Jack Thompson (activist) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Thompson
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Thompson in 2007
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John Bruce Thompson
July 25, 1951 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Denison University (BA) Vanderbilt University (JD) |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Thompson |
John Bruce Thompson (born July 25, 1951) is an American activist. He used to be a lawyer but later lost his license to practice law. Thompson became well-known for speaking out against video games. He believed that some video games were harmful to children. He also criticized rap music and a radio host named Howard Stern.
Thompson's work as a lawyer included challenging the rules of The Florida Bar, which is the organization for lawyers in Florida. In 2008, he was permanently stopped from practicing law by the Supreme Court of Florida. This happened because of actions that were not proper for a lawyer, such as making untrue statements.
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Early Life and Education
Thompson grew up in Cleveland, Ohio. He went to Cuyahoga Falls High School and then to Denison University. While in college, he hosted his own talk show on the college radio station, which brought him some attention.
Later, he attended Vanderbilt University Law School. After finishing his studies, he moved to Florida in 1976. There, he worked as a lawyer and also helped raise money for a Christian organization. He became a born-again Christian during this time.
Views on Music
Thompson first became nationally known because of a debate about the content of a music album by a group called 2 Live Crew. He was involved in the discussions about what kind of music should be allowed.
Concerns About Video Games
Thompson strongly criticized many video games. He actively campaigned against the companies that made and sold them. He claimed that there were connections between some violent video games and real-life violent events, especially school shootings.
Working for Change
Thompson supported laws in different states that would stop children from buying violent or explicit video games. He argued that these games were a "public safety hazard." This means he thought they were dangerous for the public.
However, he also said that a proposed law by Hillary Clinton to ban "M" (Mature) rated games for minors was "completely unconstitutional." This means he believed it went against the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech. He thought Clinton was just trying to gain political support.
Thompson also tried to influence police investigations. He wanted them to look into whether violent acts were connected to violent video games.
Losing His Law License
In February 2007, The Florida Bar started a process to take away Thompson's law license. This was due to claims that he had acted improperly as a lawyer.
In May 2008, a judge looked at many documents and recommended that Thompson be found responsible for many violations. These included actions that were not proper for a lawyer.
On July 8, 2008, the judge suggested that Thompson should permanently lose his law license and pay a fine. The Florida Supreme Court agreed with this recommendation on September 25, 2008. They ordered that Thompson be permanently stopped from practicing law. He was given 30 days to finish up his work as a lawyer.
Thompson has not practiced law since his license was taken away.
See also
In Spanish: Jack Thompson (activista) para niños
