Mafia II Protestors: Only Italians Face "Rampant" Stereotyping

[The_root_of_all_evil]

And the Mexicans? Oh, how the U.S. love the Mexicans. And the Canadians. And they love the Cubans.

Not the cigars obviously, it would be terrible to just think of Cuba as being involved with drugs.

 

[Crimsane]

Unico's starting to sound a lot like the Tea Party. Just a lot of angry rhetoric, with not much logic or fact behind it.

 

[Jaebird]

The only way to eradicate stereotypes is to destroy the world. It only makes sense. Kill it at the source.

They never seen how the south of America is portrayed at times? They need to get over themselves.

I know, right? As much as I personally dislike the portrayal of Louisiana, or any other southeastern state, in Hollywood's eyes, it wouldn't make much difference if I were to go boycott things like True Blood. You know what I do about it? I just ignore it (no matter how great I hear that show is).

 

[Delock]

They're the only group to face stereotyping? Sorry, but there's a much larger group that can still claim problems with that on a day to day basis. I'll give you a hint: 50% of the population is this. Sure there has been a movement to try to correct it, but still they still face problems, and a lot more than in just a videogame or a show.

Unico National says Italian Americans are the only group in the U.S. for which "overt stereotyping" continues to run rampant,

Right, and there is no-one who dresses all in green for St. Patrick's day, no-one who thinks Jews are mean and definitely no burning crosses.

Or English people cast as villains.

Or Irish Cops.

Or Health-Obsessed Californians, or Rude New Yorkers, or gun-Crazy Texans.

It's just those damn Italian Americans and their money, success, guns and sexual prowess. Oh, how the U.S. hate them!

Don't forget about gays, lesbians, Hispanics, the elderly, the young (Just about everyone I know has been ageist towards teens, even teens themselves), Muslims, the homeless, etc.

Yeah, Italian Americans are definitely facing a lot worse stuff than these people in the U.S.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

Err...I haven't played the game just yet, but I know my history. Italian-Americans are definitely not the only ones who were in the Mafia, or have their own version of it. BUT a game that is titled Mafia leaves little wiggle room on exactly who will be portrayed. If the players don't understand the fact that not every Italian is in the mafia or affiliated in some form with them, then they have many more problems then simply having these "stereotypes" laid out before them in a video game.

 

[Krakyn]

God I hate these people. What they failed to realize is that there are Asians, Irish, Blacks, and every type of criminal in this game. The player character just happens to be Italian.

 

[DominicxD]

Wow, you mean that the Italian characters in the game are similar to real Italian people from the time?

 

[Arachon]

Was I the only one who saw the "Micks", "Spooks" and "Chinks" in Mafia II?

 

[kalakashi]

They really haven't got a leg to stand on.

Probably all that knee-capping that goes on in the Mafia.

 

[GrinningManiac]

I'd like to point out that in the prison-fight scenes in Mafia 2, you fight a Black man and a "*****" as Vito calls him

When the "Chinaman" steps in Vito's way, Vito says "Mabye if your eyes were all the way open, you'd've seen me coming"

When he beats up said Chinese man, one of the Chinese man's friends says, in awful "Ewngrish" : "OOOOOOH! Dis no happen if heee yoos Tiger Method!"

Then when you fight the black man, he says "OOOOOOH YEAH! Gonna take dis skinny-ass Whiteboi te skool!"

Everyone calls the Irish "Micks and Paddies", the Chinese "Chinks" and the Italians "Dagos"

It's probably the most equally-distributed racism I've ever seen in a game

Also, in response to the spokeperson saying other ethnicities were involved in crime, the game knows this. You spend the latter half of the game fighting "Ewngrish"-speaking Triad gangsters, as well as "Bombers", the dope-dealing Jive-talkin' black gangsters

Also, the game's called Mafia 2. Of course it focused on the most infamous Sicilian-Italian crime syndicate in the world. Complaining that the Mafia had Italians in it dosen't even warrant a sarcastic analogy, it's that dumb

 

[Javex]

Wow. Is it just me, or are there a lot of articles on the escapist recently that focus on ethnic stereotyping?

In my opinion, people should stop being so sensitive. As a Newfoundlander, I've bore the brunt of many stereotype jokes among my friends and enemies. But is it really worth getting up in arms over this petty stuff?

 

[Electrogecko]

"It is painfully apparent that Italian Americans are the ONLY group in America where overt stereotyping is so rampant in today's society,"......./facepalm
Africans, Mexicans, Muslims, Jews, Indians, and the Irish all have it much worse than Italians. It is "painfully apparent" that this is one of the stupidest statements I've ever read. When he cited Jersey Shore as one of his main examples, he lost any credibility he might have had.....Seriously though, I can't believe he actually said that. Most people think of pasta and pizza before the mob when they hear Italian. As a part Italian, I would much rather be associated with the mob than these fruitcakes.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

I'll give you a hint: 50% of the population is this. Sure there has been a movement to try to correct it, but still they still face problems, and a lot more than in just a videogame or a show.

The other 50% don't get off so easily either. I mean no-one would show that 50% as sex-obsessed, gadget-obsessed, muscle-bound, emotionally dead character who can't remember anything; in this day and age, would they?

 

[kintaris]

I'm starting to think this Unico National might be a front for something...

 

[subject_87]

...Really? Italian-Americans are the only group that's strongly stereotyped? What about gays, Muslims, Hispanics, Jews, etc.?

Hey, on a related note I just saw The Godfather last night. Man, that was a good movie.

 

[Outlaw Torn]

Yep, only Italians are stereotyped. Everyone else is treated completely equally and fairly, but the oppressive regime of game designers decided to persecute those poor Italians because...erm. Because of...a bad slice of pizza or something. Hopefully someone will stop them so the Italians can go back to eating pasta and having moustaches.

 

[Alandoril]

Does that mean I can protest because English people are always villains?

Unless they're James Bond of course.

 

[latenightapplepie]

That's bullshit. And besides, at least there isn't legally-enforced legislation that restricts the basic civil rights of Italian-Americans because of their Italian heritage. It would be truly awful if the government did that to any group in America.

OH WAIT!


They do.

 

[Uber Waddles]

Erherm. Freedom of Speech.

Plus, its a game about the MAFIA. The MAFIA is an Italian body. OF COURSE THEY'RE GOING TO USE THE STEREOTYPICAL MOBSTER AS A BODY FOR THIS GAME. (when I make a point in all caps, I usually imagine myself writing the opinion on a 2x4 and hitting people upside the head with it to make them learn it).

And, to be honest, Italians arent the only ones "rampantly stereotyped". They arent even stereotyped that often anymore.

Look at women and black people. First off, women are shown to us as sex symbols, thats it. Look at any game in your game library, unless you only own Half Life 2, I would be willing to bet 90% of your games that have a female as a main character just has her there for sex appeal (unless thongs are strategic battle equipment. And Bras arent.)

And black people. Look at the sandbox crime genre; most of them revolve around stereotypical gangsters, with the black gangsters especially stereotypical. Need I say it too, but glare at a TV or listen to some rap; those are all stereotypes (I think its funny that most rappers who rap about their "street life" and "street cred" actually have degrees from colleges).

Hell, Ive seen more stereotypical latino characters in media recently then italians: the last stereotypical italian family I saw was Everybody Loves Raymond (ironically, a show I dont understand how people can love).

Let me put it to you this way. If you exist on the planet earth, with a skin color, some form of media will stereotype you. Period. Get over it.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Does that mean I can protest because English people are always villains?

Unless they're James Bond of course.

Where only Roger Moore and Daniel Craig were English.