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Left 4 Dead 2 is racist because 'several' zombies are black photo

This is unbelievable. I've seen people try and find racist undertones in harmless entertainment before, but The Houston Chronicle's Willie Jefferson takes home the prize for making the most ridiculous and convoluted racism link in history. According to him, Left 4 Dead 2 is "disturbing" because "several" of the zombies are African-American. Yep, that's right -- you can't even have ONE black zombie without somebody crying racism.

"I am disturbed by the growing trend of racist undertones that are cropping up in video games," writes Jefferson. "One of the games that comes to mind is Left 4 Dead 2  ... Set in New Orleans, players will have to fight their way through hordes of zombies - with several of them who appear to be African-Americans. When I saw the first trailer for the game, all I could think about was Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath."

So let me get this straight ... Valve is now wrong to include a single black zombie in the game? I literally cannot believe I just read that someone is upset over "several" black zombies -- not an entire army of black ones, just several black ones amidst a bunch of white ones. Has society really gone so f*cking stupid that we can't do anything anymore without the race card being played? 

Jefferson also attacks Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood for daring to feature a Confederate officer as the main hero: "The Confederacy, as far as I am concerned, wanted to keep their cheap slave labor and the like. I can not stand the Confederate flag... To me, the flag represents hate -- and offends me and many others to no end. [It] made me wonder how much research Ubisoft did for this game ..."

I think society has really gone too far with these pathetic attempts to find racism in everything. When you're saying L4D2 is racist because some black people happen to be IN it, and when you're saying a game is racist for not automatically portraying every single Confederate soldier as a babyraping Nazi (which is, itself, a rather bigoted viewpoint), then you've lost your grip on reality. 

Jefferson ought to be ashamed of himself for obscuring real issues of racism with this "cry wolf" nonsense.


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208 comments | showing # 51 to 100

HiddenAHB's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:27
HiddenAHB
First RE5 and now this?
THIS IS BULLSHIT!!
I'm tired of killing black zombies, i wanna kill the real negros.
This is getting boring.



[/sarcasm]
Reien's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:28
Reien
How come when I try to pronounce the writer's name all I can say is "douchecanoe"?
CthulhuFtaghn's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:29
CthulhuFtaghn
"Also, maybe Jefferson should try doing some research on the reasons why the Civil War took place."

Are you implying that someone should do research before yelling RACE CARD RACE CARD LOOK AT ME? Pshaw, good sir.
Marinetastic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:31
Marinetastic
I want his job. Throw a few black zombies in? Racist for killing them. Make the zombies all white? Racist for white washing video games. Make the game generate the correct amount of black, white, asian, hispanic zombies based on New Orleans demographics? Hate crime for making 2/3rds of the zombies black.
No matter what Valve do, I'd have something to complain about.
kevvo's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:31
kevvo
Not racist at all, and I am black, I honestly hate when ignorant mofos try to grasp for shit like this, also HEL105, that was the funniest comment ever.
KIDA26's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:32
KIDA26
every single Confederate soldier as a babyraping Nazi (which is, itself, a rather bigoted viewpoint),

You have obviously lived a sheltered life Jim. I know a lot of Confederate Soldiers, and ALL OF THEM are babyraping Nazi's... get out of your cave and experience the world dude.
saucycam's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:32
saucycam
Actually I reckon one the uncommon common (like hazmat suite) will be black zombies that run straight past your tasty flesh to the closest KFC. Dickhead Valve.
Tubatic's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:33
Tubatic
Well, the claim IS stupid, but some of your comments make you guys look pretty lame.

Just sayin'
Wan Sum Dung's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:33
Wan Sum Dung
Basically, he's upset that there's black people in a video game.
Fantastic.
HarkanDeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:35
HarkanDeath
so whats going to be next, a real zombie outbreak hapens,and a dude is a racist , cus he killed a black zombie trying to eat his brain or guts........ i really start to feel sad for us humans.... such bullshit over the colour of skin, so does that mean, white people are special in their own way, and black people are special in their own way..... do black people have 12 fingers and a tail ?..... dont think so... its only skin, we both bleed red, we both die if we get our head blown of
PANDAmonium's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:35
PANDAmonium
"It made me wonder how much research Ubisoft did for this game ..."

It's interesting that this guy mentions research, as the fucker clearly hasn't done any. The Civil War was never about freeing the slaves. The Confederacy just hated that the "big government" of the Union was infringing upon their states rights. Slavery just happened to be one of those rights.

Still, it shouldn't be too hard to make people like this happy.

All we need to do is make sure games no longer have any black people in them. Or just make all their character models be this

Sir playedallot's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:37
Sir playedallot
People with too much time, sigh.

They should invent a seal for videogame cases: Absolutly no blacks in it! Black free.
Also they should teach kids at shool to shoot only at people with the same skin color during Multiplayer games!

I know what iam talking about iam from the 3rd REI..GERMANY...we invented racism!
Castle's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:37
Castle
I bet you $5 that Jefferson doesn't believe a single word he's written in that little article. In fact, I'm willing to bet that he wrote it because he needed something to generate views. Either way, he's a fucking clown. And if he does believe what he's writing, he's a fucking Douche Clown. He's makin' black folks look bad, man.
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:37
PappaDukes
You know what's even MORE racist? There are more white zombies than black!

RACISM!
Kaliber's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:42
Kaliber
He's a trollin'
CocoJambo's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:45
CocoJambo
You'd think after Obama this shit would be over.
Springsteen's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:46
Springsteen
I think it is racist. But then again, it is history.

South Park references aside, did we really need that? Let's try and be human, civilizes and respectful and recognize that at some point people will have to acknowledge that, while several people ARE racist, races do exist and hiding or overprotecting one or another tends to lead to not-that-pretty things.
Sir playedallot's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:49
Sir playedallot
@CocoJambo
What is with obama?
CALkulon's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:50
CALkulon
@Kaliber:

For some reason all I can hear now is Chamillionaire in my head...argh.

They see me trollin', they hatin'...
RICHARD BLOCKER's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:50
RICHARD BLOCKER
INDIGNANT COMMENT!!!!!
Ray Tarded's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:50
Ray Tarded
"There are never any chinese zombies."

That's because Chinese zombies are not tall enough to bite anywhere which would be fatal.
KIDA26's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:51
KIDA26
What is with obama?

He's black.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:52
HarassmentPanda
Maybe he's just pissed off that there are several African-American zombies--a single token black zombie would have been fine.
CBunn's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:53
CBunn
@ Kaliber
And we all fell for it
The best thing that we can do in those cases, is NOTHING. Don't report what some dipshit said, don't create enraged comments and most of all, don't link to the goddamn source. This crap will only be over when we stop caring, then the next guy will say stuff like that and guess what? No one will care. So they won't multiply.

So, take note Jim:

THE POWER IS YOURS!
HarkanDeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:54
HarkanDeath
OMG, PappaDukes is right,,, ,lets go make some black zombies,....... meet your out at Harlem and dont forget your shotguns
hermes's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:55
hermes
That post is ridiculous. I can see how some people got offended with the RE 5 trailer if they have no context about the game and setting.
But this is ridiculous... The trailer is obviously about a zombie outbreak, half of the cast is black and the amount of black zombies is maybe half of the total.
Valve should include an archievement for completing an stage killing only the black zombies, just that that guy could choke on it.
Dexter345's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:55
Dexter345
Yeah, so he would prefer there to be no black people in video games ever? I feel like that's more racist.
mikeyed's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 15:56
mikeyed
At just under an hour old, this post has already enraged the hearts of many racist gamers. All of you should be ashamed of yourselves for expressing an opinion about race!
bbrigg1's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:04
bbrigg1
Willie Jefferson apparently has never been to New Orleans.
Sparta2020's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:04
Sparta2020
Finally someone that get the point! its just totally rediculous as what people really thinnk racism it! who ever thinks that re5 or l4d for that matter needs to go back to school. this shit is just stupid to the full extent. im black and have a full understanding of racism and this is not racism. those of the black community who think this is racism have "lost grip on reality" and should go back to high school african american studies class. read a book before you make yourself a fool on the internet
braulio09's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:05
braulio09
His Civil War knowledge is so poor. That's what third graders think. Any high school graduate should know better.
Double J's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:05
Double J
I'm sure everyone here will agree.

Willie Jefferson is a racist.

This is based on two points. Let's start with the obvious one. If you do not allow "African-American" zombies in a game, you are specifically saying that you are not allowing a man to do something because of the color of his skin.

But that's not even the part that disturbed me the most. It's this quote here.

"The Confederacy, as far as I am concerned, wanted to keep their cheap slave labor and the like. I can not stand the Confederate flag..."

I am, in no way, a sympathizer for the confederacy. But confederate soldiers and sympathizers are people too, with individual personalities and ideals. Mr. Jefferson, in a thinly veiled attempt to protest racism, shows he's the biggest racist of them all by proudly proclaiming his intolerance.

I'm afraid that this may be what finally convinces me to start a C-Blog. There is still many things to be said about this idiocy that continues to appear in idiot culture.
Jim Sterling's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:07
Jim Sterling
"And we all fell for it
The best thing that we can do in those cases, is NOTHING. Don't report what some dipshit said, don't create enraged comments and most of all, don't link to the goddamn source. This crap will only be over when we stop caring, then the next guy will say stuff like that and guess what? No one will care. So they won't multiply. "

I disagree. If the guy wants to make himself look like an idiot in the name of traffic, I'm more than happy to send hits his way. He got some free hits at the expense of his dignity, and I got a cool story with over eighty comments-worth of discussion .... at the expense of his dignity.

Win/win!
MechaMonkey's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:07
MechaMonkey
After exposing the blatant racism inherent in the gaming industry, Mr. Jefferson enjoyed a Tyler Perry marathon.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:07
Cowboy TTop
Let me get this straight, RE5 was the same shit on a different day, People with a lame agenda rarely swallow humble pie and admit they are wrong. Capcom did a great job with that game, and there was never any way, these types of fools would let a positive aspect shine.

Paint a black character in a negative light, and all hell breaks loose, but everyone else is fair game. I'm sorry, but equality strived for over hundreds of years, can't work like this. And where were these people when Urban Chaos hit PS1, featuring a black female lead character? Poor Darci Stern, condemned to be forgotten, Such a shame some can only paint negative pictures of victimisation.

So, zombies are free to run around and chomp flesh, regardless of their dead skin colour. Whether Kijuju or New Orleans, most of the zombies will be black, reflecting real life regions taken for inspiration.
Soulwax's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:08
Soulwax
The only thing I can't tolerate, is intolerance.
Los255's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:13
Los255
OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE....
HarkanDeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:15
HarkanDeath
congrats Sparta2020, you have just won some respect by me. just cus your black and you were able to say that, Congrats dude^^
Wedge's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:18
Wedge
"The Houston Chronicle"

Where the hell did you even find this?
TurnerJoy's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:23
TurnerJoy
How can this guy stand living in Texas, a Confederate state, if hes holding a grudge against the flag, why not the state?
HarkanDeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:25
HarkanDeath
sorry if this sounds stupid....... TurnerJoy.... ONLY IN AMERICA^^
PappaDukes's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:25
PappaDukes
@Wedge - most likely online
Laird's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:26
Laird
Oh, so there are black people who are infected? With what, AIDS?! Valve, your racism is transparent!

And the Confederate flag! A clear racist symbol used by racist groups all over America! I resist the urge to destroy it just like I resist the urge to destroy the American flag, the cross, the number 88 and all other symbols that have been used by hate groups and are therefore racist! AAAAHHHHHH RACISM!!!!
Arch649's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:27
Arch649
NOW they justify boycotting Left 4 Dead 2 ;)
kefkaesque's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:30
kefkaesque
@HarkanDeath

I'm just gonna have to give this a big >____________________>
TurnerJoy's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:32
TurnerJoy
@HarkanDeath ?
HarkanDeath's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:33
HarkanDeath
hehee, sorry kefkaesque, its ment to be a joke
ouched's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:33
ouched
CocoJambo at 07/15/2009 15:45
You'd think after Obama this shit would be over.

No. As long as cries of racism lead to some sort of benefit, it will never end. Be it college admission slots, preferential treatment in job applications, or anything, so called "racism" will never end. One cannot elevate a group by denying something to another.
Kvb's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:33
Kvb
This is seriously the dumbest thing I've heard all year. Shit.
Dastardly007's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/15/2009 16:33
Dastardly007
Speaking as a Black hermaphrodite, I notice that the background colour these comments are made on is WHITE!

e-racists!
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