Epilogue: After Utah game bill dies, state rep apologizes for Jack Thompson
Things haven't been going well for the Utah gaming bill that ex-attorney Jack Thompson penned and, for that matter, the gentleman himself. After sending out an email to a variety of Utah legislators a few weeks back, the man came under threat of legal action from Utah senate president Michael Waddoups. And today, GamePolitics is reporting that the bill's original sponsor, state representative Mike Morley, has written an email to his colleagues apologizing for Thompson's actions (printed in full after the break).
Morley writes to his fellow reps that, "[Thompson] doesn't speak for me nor do I condone or appreciate his actions nor some his tactics," seemingly ending his relationship with Thompson. Unsurprisingly, Thompson has responded to Morley's email (also found after the break), claiming, "Mike Morley's apology is ridiculous. I didn't scandalous [sic] anyone with an image of two clad women." He further posits, "Your family values stance is a sham," refererring to the legislators he wrote. We're not sure of many things in politics, but we are sure of this: You probably shouldn't directly insult the people you'd like to support you. While this is likely the last time you'll hear about this Utah bill, we're 100 percent sure this isn't the last time you'll hear from Jack Thompson.
[image source]
Mike Morley's email:
Subject: My apologies for Jack Thompson
Dear Fellow House Members:
Over the past few days, I have received three emails from Jack Thompson regarding his concerns about mature video games being sold to minors. Certainly, I am concerned about the graphic violence and sexuality of some of the mature video games, I am apalled by his use of what I view as pornographic images. I want to make it clear that I had no previous knowledge of his intention to send the images and I apologize to each of you who received his email and were offended as I was.
Mr. Thompson is a nation [sic] advocate for this cause, but he doesn't speak for me nor do I condone or appreciate his actions nor some his tactics.
Mike Morley
Jack Thompson's response:
I understand that Mike Morley apologized to you all for the shocking image I sent you of two women in bikinis in a strip club. Sorry, Utahns, but you can see that on a beach. To see more explicit material as to what is in the GTA IV game, you had to click on the two links I provided, and that was your choice. I warned you what you would see if you chose to do so.
Mike Morley's apology is ridiculous. I didn't scandalous [sic] anyone with an image of two clad women. What is really going on here is that I upset the Republican club that runs Utah, and those in that club are seizing upon this harmless image as a ruse to scold the outsider who unfortunately showed that some in Utah aren't serious about protecting children. Your Governor isn't serious, and we sure as heck know your AG is not. Heck, he takes money from the video game industry to say how well the ratings are working... Incredible.
The only apology that is owed is by each of you for not insisting upon an override session [of Gov. Huntsman's HB 353 veto]... Your family values stance is a sham.
