It's not surprising that the release of Resident Evil 5 has spurred renewed criticism of the game and accusations of racism. We've been hearing about this ever since the game was first unveiled. So front page readers can see Jim discussing the commentary on The Huffington Post, but I'm sure there will be many "shocking" stories on your designated cheesy local news station about the evils of this game. After all, it's on your designated cheesy local news station that we learn things like Pedobear using the DS to stalk his prey.
But it's not just Resident Evil 5 that is under assault with these accusations of racism - just look at any GTA game. To me, these latest salvos in the war to call anything racist illustrate a larger point about race relations in America: so many people quick to run around and label everything as racist, but no one is willing to have an honest discussion about racism any maybe do something about finally putting an end to it.
This is an issue that affects all of American society and goes beyond just video games. Racism is America's dirty little secret. It's the thing you talk about in quiet whispers and just hope will go away. When Barack Obama won the 2008 presidential election, a bunch of people were happy to declare that it was the end of racism, so maybe we should stop talking about it. Far from it. I think people in America view racism too narrowly, as something only directed at black people. This obviously isn't the case, as it's directed to anyone of any skin color or ethnicity. Racism can take any form, whether it's the disparaging comment you make to someone in the mall, or when you think to yourself that a particular person is successful or got that job just because of their skin color.
So what's the answer in dealing with this pesky issue of racism? I don't know. If I did, I'd probably write a book about it and become fabulously wealthy. In America at least, we have to recognize that racism isn't just a bunch of redneck Klansmen putting burning crosses on lawns or lynching people. It's institutional, it's personal. If we can recognize this and honestly discuss the issue of racism, perhaps we can make some progress.
But what we don't need to do is jump on every single thing and call it racist, and then pat ourselves on the back for doing a good job in identifying something as racist. That's just self-serving and doesn't really help. That's not to say things that are blatantly offensive shouldn't be called out, but there's more to it than just calling out. Manufactured outrage from the media or family groups doesn't help either and should be ignored. Until the day comes that people want to honestly face these issues, no aspect of our society will be free of this inanity.
Including video games.
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People are stupid. They don't want to be called racist for enjoying a possibly racist game, so they deny it any fair judgment, and say that its racist because theirs people with different skin colors fighting each other.
I love game bloggers writing about issues they don't understand. Stick to reviewing JRPGs there, kiddo.
If you are calling these games racist then you are the racist one. If you notice and think it's wrong that a white person is killing a black person you are in fact a racist. Fuck all you hos.
Also fuck off Concerns of a merchant, you have no blogs and seven comments. Go die in a fire.
@mech
Well written and thought out man, despite Concerns of a Merchant's condescending remarks...
That's pretty much what I've been thinking through this whole thing: there's a whole lot of concern over whether something is or is not racist in these discussions, which I think betrays the importance of empathy regarding individual's honest feelings about the imagery they're seeing.
I sometimes feel its hard to get down to those honest discussions via the blog-comment medium. Which I guess is inherent in linear conversation.
Thanks for writing this!
@tubatic
I wouldn't worry to much about drive by comments that are borderline trolly.
But you're right about misplaced importance. When people throw out accusations so easily that something is racist, it's a kind of false empathy. It's like they're saying, "I did my part in the fight against racism by calling something racist." Which, as I pointed out in my post, doesn't really accomplish anything.
Well put. I think it's a weird position we're in, because well, it's the exact same one that books have been in ("Huck Finn is RACIST!") and movies afterward. I don't think we can ever *solve* racism in America, but I do think that video games will eventually be treated equally to literature or film.
You're right on. RE5 was seen as racist only by the people who get real gratification out of pointing racism where they think they've found it "hiding".
Sadly, it's these same people that have scared everyone into hiding any racist thoughts or feelings they may have, which an turn has caused the "racism police" to be ever hungry to dig up some racism, hence the whole RE5 thing.
Personally, I think everything around RE5 could have been (and I guess still could be) used to discuss racism in productive way. Why do some people see racism in the game while others can't find it even if they try? My guess is it's for the same reason that some people find Dr Seuss to be pornographic, while others think it's just good reading.
It depends on the baggage and weird hang ups that the person brings with them to the table.
@Merchant
Now you're just being foolish. He does have a solid grasp on racism by realizing it's something that may never be solved and is an incredibly complex social issue.
I suppose what bugs me most about discussion in race and racism in America is it is never a discussion of different groups saying "hey, let us work to reach understandings and stop racism." Instead, it is almost always different power groups saying: "hey guys, don't be racist against us, but if you see us being racist against you, please just take it as a joke."
I am just disgusted at the hypocrisy of the fact that the media will slam RE5 constantly for accusations of racism when in fact, the game's alledged racism is definitely much moreso due to the lack of meaningful contact between the Japanese and black people. In contrast you have things that are genuinely and much more obviously racist, such as the song that HOT97 played after the tsunami that made fun of the victims and how the survivors would be sold "into sex slavery," and there was minimal to almost no media coverage of that event.
Maybe its my nihilistic outlook on life but I don't think racism will ever go away, atleast not in my life time. It is something that not only effects America but the entire world. Racism as Notdryad said is an incredibly complex issue, and it factors into account many different things. What is racist, is the first question you have to ask yourself, but where do you go from there. How should someone respond to something that they feel is racist or belittling. How can you stop racism? I don't know but what I do know is that little by little we have to keep an open mind to other peoples cultures, rituals and physical features. I think that is how we can maybe not eliminate racism but minimizing it through understanding. Anyways if you want some deep material that will make you question things, watch some Spike Lee films. Get On the Bus and Do The Right Thing are really good examples of how complex this issue really is.
It is in human nature to be racist. Is just that our intelligence refrained us from being prejudice.
Spot on right there. In my experiences as a minority, racism does exist and in many levels.
You are right on the money with this article.
There are basically two types of people who you speak about in this article: Deniers and Activists
Deniers are those, like you said, who would love to pretend that racism died in the 60's with the passing of the civil rights act. Activists, the other group, feel as if it is their duty to try stop the Deniers from denying that racism still exists.
But the problem with Activists is that they are just as human and attention-hungry as anyone else. In America, and generally around the world, Racism IS dying out, slowly. It still exists, but there's far less of it around. Activists, however, can't stand this - they are losing their importance. They're not irrelevant, of course, they still do a lot of good work. But people are paying less attention to them, they are finding fewer and fewer things to be genuinely angry about, they are running out of ideas to post of their beloved blogs..... so they turn to anything they can remotely call racist, and do just that. Activists are needed, and are good, and will continue to do good work - but like any group that's slowly becoming unnecessary (like the church), they are lashing out, trying to get attention, still trying to reclaim the edgy feel they had in the 60's, still trying to feel as if there's a big fight to fight for, when in reality..... they won, and the problems they addressed are slowly being corrected. As racism slowly dies, they should fade away as well. Because, frankly, who wants to live in a world were activists are needed? Activists should be HAPPY that they are slowly losing relevance! But of course, they'll never be happy. They're activists, you see. Being happy is like a sin for them.