February 18, 2008 -
The Northern Illinois University campus is still reeling from Thursday's rampage shooting by an apparently deranged 27-year-old man.But that hasn't stopped anti-game violence activist Jack Thompson from threatening NIU with a lawsuit. Over video games.
Thompson e-mailed GamePolitics a copy of a letter that he faxed this morning to the university's public safety department in Dekalb:
Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, I hereby request production of copies of all documents that reveal Steven Kazmierczak’s play of violent video games, including but not limited to the use of his computer to play Counter-Strike, which he apparently, according to the New York Post, used to rehearse for his Valentine’s Day Massacre at NIU.
The killers in the two worst school massacres in history—in Erfurt, Germanay, and at Virginia Tech University—similarly trained on Counter-Strike to rehearse for their killing sprees.
If I am not provided with this information, I shall bring a civil action to secure these documents.
GP: Frankly, I had difficulty believing that anyone would waste the time of busy investigators and intrude into the NIU community's period of mourning over something as trivial as the video game habits of a grown man. For that reason, I asked Thompson to verify that he had actually sent the fax to the university. His response:
Of course I sent it to them, you idiot.
The NIU investigators have already responded, professionally, and told me they will get me this information in due time. This is how you do this, which you wouldn't know.
I can't vouch for Thompson's version of the NIU staff's response.
Comments
Because success would limit his liberty as a driver... Jack only wants to infringe on other people's rights.
Gift.
Why would the university have information regarding the private life and personal entertainment habits of a graduate level student in student's permanent record files?
Second question:
How would this personal information, if it even existed, be considered accessible through the Freedom of Information act?
Thrid question:
Why hasn't this man been sued into oblivion for harassment, malicious prosecution, libel, slander, and defamation of character?
See how that works, Jack?
~~All Knowledge is Worth Having~~
'The suspense is terrible. I hope it lasts'
27 year old plays video games, goes and shoots up a school. JT blames it on Counter Strike (his old favorite). When pointed out that the shooter is legally old enough to buy the game, JT says basically 'it takes time, and he would have been playing it long ago' (paraphrased of course). So Counter Strike came out in 1999 (wikipedia) if he's 27 right now, its a good guess to say he was 18 when the game came out if I'm doing my math right (depending on what month he was born of course). What does that teach us..
HE WAS OLD ENOUGH TO BUY THE GAME
But of course, lets forget all about his girlfriend breaking up with him, and that he stopped taking his medication, as that could have *NOTHING* to do with it.
I mean really Jack, I almost kinda supported you in keeping violent games out of kids hands. Then you go and do this... Was your entire crusade a lie?
Is there any way to make JT's correspondence with Dennis, and on this site, available to the relevant legal parties? Conduct unbecoming an officer of the court is the least of his offences displayed therein, and he really shouldn't be allowed to keep doing this, particularly with his own trial going right now.
"This is how you do this, which you wouldn’t know."
Too funny. Everything he does seems to be unprofessional, unethical, for his own personal gain, and/or childish. And yet he claims to be doing this the right way (after calling someone an idiot in the previous paragraph, no less).
He needs to be disbarred for his own mental health - most likely he'll see it as a conspiracy against him, but there's a small chance that it might shake him up enough to see that HE is the one with the problem. Until that happens, he's just a danger to everyone around.
"Why would the university have information regarding the private life and personal entertainment habits of a graduate level student in student’s permanent record files?
How would this personal information, if it even existed, be considered accessible through the Freedom of Information act?"
Not through the NIU. He's threatening the investigators. Stuff like search warrants are usually accessible through ATI.
Gaming habits, though, are likely considered personal enough that JT will have to wait for the results of the investigation, just like everyone else. Lawsuits will only piss off the investigators and make them even MORE polite when they tell him to shove off.
Jack Thompson: Because we have more guns. Kind of simple.
--
Case closed?
The guy at VTech may have played the game at some point in the past, but then again, most of the world has. If you add in Unreal Tournament and Quake (all flavors), you probably have a statistical fish in a barrel.
It almost as if he thinks that by telling the same lie over and over, it will become true. Maybe he is a Scient-
Here is an idea.
Can somebody who has good writing skills write the schools newspaper and let them know about what JT is trying to do in all this. I think the student population would love to know it is happening and if the school really will provide private information like that. Anybody up for it?
I believe this below is the school indy paper:
http://www.northernstar.info/
In regards to Mr. Thompson's ever-absent courtesies toward the gaming public: Grow up, you twit.
In regards to Mr. Thompson's spinning of this tragedy to further his own twisted ends: You disgust me. At least give the victims time to mourn their losses, there will be plenty of time for your baseless accusations and childish name calling after they confront their grief.
JT has shown he's nothing more than a attention seeker.
Seriously, he loves the hate and feeds on the insults from the comments here.
It is too bad he gets so much screen time here, he really isn't worth the effort.
He has always said that he didn't want to ban violent videogames only ban the sale of them to minors. Now he is actively pursuing a case involving a 27 year old who was at least 18 when the game came out. If Jacko is pursuing this then there is only one reason: to assert that violent videogames are dangerous for anyone regardless of age. This directly contradicts everything he has ever said.
Jack Thompson is a liar.
He is willingly tampering with an investigation. Can't he get in criminal trouble for this?
And he's still saying Cho played video games. Why would a university have records of how much any individual student played video games anyway?
We know he wants games out of hands of kids but since this guy was an adult it should have nothing to do with his cause, but it DOES.
Think of it like this, he is doing this to make a connection between the game and violence, this is old news. But if he makes the connection that adults are effected this way, then look how bad it must obviously be for kids with developing mind.
So this is very important to his cause and makes sense why he is pursuing it so intensely.
Now crazy Christian lawyers....that's another story. =P
and scroll down to page 32.
I like to think that video games teaches the gamer on how to murder as much as guitar hero teaches one on how to play an actual guitar; can you say NOTHING AT ALL?
CHO DIDNT TRAIN ON COUNTER STRIKE YOU MORON STOPP SAYING IT
STTTOOOPPPP SSAAYIINGGG IT PLEEEASEE YOU KNOWWWW ITT ISSNTT TRUEEE !!
FFS!!! HE ONLY PLAYED SONIC THE HEDGEHOG STOP LYING YOU COMPLETELY VILE HATE-FILLED, WORD TWISTING SNAKE OF A SO CALLED MAN
Most schools keep a surprising amount of information on what has been accessed or sent over the school network on the way to the internet.
Now he's striking while they're weak. You'll all learn that this is the only right way to deal with tragedy
THE. SHOOTER. WAS. NINETEEN (19). YEARS. OLD. WHEN. COUNTER-STRIKE. WAS. RELEASED.
Get that through your diamond-encrusted skull. The college has no right to tell what video games a LEGAL ADULT can and cannot buy.
That is all.