Are we so afraid to offend others that we must do everything in our power to stop that from happening?
What I'm referring to is the recent controversy involving Little Big Planet and it's being removed from store shelves due to the fact that it contained a song in it's soundtrack that included two lines from the Qu'ran. While its understandable that someone wouldn't want to offend another person if it meant that they would get in trouble for it, freedom of speech also exists, which is unfortunately something we all forgot we had in this country. There is a fine line between offensive and just using your rights to express yourself, and at least in my opinion, that line wasn't crossed with this particular incident. Add to that the fact that the song was written by Toumani Diabate, a muslim man, and that the song had been out for two years already, and it just doesn't make any sense. Why now? Why wasn't something done before? Maybe it varies from person to person (Some are offended and some aren't), or maybe its the fact that its in a video game (This has happened before in games like Call Of Duty 4), but it's not like the creators of LBP (Media Molecule) made the song. I have respect for the personal beliefs of others, but I also believe that the respect given must also be given back. Just as they have freedoms, so too do we, and if we are going to be scared that every time we do or say something that might offend someone else, well then I believe that the definition of freedom of speech has truly been lost.
But that's just what I think.
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Didn't someone say that they were more offended by the removal of the content rather that it's inclusion in the game? I mean, even he recognized that we have rights too, I would expect someone like Sony to realize that as well, but nope, I was wrong.
I'm surprised they used the version with lyrics in the first place, as it had raised a bit of a fuss before.
Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Gay, Straight, it doesn't matter. Nobody should be an exception to freedom of speech.
Freedom of Speech does not protect people from backlash from others who disagree or are offended by their speech. Freedom of speech does not mean someone can say what they want and others should just have deal with it.
Sony's decision was based on not wanting to offending potential customers. Making a decision about limiting one's speech to increase potential sales is not a restriction of free speech, its a private entity make a cost-benefit analysis choice. Obviously sony making more money is better than them making a political statement.
Little Big Planet was suppose to be a game for everyone and if the song was left in, someone may have been offended. Sony is not a person, it is a company and they can't afford to make mistakes like that. Think of it this way - christianity affects so much in the united states, but we are used to it, so no one says anything. It's just thatm but this one time it was a different religion, but I don't think we should approach it differently.
I know people SAY it was worse that they took it out, but had they left it in, you would have seen a shitstorm fanned by fanboys of the other systems that would have been way bigger than this. This was nothing, and the bonus is that no one was religiously offended. Most people don't even care. It's a great game and everyone is enjoying it except a few people who can't seem to let this issue rest.
I say, if you like the song so much, buy the album and play it in your headphones while you play. That should take care of that DEEPLY OFFENSIVE WRONG Sony has committed by choosing not to offend someone.
Perfect example:
Resistance: Fall Of Man (A game published by Sony) offended the Church Of England when they included the Manchester Cathedral in their game. Same situation as this one, a religion is offended by something in a video game. What did Sony do? Nothing, just like they should have here, it's their RIGHT to do it, no matter who it offends.
Like I said before, NO religion should be the exception to freedom of speech.