility for the actions of others be cast upon the recording or motion picture industries. These mediums have already won their battle, their protected amendment rights affirmed. It was under identical circumstances and utilizing a similar stratagem that publications of all variety were victorious. It was apparent our antagonist could not evade the freedom of speech whether its vitriolic campaign was waged against N.W.A. or Larry Flynt. All of this brings us to present day and by default, the only remaining medium worthy of becoming the latest scapegoat. With a political campaign in full swing and each prospective official pandering to the coveted soccer mom vote, the video game industry is primed for disparagement.
The political and social backlash of adult themed video games is nothing new or extraordinary. It is quite an effective platform when attempting to persuade novice and ill-informed individuals by enlightening them of its inherent dangers and potential consequences. Demagoguery and scare tactics are pervasive with half truths and jaundiced discourse rampant. Grand Theft Auto IV has only exacerbated an issue which was clearly and unequivocally under attack by mainstream news journalism and politicians on both sides of the isle. From Fox News and the “sexbox” to various denigrating comments made by numerous pundits, video games are under considerable scrutiny. When will the industry see a reprieve from the inundation of negative publicity and harassment? I presume this strife will end as the aforementioned industries did; at the very highest level. However, parents can begin to accept and recognize personal responsibility while eliminating the preconceptions of rearing perfect children who were perversely led by games to back hand their neighbor or shoplift the latest Harry Potter collection. It is plausible that if parental accountability and awareness prevailed, the need for the legal system to declare a winner wouldn’t be necessary.
First let us be clear, Jack Thompson, one of the catalysts of video game ostracism, fell off his rocker back in 1990. Not only has he become a laughing stock, he has been relegated to having other responsible bar members hold his hand whenever he attempts to sue Take-Two for the umpteenth time. This is one of the sanctions the Florida Supreme Court imposed on the propagandist. Jack has transcended the realm of jackassery and resembles a character one would see in the Sunday funnies rather than an ambitious, educated and properly dedicated lawyer. His track record speaks for itself from his spats with Janet Reno to the honor of being named “Art Censor of the Year” by the ACLU for his various forays into censorship. Everyone has skeletons in their closet but if one were to go perusing through Jack Thompson’s walk-in you would probably find Jimmy Hoffa. If history is a compass which indicates how much stock we should place in one person’s character, Mr. Thompson’s rhetoric should be taken with a grain of salt and a fifth of Vodka.
The latest gaming squabble pitted Jack against Adam Sessler via the National Public Radio airwaves back on May 1st. While interviewing the co-host of “X-Play”, Neal Conan was interrupted by a Thompson telephone call. After a brief introduction, Jack began making wild accusations asserting that Take-Two is, “engaged in criminal activity” and is, “molesting minors for money”. Adam Sessler questioned the validity of these claims but was shut down immediately by the host of the program. Jack’s tangent proceeded and with every spoken word his credibility was reduced. When Neal Conan asked if Mr. Thompson had played GTA IV he evaded the question inferring it was irrelevant and the various ads posted on internet gaming outlets was sufficient justification.
Jack Thompson's claims are predicated on the gratuitous violence and “graphic sex” incorporated into Rockstar’s creation. If we are speaking of the legality, Take-Two has every right to develop a game consisting of violence and sexual content. The Arts have been under the public and political microscope in times past but similarly the courts ruled that the freedom of speech was applicable to them as well. Without a legal leg to stand on, Jack asserts that these games are intentionally being marketed and sold to minors; the only legitimate and viable legal recourse he can pursue. I fail to see how Take-Two and Rockstar are responsible for the actions of haphazard and ignorant retailers. They created and distributed the product but they do not sell it to the end consumer in any literal sense of the word. This job is maintained by retailers and electronic stores.
Prior to retail delivery, each game is sent to the self regulating ESRB who reviews the content and then bestows a rating. The Electronic Software Rating Board viewed all GTA IV content and concluded that it merited an M (17+) rating. The BBFC echoed this conclusion with their equivalent 18 rating. Any retailer found distributing Mature rated games to minors are subject to various fines and / or the guillotine. If this is the very foundation of Mr. Jack Thompson’s argument then logic would dictate he picket Best Buy or Game Stop rather than threatening the parent company with frivolous lawsuits. When an employee is found to have sold tobacco or alcohol to a minor does the State sue Phillip Morris or Anheuser-Busch? Absolutely not! You are cited for a misdemeanor which entails a fine and a mandatory court appearance. If Jack and all those of his ilk wish to adopt similar punitive laws then this is something which can be negotiated. Punish those who enable these children to play adult oriented games rather than the creator of the product. I’m fairly certain this will stifle the sale of adult themed games to minors as I doubt any check-out clerk would be willing to risk their job and a substantial chunk of their paycheck by selling Manhunt to a 14 year old.
The ad absurdum does not stop with Jack. Other public personalities have chimed in to provide the gullible with their misguided two cents. Glen Beck, a conservative radio and television talking head working on the Turner strings at CNN believes video games are, “training our kids to be killers” and teaching our sons to “treat women like whores.” His supposition is based on the belief that military training during World War I played a significant role in the creation and evolution of video games. It was apparent his intent was to derive some correlation between the desensitizing training methodologies of soldiers to the training of our children to become killers. Quite a leap of faith if one was to ask me. Glenn then throws out obscure military statistics as if it were validating his claim. After his brilliant causation tactic, I wrote the windbag off as yet another public persona trying to capitalize on a controversial issue to inflate ratings albeit with genuine concern.
Sharing a sentiment similar to Jack Thompson, Beck went on to perpetuate the misconception by implying players who engage in GTA IV must, “hire a prostitute, have sex with her and beat her to death with a baseball bat”. This statement insinuates that this is an integral and compulsory component necessary to progress. It is obvious Mr. Beck has never played Grand Theft Auto IV otherwise he would not be making such foolhardy comments. I can smack a prostitute around all day if my heart so desired but I would much rather launch RPG’s into oncoming traffic (but that’s just me). It is a sandbox game which allows the user the freedom to do as they please in an open, free roaming world of fiction. You are not forced or required to do anything. If you do not feel comfortable murdering the police while escaping 4 stars of heat, feel free to visit your local Pay & Spray. If you are uncomfortable with violence in general, do not buy the game. This isn’t quantum physics!
I will be the first to admit that Grand Theft Auto IV is a very violent video game. It should not be placed in the hands of minors at any time for any purpose. It was created for adults, by adults. However, we cannot expect the Government to hold our hand and guide us along the road of life. As parents and as concerned citizens, we should do all that we can to limit the distribution of inappropriate games to children. Parents need to be aware and actively participate in their children’s gaming experience. There are various palladiums created specifically for this purpose at your disposal such as the ESRB ratings system along with the Xbox 360’s family settings.
- Xbox 360 Family Settings
- Electronic Software Rating Board
If we as parents became more proactive, we would have a much greater impact than any arbitrary law passed or borderline censorship restrictions enacted. For all our differences, I share both Jack Thompson and Glenn Beck’s concern. We need to protect our children but I do not agree with undue scare tactics and absurd hyperbole which have been used to portray the video game industry in a light of iniquity. It’s a coward’s argument usually utilized when there is a lack of any empirical evidence to support preposterous claims. To those who continue to berate developers and the gamers who support them, come down from your high horse because the hypoxia has caused a lapse in your logical thinking. Be a part of the solution or shut up and go play Wii Fit.
This editorial is the opinion of one person and PlanetXbox360.com is not endorsing nor condoning any of the information contained in the article. Everyone in this country has the right to his or her own opinion and this is just one gamer's opinion, nothing more.
