Jack Thompson was wrong. Again. This time, however, the media has reported on it. This time, they’re actually making something of it instead of shoving it under the couch with the rest of the undesirable news. Score one for gamers everywhere.

Mere hours after the shooting on the Virginia Tech campus, Jack Thompson was running his mouth to every media personality he could, Even Dr. Phil got in on the act and claimed that “We are programming these people as a society”. Granted we all know Dr. Phil isn’t the brightest bulb in the bunch, I’m sure he’s just repeating what he’s been told by parents who aren’t willing to take responsibility for their kids.

The fact is, Since the launch of DOOM in 1992, Violent crime rates have DROPPED. They peaked, then Id came out with a wonderful game to help kids get rid of their frustrations. I personally believe video games are doing far more good than harm. If I’ve had a bad day I’ll pop on some good music and proceed to get my ass handed to me in Battlefield 2142. It’s a great outlet for me so that I don’t bottle up all my rage and emotion and explode at the people around me. These games aren’t “murder simulators” Mr. Thompson, they’re outlets to help relieve some of the pressure young people are under these days.

Apparently Seung-Hui Cho, the crazed psycho who shot up Virginia Tech, didn’t play video games. When the police searched his dorm, they found the following:

• Chain from top left closet shelf
• Folding knife & combination padlock
• Compaq computer from desktop
• Assorted documents, notepads, writings from desktop
• Combination lock
• Dremel tool and case
• Nine books, two notebooks, envelopes, from top shelf
• Assorted books & pads from lower shelf
• Compact discs from desktops
• Items from desktop & drawers: winchester multi tool, 3 notebooks, mail, checks, credit card
• Items from 2nd door: Kodak digital camera. Citibank statement
• Two cases of compact discs from dresser top
• Drive: Seagate: 80 Gb
• Six sheets of green computer paper
• Mirror with blue plastic housing
• Dremel tool box with receipt
• Dell Latitude service tag

Yep, no video games. School shootings happened before video games were invented, and they’ll continue to happen with or without the influence of games. Jack Thompson’s problem is that he wants a target that he can attack. He can’t attack the shooters, because most of the time after they finish their rampage, they turn their guns on themselves. He can’t blame the parents, that’d be too risqué, So instead he tries to blame video games,

Mr. Thompson, I am a gamer. I, like 99.999% of my fellow gamers enjoy my hobby responsibly. I am not using pixels on a computer screen to train myself to shoot people, If I was going to do that, I’d take a real gun down to a firing range. Anyone who’s actually shot a gun knows it’s far different to shoot a gun in game by clicking a mouse or pushing a button on a control pad. A video game won’t teach you to aim, and it won’t prepare you to pull the trigger on a real human being. But, video games are making you money, why stop while you’re ahead, eh?