Wannabe Fascists

The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV is out, and controversy has (not surprisingly) ensued. Jack Thompson, an attorney who seems to have nothing better to do than trying to "regulat[e] offensive media", criticized it on an NPR radio show you can listen to here. Of course, what constitutes "offensive media" is open to discussion, but not for Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson is one of those people who wants you to see the world the way he sees it, and wants to prevent you from doing or seeing things he does not approve of. We should be thankful we have somebody like him to tell us what's right and what's wrong, since it would be too hard to think for ourselves.

To provide the other side of the issue, good old Adam Sessler was invited to participate in the talk show, and pointed out how the game is made by adults for adults, and that it's rated M for mature (17 or older), but Thompson thinks the makers of the game are involved in criminal behavior by putting the game on the shelves, where kids can find it. There're a few phone calls from people who offer their point of view, and the sixteen minutes the show lasts are entertaining if sometimes infuriating.

Sessler didn't get to say everything he wanted to say, so G4TV.com released a special edition of Sessler's Soapbox, in which Sessler addresses Thompson, fascists, censors (excuse me for being redundant), and parents who are too stupid to read the box of the game and understand what it says there (check out the video to get help from Adam). As usual, it makes for a good laugh. Enjoy!