I hope to keep this short.
This is a blog about censorship, so please feel free not to read it. If anything I say offends you please feel free to either stop reading or let me know in the comments. I will attempt to respond.
America is a big place founded on ideals that we don’t always live up to. We have endemic poverty, we’re often xenophobic, and we can seem a bit strange to “the rest of the world”.
We’re bigger than most people seem to realize: the state of Texas is almost twice the size of the country of Germany. The United States is a jumbled collection of people with different backgrounds, religions, ethnicities, and orientations. Us Americans try to get along, but we often don’t.
Yes, we do have racism.
Even with a “black” president, race is an inescapable fact of many American lives. It may always be part of our culture. It’s something we’re not very proud of.
But, Resident Evil 5 is not racist. It is a video game set in Africa. The primary antagonists of the story seem to be native to the region. These plot decisions have necessitated the need for dark skinned foes.
This is realism not racism.
Even if Resident Evil 5 were blatantly racist I would still not oppose its release. It would offend every fiber of my moral sensibility if this was the reality of the situation. But I would still fight for its right to be released.
“Free speech” is not polite speech. It will always be uncomfortable for someone; but that’s just how the First Amendment of the United States Constitution works.
It seems that those critical of the perceived racial bias in this game have a set a double standard. It seems that they seek to establish those of African descent as a “protected” ethnic group.
Especially irritating are those that offhandedly dismiss the “double standard” claim. This is usually done by arguing that Africans have a unique image problem.The logical extension of this argument is that the rest of humanity is just fine to use as pixel-fodder.
Obviously, there are no other negative stereotypes than a brutal black man.
Resident Evil 5 is sure to become an issue. There will be countless newspaper editorials, magazine articles, and internet “blogs” on this very subject.
Some will call for boycotts and others for outright bans. This will be particularly noticeable in the United States. I find this to be inexcusable.
But like I said, we’re a big nation that doesn’t always live up to our ideals.
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Oh, I wasn't forced to change my opinon, I was quoting from the website.
wut? Obama's not black, he's a mutt.
@Infinite
It seemed that way, but I'll happily edit that part out of my post.
Thanks for the heads up!
@Qraze
Note the quotation marks denoting ambiguity.
Thanks for expressing your opinion! You and I agree on alot with this issue, in particular that this isn't a pointed creation of intentional negativity toward a race, for the intent of being " racist". And also, the game most certainly needs to be allowed to come out as is, unchanged. Luckily, no one is pushing for that.
I would disagree regarding your perception of a double standard, in a negative sense.
I think there's value in a society putting a minority race/culture under scrutiny with regards to imagery and presence in media. On the most basic level, I think a society benefits from giving special attention to a minority group, as it brings (or attempts to bring) a greater awareness of these people in minority to the majority. Most certainly, there is equity of every man as a person. But, naturally, there will be inequity with regards to understanding or even being aware of the culture in minority
I could discuss this all day, I really could. :)
But, I'll cut short to say regardless of palpable wrong doing on anyone's part, discussing race and equality is something no one in the world does especially well, if for no other reason than because of a cultural unwillingness to understand an opposing view point.
If I had eloquence left in me at the moment, I'd say something clever about walking a mile in another man's mocassins . . .
Yeah, I'm sorry, what happened was when I orginally wrote my blog, I had ended it like this: "the mainstream media will give this game a tough time, do we really fellow gamers adding to it as well?" I then realised that it sounded as if Mr Whitehead wasn't allowed his opinion on RE 5. So I changed it to "Do you agree with his views or not?"
I went over to racialcious (the website which posted it) and wrote what I thought, and posted their response about it on my blog.
I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, but I do appreciate the gesture.
@Tubatic
You bring up some excellent points, and I agree with you on most of them.
Although, it seems that you assume that I am being slightly culturally insensitive. Which is something I had sincerely hoped did not come across in my post.
I'm of mixed heritage myself, but still strongly feel that double-standards are dangerous in all forms.
I'm glad that you said something!
Double standards are dangerous in all forms. It doesn't matter the reasoning, or how "needful" you make it sound, double standards of this sort have no reason to exist.
It's a shame if that happens to this game.
This game is going to become the next Mass Effect, making a big deal out of something that shouldnt even be an issue.
And RE5 is going to get so much talk about being "racist" that its going to overshadow the fact that the game has crappy controls (*laughs* oh yeah, I went there).
I went over to racialcious (the website) and a spanish person took offence at the idea that they didn't have it as bad as Africans and pointed out that they had been villfied over centuries as well. This was the response:
"“I guess the 800 years under Muslim conquest doesn’t count.”
Now that you mention it, no. It doesn’t.
You’re being deliberately obtuse."
You were right about the double standards.
@Infinite
It's strange but I don't feel vindicated. I'm actually deeply saddened by this news.
I know. I was very disappointed. It's a website dedicated to race, but there's people not willing to look at other points of view.
@infinite strike
well, there's not equity to be found in comparing injustice or outrage.
But, it as an American, I hadn't processed in my mind previously the unique plight of a spaniard. Despite having read and been aware of inquisistions and the years of Moorish rule and power exchange.
It feels to me that "double standard" gets in the way of racial discussion and cultural appreciation, as a term. It sets the stage of making a discussion about balancing out treatment.
My concern not being with anyone's view in particular. But "standard" and "equality" create a quantitative space for the topic of culture and race, which are not quantitative.
*scratch that first "it" . . . I"ll be taking a seat now :p
@Tubatic
I understand what where you're coming from Tubatic, but to me instead of a having a dissucssion, they seemed to have dissmissed his/her thoughts completely.
@Tubatic
Preferential treatment just leads to more racism, because it is a racist action in itself.
I feel that it is illogical to be "okay" with shooting one race/ethnicity, and have a taboo against including another as a virtual opponent.
That's my final two-cents on it, because I think we're going to have agree to disagree on this one.
*Shakes hand*
@Rucksack
If we ever meet in person, I need to buy you a drink. You're cool in my book. I'm always somewhere around agreeing and disagreeing with you, but you're ok in my book!
Also, you went to Finland because you heard they had lakes. That's awesome.
*Shakes hand*
Obama not black !
?dobilai?