Jack Thompson given "Freedom Award"

[MattyDienhoff]

(From http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/84826-Jack-Thompson-Given-Freedom-Award)

Jack Thompson has been given a Freedom Award by America's Freedom Festival in Utah County, a move that GamePolitics says "ignores a troubling list of negatives that stretches from Orem to Salt Lake City."

Thompson, described in the Deseret News as "a lawyer dedicated to protecting children from violence, obscenity and pornography in the media," was given the award for his dedication to the freedom of families, according to America's Freedom Festival Director Paul Warner, who said Thompson put his own career at risk in his fight to keep obscenity out of the media. Warner credited Thompson with having lyrics by 2 Live Crew declared obscene, having the Body Count track "Cop Killer" removed from stores "worldwide," and for forcing Howard Stern off public airwaves.

"For 21 years I have opposed the criminal distribution of adult entertainment to children because Jesus said if any of you should cause one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for you that a millstone be tied around your neck and you be cast into the uttermost depths of the sea," Thompson said in his acceptance of the award. He added that despite the persecution and ridicule he has faced in his life, he would do it all over again with even more fervor than before.

But as Dennis McCauley of GamePolitics points out, Thompson's Freedom Award overlooks aspects of his life and career including being found guilty of 27 offenses, among them knowingly making false statements and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation, for which he has been recommended for a ten-year disbarment. Thompson also inclused of gay pornography in his court filings and called for the impeachment of the Utah Attorney General when it was suggested a videogame bill Thompson authored would be unconstitutional.

"There seem to be two possibilities here. One is that the selection committee did not conduct due diligence on its nominee," McCauley writes. "The other is that they didn't care. Perhaps the committee was aware of Thompson's issues but chose to believe that they are part of some vast cultural conspiracy against him waged by liberals, the videogame industry, the Florida Bar, Florida Supreme Court, U.S. District Court, gays, shock radio, Blank-Rome, various judges, the Alabama Bar, etc. But at some point the idea of a conspiracy that vast becomes silly. What's happening to Thompson now seems more like a judiciary consensus on the man's conduct."

Sources: Deseret News, Daily Herald

I have to question whether the people who run these awards even know what the word 'freedom' means, seeing as they missed the irony of giving a 'freedom award' to a censorship advocate.

EDIT: Here's a useful link, Freedom Festival's contact form. Tell them what you think of this joke of an award.

 

[<RJMC>]

I bet ya that the coment of "jesus said.." is what got him the award

 

[Polaris]

Ya, because "Freedom requires religion".

That award is bullshit with no significance and everyone knows that.

 

[Acepilotf14]

JESUS SAID GTA4 IS A MURDER SIMULATOOOOOOOOOOR!

right

 

[VirusType2]

so he's the one that nerfed Ice-T back in the 80s? This is guy is anti-freedom.

 

[Jintor]

As OP pointed out, the dude's a) a nutter and b) a censorship advocate. I can't think of anything stupider.

 

[Dekstar]

While we're at it, I vote we give hitler the nobel peace prize.
Yeah, that's right, I compared Thompson to Hitler.

 

[Leto]

Uh Oh, this is going to give Thompson a not-so-good ego boost D:

 

[V-Man339]

You couldn't be more oximoronic/ironic than declaring Jack Thompson the winner of the Freedom Award.

I've got to give it to them that they weren't lieing when they said he "put his job at risk", problem is that he put his job at risk while possibly trying to protect children (as if) from violence and gay pornography (which he used as evidence in one case [therefore proving his own hypocrisy and lack of morals that he applies to himself]) but in the process, becoming so corrupt and willing to use any means necessary to protect the children from this stuff, that he no longer holds himself to the rules of the court or morals (as shown above) that he should be using in his campaign against these things in his fight for so called freedom. In the process I do beleive he might have gone at least partially insane, considering that test he took, and his antics in court...

 

[DEATHMASTER]

media whore.

 

[Shinobi]

..........................................................................................
























:frown:

 

[15357]

as Op Pointed Out, The Dude's A) A Nutter And B) A Censorship Advocate. I Can't Think Of Anything Stupider.

....

 

[Jintor]

What happened to all the Capitals, Numbers?

 

[Slug Advisor]

While we're at it, I vote we give hitler the nobel peace prize.
Yeah, that's right, I compared Thompson to Hitler.

One of those rare occasions when Godwin's Law actualy seems fitting. Except Jacky hasn't slaughtered any Jews. Yet.

 

[CptStern]

I bet ya that the coment of "jesus said.." is what got him the award

you have a point, despite the premature dismisal of some of the faithful in our little flock:

]Jack Thompson: Advocate for working to keep obscenity,indecency, and profanity out of America's entertainment industry.

The honorees, each in his or her own way, personified some or all of the festival's four traditional values of family, freedom, God and country.


....


A lawyer dedicated to protecting children from violence, obscenity and pornography in the media, Jack Thompson was honored especially for his defense and support of families.

Thompson listed the top four moments of his life. No. 1 was when "God the father introduced me to Jesus Christ and said 'welcome home,"' second was meeting his wife and third was seeing his son for the first time.

"The fourth greatest moment in my life is this one," Thompson said. "For 21 years I have opposed the criminal distribution of adult entertainment to children because Jesus said if any of you should cause one of these little ones to stumble, it would be better for you that a millstone be tied around your neck and you be cast into the uttermost depths of the sea."

He said that while his life has been filled with persecution and ridicule, he would go back and do it all over again, with even more fervor than before.

the fact that's it's utah should be enough to throw some suspicion as to whether religion might play a part in the proceedings imho ..also if morality/family values and by extension religion, wasnt a factor why would they have honoured someone who's been disbarred and has a litany of questionable tactics and offenses?

However, to consider Thompson only on his values crusade ignores a troubling list of negatives that stretches from Orem to Salt Lake City. Consider that this "American hero":

* has been recommended for a 10-year disbarment by the Florida Bar
* has been judged guilty of 27 ethical offenses by a Florida judge, who is sending her recommendation to the Florida Supreme Court
* the 27 offenses include things like: "Knowingly making a false statement", "Engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit or misrepresentation" and " Engaging in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice"
* may no longer submit filings to the Florida Supreme Court, in part because he included porn pictures in a motion (and NOT in a pornography case)
* included gay porn pictures in a federal court filing (also not a pornography case)
* received a cautionary visit from the U.S. Marshals following a federal court filing in which he wrote "...enemy combatants at Guantanamo are to get more due process from federal judges than what I am to have. I guess my "mistake" was not killing 3000 people to make my point..."
* called for the impeachment of Utah's Republican Attorney General when the AG suggested that a video game bill written by Thompson would be unconstitutional

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/84826-Jack-Thompson-Given-Freedom-Award

 

[CptStern]

oh and ...

Officials of America's Freedom Festival at Provo honored four individuals with 2008 Freedom Awards Wednesday night at the 2008 Freedom Festival Awards Gala held at Brigham Young University's Wilkinson Center ballroom.

Brigham Young University (BYU), located in Provo, Utah, United States, is a private, coeducational research university owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS or Mormon Church). It is the oldest existing institution within the LDS Church Educational System, is America's largest religious university, and has the second-largest private university enrollment in the United States.[7][8][9] Approximately 98% of the 34,000 students at BYU are Mormon..

 

[elkaebee]

Jack Thompson and Jack Thompson supporting world:


























You are ****wits'.













































F*ck you.

 

[Bad^Hat]

So they're calling treading on people's first amendment rights "freedom" now?

 

[Kula Meenur]

Shit


Hopefully this shit sends him bankrupt. The barrister appearing before the bar would be rolling in dough right now, or is he representing himself?

 

[Que-Ever]

Utah is really ****ing annoying.