Muslim Should Not Equal Villain

[Whytewulf]

Interesting read.. but...

Shoot em up games, don't typically give a lot of back-story to the bad guys.

Also, interesting is that we are talking about Muslims, were in other cases it was a a country, like Germany or Russia, not a relgious group. Right now, the Taliban is our enimy and they are Muslims. Most group terrorists today are percieved as Muslim/Taliban. So we aren't offending anyone we care about. Its about marketing, these companies want to make money.. Go fig. So it might not be smart to make it Mexico, or Australia as the bad guy.

Also it's not just the US that has these issues with the taliban, but we get all the press and make the most games. Go fig. You may not like them, but today, again only talking about today, you don't see many large groups of Christians killing people in the name of their relgion, or Buddhists, etc. There are fringe groups everywhere. Even the core German Army was just fighting a war based on propaganda, they weren't Nazi's.

 

[Whytewulf]

To everybody telling the author to "get over it":

YOU DO REALIZE THAT THERE IS A NATIONAL DEBATE ON WHETHER A MUSLIM COMMUNITY CENTER SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO BE BUILT IN AN OLD BURLINGTON COAT FACTORY, AND IT'S BEING TAKEN SO SERIOUSLY THAT OTHER ISLAMIC BUILDINGS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE BEING BURNED DOWN [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/08/28/national/main6814690.shtml], YEAH? PEOPLE IN AMERICA ARE SO IRRATIONALLY FEARFUL OF ISLAM DUE TO DELIBERATE MISREPRESENTATION THAT THEY ARE DRIVEN TO COMMIT ARSON. SELF-PROCLAIMED PATRIOTS TALK EVERY DAY OF HOW THE CONSTITUTION MAKES THE UNITED STATES THE GREATEST GOD-BLESSED COUNTRY ON EARTH, THEN TURN AROUND AND ARGUE THAT THE INALIENABLE RIGHTS THAT THEY GIVE SO MUCH LIP SERVICE TO SHOULD NOT BE EXTENDED TO PEOPLE THEY SIMPLY DON'T LIKE.

THAT IS SHEER HYPOCRISY, AND IT MAKES ME VIOLENTLY ILL.

You didn't read that article, did you?

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT was burned. No building was burned down, as the building doesn't exist yet.

But yeah, there's a lot of insanity going on right now. I blame Fox News viewers (mostly Fox News), Christianity, and the Republican party. Take a poll of anybody protesting against or assaulting Muslims in this country, guaranteed it'll be someone from one of those three groups. I'd put money on it. Some particular groups just get off on hate.

And before anybody says I'm discriminating by blaming certain groups, consider this: just because you can see a river doesn't mean you hate water.

Why blame any groups.. It's a person's decision. Just like saying all Muslims are terrorists. Geez, Hypocrasy at it's best. Most Republican Christians are just like Democratic Christians that are like Jewish independents, like the Buddist (I ran out of sides)... 99% of this country just wants to get along with their peaceful day. The politicians and media on all sides spark the fires.

 

[Kurt Horsting]

Not to change subjects, but Saladin Ahmed is a fucking awesome name. If there was a new-age game where they had an Muslim as the main good guy, that should be his name.

 

[garfoldsomeoneelse]

You didn't read that article, did you?

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT was burned. No building was burned down, as the building doesn't exist yet.

You got me, there. I remembered vaguely hearing the story, looked it up, and lo and behold, found the article I was looking for. I didn't read it, however, because I wasn't in the mood to put up with Fox's editorializing-passed-off-as-news. They are the primary reason this is even a controversy to begin with, after all.

But hey, thanks for calling me on that; keeps me from becoming overly complacent.

 

[Soxafloppin]

Watch Eagle eye, the lead is a supposed to be a Muslim.

 

[Spitfire]

I can recall how refreshing it was for me as a young geek to sit there controlling the on-screen hero, hanging from ledges, avoiding spiked pits and quaffing potions - doing all the stuff that videogame heroes did - all while being the Prince of Persia! For a young Muslim gamer, it was nothing short of revolutionary.

How so? The Prince Of Persia games are set in ancient pre-Islamic Persia.

 

[nonl33t m4st3r]

No, Muslim =/= enemy. I do argue that, for now, extremists can equal enemy. The Taliban are Islamic extremists who murder, pillage, defy the Afghan government, and are basically a menace to the world at large. I think they deserve the same treatment the IRA gets: they are not bad people due to their religion, but they are bad people due to their actions, and are arguably worse people because they use religion to justify their actions are recruit others to their cause.

 

[Blitzkreg]

I think that for some reason the Islamic religion can be a little more fanatical than say the jewish or christian religions. Besides the 9/11 attacks really imprinted a deep hatred in the american psyche, and although its not fair, many Muslims would feel the same if a bunch of christian fanatics bombed islamic cities.

 

[OuroborosChoked]

And before anybody says I'm discriminating by blaming certain groups, consider this: just because you can see a river doesn't mean you hate water.

Why blame any groups.. It's a person's decision. Just like saying all Muslims are terrorists. Geez, Hypocrasy at it's best. Most Republican Christians are just like Democratic Christians that are like Jewish independents, like the Buddist (I ran out of sides)... 99% of this country just wants to get along with their peaceful day. The politicians and media on all sides spark the fires.

Ok, perhaps you'll understand an allegory instead: You see a car intentionally collide with another car on a highway. The car that caused the accident happened to have either a Jesus fish, a Fox News bumper sticker, or a McCain/Palin 08 bumper sticker, but the driver of that car was otherwise a non-specific whitey. The driver of the other car looked vaguely Middle Eastern.

Merely observing that the guy who caused the accident had at least one of those three items on his car doesn't mean you hate the guy.

However, you ask "why blame any groups?" Because some groups are directly responsible. Specifically, the mosque thing wouldn't even be an issue if it wasn't for right-wing reactionaries in the "blogosphere" looking for any anti-Muslim cause and the right-wing media networks (newspaper editorial writers, talk radio, and again, Fox News) that pick up on these trivial issues and give them what looks like credibility.

Why the increase in violence recently? ^ Pretty much that ^

Also, English isn't your first language, is it?

 

[supermariner]

I think using Muslims, or more specifically, the taliban as an enemy in games is admittedly unfair in its one-sidedness
however i don't think the game makers are trying to incite racial hatred or make Muslims the bad guys or any other ridiculous hypothesis (which is pointless to say on reflection as i imagine nobody believes that)

i think it's just a way for game manufacturers to update their games to a modern, contemporary and relevant setting

Plus they're not by any means making Muslims in general the villains
they're making the Taliban the villains, which for all intents and purposes, seems fair enough
they may use Muslim extremists in games far too frequently but it doesn't necessarily mean they're trying to make the entire faith group an enemy

 

[Treblaine]

Never been impressed by complaints about "orinetalism"

Complain about caricatures? Give me a fucking break EVERY country and region has their caricatures that they are recognised by by the wider world and I suppose the west when looking from that perspective. What makes the middle east so important? If someone wrote a book complaining about British Stereotypes it would be put under "light reading/ comedy" category and nobody would DARE defend if by bringing up the loss of lives in World Wars, or the tension, conflict and history of Europe through crusades, pogroms, inquisitions, revolutions and from 100 Year War to the Cold War.

The difference is I think most other parts of the world have actually DONE SOMETHING to create their own impression. Take the Far East, They have the Hong Kong film industry that to spite serving internally is exported around the world with universal appeal. With ambassadors like Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee and Jet Li's amazing film careers and world famous Japanese film directors of live action and anime.

What media comes out of the middle east that is consumed the world over? I don't know of any, there are stories to tell there but they aren't telling them. Jackie Chan films are loved and watched literally all over the world and have told really important part of Chinese history and about Chinese attitudes in their own terms.

Why does an American company like DISNEY have to tell the tale of Aladdin to the world (it WAS a worldwide release)? Why Non-Arabs make the Prince of Persia games(s)? I don't know of any major middle-eastern video games developers (well, expect for THAT one featured recently... hardly the best example) I was in a shopping mall in Doha today and I couldn't find a single game made even partly in the Middle East.

It's easy to sit on the side lines nit-picking and complaining but there is worse way to damn your own culture than by faint praise! Saying "you have to understand" is just a tiny voice against endless endless news reports where actions speak louder than words.

If Arabs and Muslims want to be better perceived in the West and everywhere they need to be pro-active; make films, anime, TV shows and comedy routines with appeal both in the communities they live both in the Middle East and in the west and for global appeal! Honk Kong can do it, Tokyo can do it, Hollywood can do it, hell even the pitiful British film industry can do it. Violence and conflict isn't the problem, Bruce Lee became a worldwide sensation the same year it was revealed the full extent of American POW's torture at the hands of Vietnamese. You may say China and Vietnam are quite separate but so are Lebanon and Yemen, yet they are tarred with the same brush today as "the middle east".

 

[hawkeye52]

the fact that this is being so discussed to great lengths is a problem as it should be a given that muslims do not always equal villains. in my eyes any book or quote (whether it be from religion or anything else) can misconstrude in such a way that it says what you want it to say. this has been true of both christians and muslims and the only two religions which actually condone violence (the jewish and that hindus) only do so in self defence.

 

[Waif]

It is true that Muslims have been in a bad light (not near as much as Nazi's or Russians lol). However, Muslims have been attacking American values for just as long. Even today we can see hate speeches from Islamic leaders citing violence against Americans, and their way of life. I'm afraid I can't feel sympathetic towards a culture that hates democracy, it's values, and it's people. Also, they hate Jews with such a passion that it makes Nazi's look conservative. This is common knowledge, and also this:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.229799-Iran-Publishes-Anti-Israel-Videogames

Sorry, I'm just not buying that it is Muslims who are the real victims here. Of course, this is a matter of opinion.

 

[Theninja'skatana]

Muslims in My Monitor

From Prince of Persia to the recent Medal of Honor news of playable Taliban, the depiction of Muslims in videogames hasn't been any more even-handed than American TV or movies. Saladin Ahmed is one Muslim gamer who'd like to see that change.

Somebody already did a post similar to this on how religions haven't been treated fairly in games. Not to sound harsh but, there needs to be a scapegoat in most "modern" games for villians. Ask russians they've been there and are still there. Until stupid game designers get it in their heads that "kill unpopular group" doesn't sell games You're stuck.
Aslo get one zealot starting s*** and then it's a Shitstorm look at catholic priests

 

[Del-Toro]

Following people would like to have a word with you on stopping to complain and get over it: Russians, Germans.

Not funny, certainly not smart!

What? It's true aint it. Every time that Russians appear in a movie or a TV series, they are depicted as the big bad that needs to be overcome.

Germans in games only pop up in WORLD WAR II games and in movies and TV, germans aren't exactly spared as well.

Yet, not a lot of people complain about it beyond: Not again!

The only good german character I can think of is Rainbow 6's Dieter Weber, and during his introduction he's compared to the aryan SS ubermenches that always appeared on Nazi Propaganda posters. And Then, of course, there was the hostage situation he helped stop where one of the captives was a holocaust survivor...

The point is that muslims havn't escaped the shadow of 9/11, but then again Germans havn't escaped the shadow of Nazi Germany (which died 65 years ago) and Russians havn't escaped the shadow of the Cold War. Is that any more fair to those Germans and Russians who weren't involved in their people's darker moments?

 

[Theninja'skatana]

'Muslim Should Not Equal Villain' is a laughable travesty of an assertion.

Anyone who condones rape, murder, & slavery (as any Christian, Muslim or Jew must do if they follow their 'holy' texts) is a despicable sociopath in dire need of incarceration.

I'm... not sure how you expect anyone to agree with that statement.

Dude i"m an atheist and even this zealot-of-an-atheist (big eye)pisses me off. This is what I'm talking about he goes crazy (no offense) now my whole group looks bad

 

[Saladin Ahmed]

I can recall how refreshing it was for me as a young geek to sit there controlling the on-screen hero, hanging from ledges, avoiding spiked pits and quaffing potions - doing all the stuff that videogame heroes did - all while being the Prince of Persia! For a young Muslim gamer, it was nothing short of revolutionary.

How so? The Prince Of Persia games are set in ancient pre-Islamic Persia.

Actually, the original game is set in a highly mythologized "Persia" that's not really historical one way or another -- but there's an evil vizier named Jaffar, a sultan, turbans, scimitars, and the cover had a sheikh-looking guy on it. These are all Islamic influences, not ancient Persian.

 

[Saladin Ahmed]

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell had Arabs in it? I don't remember that part...

First one took place mostly in Georgia (the country, not the state)
Second one took place in East Timor / Indonesia
Third one was all over the place: Panama, Japan, Korea... no Middle Eastern areas...
Double Agent has some Islamic characters and a Pakistani scientist... but they're only plot facilitators for the main enemy: an American terrorist organization (non-Islamic)
Finally, Conviction was all about a mole hunt in Third Echelon.

So... stupid question perhaps... but in which games were Muslims, Arabs, or other Middle Eastern peoples portrayed as the big baddies? Most of the time you fight Russian mercs and military local to the area you're in... again, not Middle Eastern areas.

Desert Strike? A thinly-veiled allusion to Desert Storm. Hardly anything to get upset about, considering the later title, Urban Strike, which depicts a terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001 by a South American drug lord. I don't hear South Americans complaining about that one...

Metal Slug 2? Funny, I don't recall the enemies in the desert stages proclaiming any kind of religious affiliation... but perhaps you're just offended by the presentation? Well, how about the fact that the enemies you face for most of the game in almost the entire SERIES are nondescript whites? Or the fact that the game is basically a CARTOON?

True Lies? Weren't the "bad guys" in the intro to the story Russians? So what if the big bad for the movie was an Arab... remember the Arab agent who was working against the terrorist? The guy who was holding the news camera in that one scene? The one who died nobly trying to STOP the bad guy? No, let's just forget about the people who don't support the argument.

Let's just come to terms with some facts here: you're upset when Arabs are portrayed as enemies for any reason, even if they're also portrayed as heroes in the same context. Since that is the case, allow me to call bullshit on this, as everyone has had their turn as "the bad guy" in video games and movies over the years.

*Ahem* Bullshit.

Thank you.

1) I was working from memory, mostly recalling the Indonesia stuff and the 'nukes for sale' Pakistani guy in the Splinter Cell games. So in that case, yeah, the case may be a bit overstated. Good point and my bad.

2) The fact that Desert Strike is a take on the Gulf War proves my point, rather than disproving it.

3) You're arguing that the fact that Metal Slug's graphics are violently cartoonish *keep* it from doing violently cartoonish ethnic caricature? That's...odd.

4) One sidekicky Arab in True Lies, while better than nothing, doesn't quite make up for the hordes of evil Arabs that get blown away, esp. b/c it's anther case of Americanized Arab=good guy, Guys With Accents=Bad Guys.

 

[Necromancer1991]

Muslims (as villains) are the current focus of recent FPSs, remember Nazi's, those dudes with the gray uniforms and red armbands, whatever happened to them (they were king of the hills for a REALLY long time)?

 

[DiscoAtThePanic]

Iran Publishes Anti-Israel Videogames

Iran is producing videogames so "the young generation" can learn about the "crimes" of "the Zionist regime."

It seems that Iran has realized that videogames are useful, after all. At least, they are when those in power want to spread some propaganda around. According to the Times of India, the student arm of Basij (the country's paramilitary volunteer militia) has released two games that convey a strong anti-Israel message.

One of the games, Assault on Freedom Convoy is based on the <a href=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_flotilla_raid>Gaza Flotilla Raid that resulted in the deaths of nine Turkish activists. The game apparently focuses on the "crimes of the Zionist regime during the attack on the flotilla."

The other game the student wing of Basij unveiled is called Devil Den 2, though no real details have been revealed.

The Islamic Republic News Agency (Iran's official news agency) reported that Mohammad Reza Jokar - head of the Basij student arm - openly believes in the power of such games. "The young generation must find out about the Zionist regime," Jokar apparently told the IRNA, "and since videogames enjoy large audiences, they were unveiled ahead of Quds Day."

Quds Day is an annual event on the last Friday of Ramadan. Rallies and demonstrations are held to express "solidarity with the Palestinian people and opposing Zionism as well as Israel's control of Jerusalem ... participation in protests on Quds Day is particularly strong in non-Arab Iran, where Ayatollah Khomeini first introduced the event."

Source: <a href=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Iran-unveils-video-games-depicting-Israeli-crimes/articleshow/6480232.cms>Times of India via <a href=http://gamepolitics.com/2010/09/02/iran-launches-anti-israeli-games>GamePolitics

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