App Store Pulling Games That Include the Confederate Flag - UPDATE

[Blazing Hero]

Holy shit....
Is the USA trying to become like Germany where the Swastika is banned from fictional media? This stuff is scary, how can you NOT have the confederate flag in a civil war game?! This is what happens when outrage culture runs amoke. So much for video games being treated as an art form like movies or books. You don't see netflix banning the dukes of hazard for gods sake.

 

[Blazing Hero]

This is reactionary, I'm sure they'll allow the apps back up once they calm down and can once again see reason. It's a result of corporations being terrified of the P.C. Police who seem to be getting more attention than they deserve.

I have faith that this will blow over.

The confederate flag represents people who want to own slaves. If hating anything to do with that flag, makes me the P.C police, then give me a P.C.P.D (Political Correctness Police Department) badge, gun, and squad car.

Alright I am going to jump into this because comments like this baffle me. Where did OManoghue indicate at all that he liked or supports the confederate flag? How in any way does your comment relate to anything he just said? Did you get triggered by the term P.C. Police?

 

[Baresark]

Someone bring me up to speed here, whats all this moral outrage about flags now?

And why is it still not directed at the lack of gun control?

It's because the guy who was part of the latest mass shooting (which, in terms of innocent loose of African American lives, has been dwarfed by inner city shooting deaths since it occurred) was a white supremacist who flew the Confederate, Union of South Africa and Rhodesian flag (of note: people who support all three flags for their nostalgic or nationalistic symbolism where not amused by the association) so suddenly the flags are evil and stuff, so they need to be removed.

They've always been off the shelves, just as we've always been at war with Eurasia.

...im still missing a connection here.

This isnt the first and most certainly isnt the most serious shooting incident in the US in the last decade. Nor will it be the last.

Why go after something so trivial?

Why are they still not adressing the core problems?

Ah the core problems. You mean the issue where a mentally disturbed person decided to take out whatever pent up rage he has on a group of innocent people. Yeah, we do have a real mental health problem in this country, we should at least try to get people help.

 

[Sixcess]

You don't see netflix banning the dukes of hazard for gods sake.

No, but I wouldn't be remotely surprised if Warner Bros pulls the broadcast rights to that show at some point over the next few days. They've already pulled some of the related merchandise.

Perhaps they'll digitally 'remaster' the show, with the General Lee's roof repainted.

/not kidding, though I wish I was.

 

[FEichinger]

Every single person who advocates for the banning of the Confederate flag loses all moral high ground against Germany when it comes to banning nazi symbolism.

I want everyone who jumps to calling for things like burning the flag to carefully consider that. Banning historic symbolism is not something you just do because you feel like it. The swastika in Germany is tied to multiple (attempted) genocides. The sense of scale between the Confederate flag being potentially vaguely connected to racial violence and the SS skull being used in eradicating entire demographics is very very off.

And don't kid yourself, this does include art. The only place you'll be allowed to see the Confederate flag, if your witch hunt succeeds, is in educational material. Governmentally approved educational material. Especially art will not be protected, at least not in the long run. Because art doesn't critically look at it, because art doesn't advocate against it. That's the distinction you have imposed on Germany. It's the same distinction you will have to use if you ban the flag as a racist symbol.

You have a precedent to look at. It's a precedent that is almost universally thought of as "going too far" but you will have to "go too far", too. Because you only get this simple choice: A full ban of the flag in anything that might make someone a racially-motivated killer, or no ban at all.

Do not make the same mistakes again.

 

[Baresark]

Does this mean Dukes of Hazard is now contraband?

Because.....pffffffffffffffffffffffft, hah!

Actually, Warner Brothers has announced they will no longer sell Dukes of Hazzard material.

Oh, right in my childhood!

 

[Blazing Hero]

You don't see netflix banning the dukes of hazard for gods sake.

No, but I wouldn't be remotely surprised if Warner Bros pulls the broadcast rights to that show at some point over the next few days. They've already pulled some of the related merchandise.

Perhaps they'll digitally 'remaster' the show, with the General Lee's roof repainted.

/not kidding, though I wish I was.

...Just damn... It almost physically hurts how pathetic society has become. Time to have a drink.

 

[Steve the Pocket]

Wow. This escalated damn quick. After decades and decades of hemming and hawing over the issue of the rebel flag, we not only

The message Andrew received from Apple read "We are writing to notify you that your app has been removed from the App Store because it includes images of the confederate flag used in offensive and mean-spirited ways."

This part, to me, is where it goes from "oh, Apple" *rolls eyes* to straight-up infuriating. It's one thing to enact a blanket ban on something instead of analyzing it on a case-by-case basis. It's another to do so while still pretending that, no, we are paying attention to intent, really, which this statement would suggest. But when you get into the realm of accusing people, to their face, of something they clearly haven't done... fuck you, Apple. There are so-called "SJW"s on Tumblr who aren't this quick to pass judgment on people.

 

[LordLundar]

...im still missing a connection here.

This isnt the first and most certainly isnt the most serious shooting incident in the US in the last decade. Nor will it be the last.

Why go after something so trivial?

Why are they still not adressing the core problems?

Well the shooting happened in South Carolina which proudly had the battle standard flying at some state buildings, a decision which was made recently. Considering the shooter actively wanted to start a race war and was using the standard as a symbol for it the notion that the state permitting and encouraging it's use in modern times was seen as advocating the attack and encouraging divisive attitudes.

As for me, it's their right to do so but if a game is up there under historical context (aka themed or set around the American civil war) then removing it is a knee jerk action and poorly executed. I say in historical context because I can imagine at least some titles up there having the standard just because.

 

[Baresark]

This is reactionary, I'm sure they'll allow the apps back up once they calm down and can once again see reason. It's a result of corporations being terrified of the P.C. Police who seem to be getting more attention than they deserve.

I have faith that this will blow over.

The confederate flag represents people who want to own slaves. If hating anything to do with that flag, makes me the P.C police, then give me a P.C.P.D (Political Correctness Police Department) badge, gun, and squad car.

Alright I am going to jump into this because comments like this baffle me. Where did OManoghue indicate at all that he liked or supports the confederate flag? How in any way does your comment relate to anything he just said? Did you get triggered by the term P.C. Police?

He didn't indicate that at all. But set up a soapbox and someone will get up on it. "It's PC, but it's Ok in this one situation because I don't like it". It also presents an opportunity for someone to grossly over simplify the second bloodiest conflict in American history.

 

[visiblenoise]

What bullshit. The fact that this is only happening after the shooting makes them seem shamefully insincere, how can they not see that?

 

[Pyrian]

Aaand Apple takes a good thing too far. Always gotta be someone.

Every single person who advocates for the banning of the Confederate flag loses all moral high ground against Germany when it comes to banning nazi symbolism.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold your horses, here. Private companies deciding what symbols they, themselves want to sell is in no way comparable to government mandated censorship. Nor is government entities deciding what symbols they want to display on government property comparable to government mandated censorship of private citizens.

Nobody is making it illegal to make and display your very own confederate flag.

...the Confederate flag being potentially vaguely connected to racial violence...

There's nothing "potential" or "vague" about it. It was created in an effort to "make the world safe for slavery" and later popularized by the KKK in a terrorist campaign, associated today with real acts of violence still occurring.

 

[Neurotic Void Melody]

Oh boy. This is just a statement really. It wont be forever. No doubt the controversy and comments will gladly believe otherwise for drama.
I do wonder if there will be a game in the far future that makes fun of killing racist americans in america in a fantasy twist, but use the confederate flag for satirical icing...Which america will edit out through shame. Oh i do wonder...

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

People are talking this and the Confederate flag controversy going around but no it isn't really about that. apple just saw the Confederate flag was starting a controversy again but not understanding or didn't Bother to find out the context just removed it from stores to not start controversy on there stores.

Apple has said in the past that game should not be political and if you want to be political write a book. this May spiral into something worse but most likely it won't, it's just Apple being Apple.

 

[eberhart]

Holy shit....
Is the USA trying to become like Germany where the Swastika is banned from fictional media?

Better yet, is USA convinced that Confederate flag is anywhere near Swastika and its historical baggage? Banning former rather than the latter seems to suggest at least that. Is this another time when American idea of "history", with some seriously skewed hierarchy, warrants "lol, Murica" comment?

Hell, Germans are nowhere near united around "ban Swastika everywhere" and now THIS? If "it's okay, those symbols are associated with racists" is suddenly considered an argument, Apple should also ban various US flags starting with 13 colonies from historical games - as they are representing a system that was inherently racist in its times, perefectly comparable with what was later considered South. Reproductions of Declaration of Independence should probably be banned for related hypocrisy as a bonus.

 

[eberhart]

If games with the Confederate flag are being removed for being associated with slavery, shouldn't games with the U.S. Flag be removed for it's connection with the genocide of Native Americans, the use and creation of nuclear weapons, the internment of Japanese-Americans, and it's own association with slavery before the Confederacy?

Now, now, you are trying to question a hierarchy of Important Problems. You should know better - its not established according to logic, proportions or order of magnitude. Feelings first, ideology second. Oh, and with incompetence and various -centric diseases occupying places from 3rd to 24325th.

 

[Neverhoodian]

Speaking as a History major, stuff like this pisses me off. Yes it's tasteless and offensive to see racist jackasses flying Confederate flags around,[footnote]Though I won't force them to take them down from private property. They have a First Amendment right to broadcast to the world that they're assholes if they want.[/footnote] but these games have nothing to do with that. It's when people start whitewashing history like this that I draw the line.

History defines us. It helps us understand the kind of people we are and how we got here. Ideally, history can help us avoid the pitfalls of the past; therefore, it is absolutely essential that every aspect of history be explored, no matter how offensive or reprehensible parts of it may be. We owe it to ourselves and future generations.

In my eyes, those that try to sweep such painful episodes under the rug like this are little better than the perpetrators of such acts.

 

[thebobmaster_v1legacy]

Privately owned company enacts policy=MURICA!

Wait, what? Seriously, commentators, it's a pretty big leap to go from this to "banning the Confederate flag". It's bad enough when Snopes has to disprove claims that Obama has signed an executive order to ban the Confederate flag, or years-old petitions related to the Civil War gets brought up because it is Confederacy related.

A few companies have taken steps against the Confederate flag. Do I agree with the choices? Not really. But there's a big difference between that and "banning the Confederate flag". This is not the time to bring up your anti-American (government) speech, because this has little to nothing to do with the government.

Speaking as a History major, stuff like this pisses me off. Yes it's tasteless and offensive to see racist jackasses flying Confederate flags around,[footnote]Though I won't force them to take them down from private property. They have a First Amendment right to broadcast to the world that they're assholes if they want.[/footnote] but these games have nothing to do with that. It's when people start whitewashing history like this that I draw the line.

History defines us. It helps us understand the kind of people we are and how we got here. Ideally, history can help us avoid the pitfalls of the past; therefore, it is absolutely essential that every aspect of history be explored, no matter how offensive or reprehensible parts of it may be. We owe it to ourselves and future generations.

In my eyes, those that try to sweep such painful episodes under the rug like this are little better than the perpetrators of such acts.

I think this covers my feelings on the topic pretty well.

 

[P-89 Scorpion]

Does this mean Dukes of Hazard is now contraband?

Because.....pffffffffffffffffffffffft, hah!

Actually yes WB is withdrawing Dukes merch from sale.