RSSFlorida Judge Declines to Ban 'Bully'
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published October 13, 2006, 3:21 PM
According to reporters for the blog Destructoid attending a hearing in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, Judge Ronald Freeman sampled for two hours the soon-to-be-released Rockstar game for PlayStation 2, Bully, and has decided against prohibition of its sale in the state of Florida.
The reporter on the scene said Judge Freeman indicated that he saw nothing so particularly violent about this specific game that would merit its shipment being blocked. "There's nothing in the game that you wouldn't see on TV every night," he remarked.
Destructoid also noted that the judge had to admonish prosecutor Jack Thompson, who apparently protested vehemently, including for the fact that he himself didn't get a turn, or at least enough of one.
The judge reportedly told Thompson at length that he did get his turn; and in an e-mail to the Web site GamePolitics.com earlier today, Thompson said he actually did get a chance to play.
Thompson had filed suit against two retailers, GameStop and Wal-Mart, as part of a broader measure to stop the sale of Bully in Florida on the grounds that it violated the state's public nuisance law. It would appear only a few formalities remain before that suit is effectively dismissed.
What is the matter with Jack Thompson?... Im sorry for his kids... they have to spend time playing Animal Crossing... lol
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|Thank you Judge Ronald Freidman (not Freeman), you did your best.
Bully is Coming...
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|I think we should get Jack Thomson a consolation prize. I think this would be particularly appropriate:
http://www.zestuff.com/tshirts/gamer/13/
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|Will Jack Thompson ever stop his insane quest to ban violent content in games? He is a negative influence on our children as his actions are that of an overpaid, pompous windbag that I would not like future generations to emulate.
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|...
While the State has a vested interest in
protecting the morals of it's citizens, it
ought always intercede at the most expedient
level.
Invoking a "public nuisance" law was pretty
dubious at best !
...
The Computer Rodent
...
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|That's pretty disappointing. This game is stupid anyway, and there's really no reason anyone should even buy it. It's almost as retarded as GTA. Rockstar really makes lame a** games.
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|either that, or you're really lame a** gamer anyway.
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|thats why gta sold millions of copies right? moron.
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|don't like it - don't play it.
GTA dumb? well maybe but it is hellotof fun to!
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|Well, la de da.... Another game deemed to violent for kids. They can get all their fixes at ogrish.com, snuff-x.com and stileproject.com (great sites, by the way!) Let's waste/spend our time on something else that matters!! Like fighting a REAL war.. Like Iraq!!
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|Well, Bully for him!
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|Thompson got "pwned".
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|The real news, is that there is a judge, who can apply common sense.
Whilst it's not really a game I would be interested in, I am pleased Rockstar won this case.
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|Im surprised a judge even knows how to turn on a playstation at all.
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|he prolly has kids... they teach parents that kind of stuff, consequently he probably protects his children from games like this. If the parent cannot take that responibility then they do not deserve to have children. It isn't the governments problem to keep content like this away from children, it is the parents. if the children get exposed to this kind of stuff, then the government needs to take action at the root level with social services, not through banning games. The rest of us and the children should not be punished the irresponable parent should.
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|This is a great ruling. Thompson needs to learn that not all video games are violent and he needs to play them before he starts randomly suing retailers.
He's quickly becoming the biggest ****ing retard of all time.
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|behind tipper gore and hilary clinton you mean?
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|lmao "MY TURN WAAAA"
x_x sheesh, we need bumper stickers with pacman on it "Barred Yet?"
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|This guy should be censured by the Florida Bar. It's pathetic that a guy would grandstand like this. "We must ban this, for the children."
If anything, this might teach kids that are getting bullied how to fight back a little. What's wrong with that?
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|If anything, this might teach kids that are getting bullied how to fight back a little. What's wrong with that?
Please, oh please tell me that was a joke.
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|'"There's nothing in the game that you wouldn't see on TV every night," he remarked.'
This point needs to be emphasized.
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|THANK YOU!
Oh, and while we're at it, commercials during Sunday afternoon football games need to be examined as well. I'm sick and tired of telling my kids to look away at the s*** they show during football games!
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|yes, there should be a law against having our sensibilities offended!!
/sarcasm
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|Like the indecency laws which were invoked after Nipplegate?
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|Yes, how dare a responsible parent have to put up with his/her child being exposed to certain material before the parent deems the child ready for the exposure. That's not arguing for a law: that's arguing for some decency during popular TV so as to allow a parent to do his/her job.
Isn't it a little hypocritical to argue for greater parental involvement and control of a child's exposure to certain media (such as games), but then belittle that parent for attempting to actually do so?
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|I'm not belittling parents for trying to do their duty. The parent that covers their child's eyes, or *gasp* changes the channel is doing their job. The parents "getting tired of it" and asking for laws are looking for a way to shirk their responsibilities by limiting what everyone else can watch.
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|din ding!
We have a winner.
*yawn*
Man, I'm so sick of you people. Telling me I have to teach my children right from wrong. What the hell do I toss them on that big yellow bus for every morning? What are my Tax dollars for, if not to protect my children from themselves. It's not like they could possibly know any better. They can't read minds. I sure didn't tell them.
Of course, the first person I see telling my children that something they do or think is wrong, I'll bust a cap in his ass.
/sarcasm.
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|???
I followed the sarcasm up to that last sentence. Then I thought that was serious...I would've intended it to be (if a bit of hyperbole)...if I had or wanted children.
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|The whole thing.
Full-on sarcasm.
Had it turned all the way up this morning.
Hurt like hell.
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|Thompson: Waaaa, I didn't get to play!
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|Thompson needs to get a life. Sounds to me like he is upset because he did not get to play, rather then the game actually having an issue. Lets face it, without violence and sex, the U.S. has nothing :) Also the fact the game is not based on actual violence and killing, thrown in a completely different direction (if anyone has even read a review on this) from GTA. It's harmless fun.
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|he does have a life, i'm usre Take Two pays him well for all this positive publicity .)
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|Excellent comment :-)
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|It's more of a case of Jack's big head. He thinks he's the great crusader against the Satan that is Rockstar. Anything they make he will fight in the streets while shouting "Look at me, I know what's best FOR AMERICA". He basically slapped the judge in the face saying "You are not the authority in this court room, I should be making this decision!"
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|if people have had the nerve to shoot the president and the pope, why not shoot Thompson ??
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|I totally would have, but I was busy killing hookers and cops in San Andreas to get around to it.
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|Thompsons a tard.
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