Square Enix Responds to "Racist" Deus Ex Character
- Thread starter Greg Tito
- Start date
I didn't even bat an eye at the RE5 Marshland Manjini but I was pissed when I first heard this NPC simply because it was jarring for me to hear. Then again, as a few people pointed out, there are actually people that talk like this; and the Black maid in Gone With The Wind was my favorite character. I doubt the developers were trying to be offensive anyway.
So basically, it's no big deal.
*skip to 1:16 or put "&t=1m16s" on the end of the link for another window since I cant figure out how to link to specific times on the Escapist :B*
So basically, it's no big deal.
*skip to 1:16 or put "&t=1m16s" on the end of the link for another window since I cant figure out how to link to specific times on the Escapist :B*
I'm black and I laughed my arse off at this.
It's not a racial stereotype but rather something to do with the fact it's bloody Detroit...
It's not a racial stereotype but rather something to do with the fact it's bloody Detroit...
Oh my fucking good natured fucking self! Racism! Hate speech!...
No, really. I missed it.
So what was wrong with the clip...
Wait, what? He's never met a black person like that?
What? Has he ever been outside?
No, really. I missed it.
So what was wrong with the clip...
Wait, what? He's never met a black person like that?
What? Has he ever been outside?
honestly if that scene is an insensitive racial stereotype than i would call this major progress considering this is NOTHING compared to the idiocy of RE5.
having played through the game i actually never came across this npc...so shes totally avoidable if people are actually bothered by this...aside from the first few lines in the beginning of her dialogue she sounds normal for the most part.
I don't know..i mean yeah it probably should have been noticed but its a single, unimportant character in one forgettable part of an other-wise great game. There are at least 2 other black characters that are perfectly normal in the beginning and end of the game.
I don't think its worse getting worked up over in comparison to leopard-skin bikinis and tribal, spear throwing black zombies is all.
having played through the game i actually never came across this npc...so shes totally avoidable if people are actually bothered by this...aside from the first few lines in the beginning of her dialogue she sounds normal for the most part.
I don't know..i mean yeah it probably should have been noticed but its a single, unimportant character in one forgettable part of an other-wise great game. There are at least 2 other black characters that are perfectly normal in the beginning and end of the game.
I don't think its worse getting worked up over in comparison to leopard-skin bikinis and tribal, spear throwing black zombies is all.
The problem is that in America and around the world, racists are not "the jackass down the road." They're politicians, businessmen, preachers, cops, lawyers, judges, school teachers, plumbers, etc. Racism is pervasive; you can't marginalize something that you can easily find in every sector of American culture. You're right that a society where racism is relegated to a few idiots per thousand might not need to focus on it, and you'd even probably be right to assume that it's actually doing more harm than good. But that's not the reality of the situation. The fact is, clearly racist sentiment is found in every group in every strata of my society and "ignoring it" has been the strategy for 100 years at least - obviously it hasn't worked. As long as we pretend that racism isn't inherently a part of American mass culture, we let it grow and fester instead of confronting it.grammarye said:
This character is a clearly racist stock persona from the days when "stupid negro" was an acceptable definition for a character. So we have two options, ignore it (and along with it, all the other obvious racist overtones that pervade our media) and let people pretend it isn't there, or say "hold the fuck on for a second" and point out the truth, mainly that this is clearly racially insensitive and absolutely inappropriate. Saying that we shouldn't focus on racism is essentially demanding that we pretend racism doesn't exist when it clearly does. To see something that is clearly offensive and then ask people to not discuss it is to demand that you sweep a real, important problem in our culture under the rug.
First off, saying that statements like "race doesn't matter" require ignorance of racial issues almost always brought on by membership in the oppressor class is not racist. It's the truth. Period. Now if I said that white people are genetically inclined to hate black people, or that white people are just evil, that's racism and it's indefensible. What isn't racist, however, is to speak to the reality of the situation.
But let's get something straight: People in the US can't go a week without alleging racism because black people in the US can't go one fucking day without serious abuse based on the color of their skin. Every day in this country, 400 years of deeply imbedded racism rears its ugly head to the detriment of millions of minorities. You are not being "better" by refusing to confront such a serious problem. Pretending that our cops don't beat blacks for no reason daily doesn't change the fact that they do. Pretending that our jails aren't filled with innocent people of color doesn't change the fact that they are. Whether it's housing or healthcare or the job market or our justice system or anything else, blacks and Mexicans and Arabs and Asians and Jews in this country are at a serious disadvantage through no fault of their own because of the racist attitudes that many whites in power have towards them. And as long as that is the case, you have no right to tell them that they are overreacting or whining or "refusing to move on." The only ones we should demand move on are the racist whites in this country who are stuck in the 1700's. And until that happens, blacks have all the right and reason in the world to demand the purging of racist stereotypes and cultural memes.
And I don't mean for this to be a low blow, but coming from a country that has surprisingly high rates of hate crimes, I don't think you have the right to say that somehow your society has transcended race. In 2009, more than 30,000 racially-motivated hate crimes were judged to have merit (of the 49,000 reported) in the UK. Take a look at that figure and then ask yourself why minorities might be a little sensitive about being dehumanized like they are.
People are so overly sensitive. They really need to calm the fuck down. Not everything is racism and an attack against your race or what ever.
Way to not read my post and play the cherry-picking game.Treblaine said:
Did I ever infer that? I'm pretty sure nowhere in my post did I say "RP ams normole". Deus Ex is set in America, so the fact that you even said that makes me think you're just trolling my post.
If you haven't noticed, she's using slang. Slang is not normal English, nor is it an English accent. >>It is slang<<. Get over it.
Am I allowed to comment that the guy's last name being Narcisse (as in Nacissus, the Greek mythological figure who fell in love with his own reflection) is rediculously appropriate for the guy who threw a hissy fit over the prospect of a zombie game set in Africa having African zombies? I haven't actually played Deus Ex, but I've seen my brother playing it, and from what I can tell (there is therefore margin for error) the game's cast is a veritable racial rainbow notably lacking substancial reliance on stereotype.
Also, While I agree with the assertion that the portrayal of more that one Eurasian ethnicity is terribly unfair, it's worth remembering that the type of person who registers complaint like Narcisse's is also the kind of person who sees all whites and white, all blacks and blacks, all asians are asian, et cetara, so don't expect any of them to be swayed by that kind of retort.
Also, While I agree with the assertion that the portrayal of more that one Eurasian ethnicity is terribly unfair, it's worth remembering that the type of person who registers complaint like Narcisse's is also the kind of person who sees all whites and white, all blacks and blacks, all asians are asian, et cetara, so don't expect any of them to be swayed by that kind of retort.
Wow I am amazed because until I read this thread I really did not even think of her as a stereotype, let alone racist. I mean walk the streets of any city, there are homeless people and beggers of all races, colours and sexes. I have to say I think this says more about the people making the claim of racism than it does about the character.
Think about the South Park episode where the kids were against the depiction of the person being hanged in the SP history drawing. In the end everyone thought they were upset because the stick figure being hanged was black, when they were really upset because he was being hanged.
Same thing here for my money. Why arnt we worried that homelessness and street vagrancy has become such a part of our basic city culture that we have it depicted in video games??
Think about the South Park episode where the kids were against the depiction of the person being hanged in the SP history drawing. In the end everyone thought they were upset because the stick figure being hanged was black, when they were really upset because he was being hanged.
Same thing here for my money. Why arnt we worried that homelessness and street vagrancy has become such a part of our basic city culture that we have it depicted in video games??
Agreed, though I remember the more valid point others brought up after his histrionics being that it was a post-colonial African village without any minority groups present (Middle Eastern, British, etc). In villages of that kind, it's very rare for them to be 100% African tribes.Del-Toro said:
Seriously dude. Stop the political correctness.
How about you start addressing the fact that most of the bums that were asleep in the street were White. Are they implying White people are lazy, how horribly offensive. I will have you know that that is not true. Even when broke and homeless White people diligently squeegee cars and bother people for money.
But wait a second. They also had 100's of Chinese NPC's voiced by horrible accents, not to mention that the head of TYM is called the Dragon Lady, how horribly offensive. Insinuating that because she is a Chinese Multinational Business Woman and International Crime Lord she gets associated with dragons.
Get of your fucking high horse. Get a job so you have less time to waste on something this trivial.
I never for one second thought of her as a racist caricature. I just saw her as one of many homeless, simply drunk of her ass. Seeing as you can feed her beers like they are candy. People like you are doing more damage than good. Constantly on the watch to point out exactly why something should be racist because the person performing the act doesn't belong to your ethnic group.
Ever thought about the fact that if people all over the world played this game and none of them perceived this as racist it would be a milestone? That people no longer draw lines between races and simply see people as people? To about 90% of all the gamers she was nothing more than a crazy bag lady, had she been white, black or hispanic-asian mix or whatever.
How about you start addressing the fact that most of the bums that were asleep in the street were White. Are they implying White people are lazy, how horribly offensive. I will have you know that that is not true. Even when broke and homeless White people diligently squeegee cars and bother people for money.
But wait a second. They also had 100's of Chinese NPC's voiced by horrible accents, not to mention that the head of TYM is called the Dragon Lady, how horribly offensive. Insinuating that because she is a Chinese Multinational Business Woman and International Crime Lord she gets associated with dragons.
Get of your fucking high horse. Get a job so you have less time to waste on something this trivial.
I never for one second thought of her as a racist caricature. I just saw her as one of many homeless, simply drunk of her ass. Seeing as you can feed her beers like they are candy. People like you are doing more damage than good. Constantly on the watch to point out exactly why something should be racist because the person performing the act doesn't belong to your ethnic group.
Ever thought about the fact that if people all over the world played this game and none of them perceived this as racist it would be a milestone? That people no longer draw lines between races and simply see people as people? To about 90% of all the gamers she was nothing more than a crazy bag lady, had she been white, black or hispanic-asian mix or whatever.
"Narcisse" is a really unfortunate name for someone who seems determined to inject their own name into discussions of new, popular games by claiming they're racist.
I won't even try to address whether the character is racist or not, except to say that Narcisse needs to spend less time criticizing strangers, and more time meeting them.
I won't even try to address whether the character is racist or not, except to say that Narcisse needs to spend less time criticizing strangers, and more time meeting them.
