Poll: Is Resident Evil 5 Racist?

[anti_strunt]

Now, I don't think the game is racist. However, the arguments against just don't hold water.

The primary defense against raciscm seems to be they are Zombies and attack you.

Let me first point out that it's absurdly naïve to think that just because it's a genre media product, universal societal issued somehow magically dissappear. If the black zombies were portrayed as rock-stupid spear-chucking savages IT WOULD STILL BE VERY RACIST, EVEN IF THEY ARE ZOMBIES. The very act of dehumanisation is a core principle of racist propaganda.

Furthermore, has anyone here read the Turner Diaries or any similar material? Guess what: the race traitors are universally portrayed as the aggressors. The White Race is only acting in self-defense against the threat of genocide at the hands of brownies. If those funny foreigners only stayed on their side of the pond there'd be no trouble, etc.

So, no, claiming that they are "just zombies" is not a valid defense against raciscm.
Claiming that they are the aggressors is not a valid defense against raciscm.
Claiming that "it's only a game", is not a valid defense against raciscm.

I'm playing the devil's advocate here because the air of smug self-satisfaction is rather undeserved.

Gaming is a big medium now. Accusations of this sort will not stop - if anything they will be more frequent. This is a fact. More importantly: this is a good thing. All mass media have the power to shape public awareness, and as such should be very carefully monitored. This is a sign of a healthy society.

There are two possible replies to this from the "gamer community": we can either react as responsible adults and explain why those who cry rasicm are wrong (as they most probably are), OR we can stick our heads in the sand; close rank and keep on droning: "It's OK. They don't get it. They don't understand. They are irrelevant..."

 

[blood77]

Ok I think it is well established that this game isn't racist for one reason or another. But the one thing I want to know is why are there never any little people zombies?

 

[Sombra Negra]

Ok I think it is well established that this game isn't racist for one reason or another. But the one thing I want to know is why are there never any little people zombies?

That's the best idea I've heard in a long while.

 

[The Rusk]

I don't think this game is racist, but it's treading on a thin line. People who've posted here seem to be avoiding the fact that it's a white guy killing black zombies. I know it's Chris Redfield's return and all that, but it just feels a little preachy to me. You know like the patriotic american white guy to the rescue! Again!

However I don't think any of us can really comment on this issue with any clarity since we don't know how the story unfolds. The only way Capcom could make it racist is by creating a context that implies that the zombie outbreak occurs BECAUSE of the colour of their skin.

EDIT: I voted unsure because until I know what the storyline is I can't comment on the issue properly.

 

[PMetal]

I cry racism against the undead. They have rights too.

Meh.

Attempt at humor - fail.

Don't worry buddy. Cut your losses and try again.

I believe by saying that there should be no black zombies is suggesting that they cannot be zombies because they are black. Therefore they are racist by not including them earlier!

 

[Axolotl]

Could one of those 14 people who said it's racist explain why they did? I'd just like to see their point of view.

It's been stated at least 3 times in this thread alone. And from the majority of the responses it's clear that most people who have responded are completely ignorant of the reasons why some people think that it's racist.

 

[Iron Mal]

I do not think this game is at all racist.

Firstly, for a large part of the resident Evil series the various protaganists have been blasting and hacking their way through zombies who are literally white (well, blood does drain away from your skin when you die causing you to become pale) yet we have had no issue with this, suddenly, Resi 5 depicts zombies of a darker tone recieving a few lead sandwiches and it's a 'step too far'.
I am one of the many people who frowns upon racism/discrimination but I also find it unuseual how the victimisation and, ultimately, death of white people is taken nowhere near as seriously as the victimisation and, ultimately, death of black people.

Secondly, let us consider where the game takes place. Africa, a large percentage of the population happens to be black and (I'm going to go with the sterotype that has been established by Oxfam adverts so I appologise if anyone is offended) poverty stricken. With this in mind, if the majority of the game's enemies were white, middle class American/Europian zombies then everything would seem somewhat out of place (THAT would be offensive).

Finally, I shouldn't have to say this but the ultimate solution to an issue like this is very simple.

If you don't like the idea of a zombie shooter game set in Africa, then don't play it.

I don't like the idea of games based around children's anime blended with an unhealthy dose teenage emo angst, so I steer clear of the Final Fantasy series.

Everything in the world can be viewed as offsensive or distasteful from a particular perspective.

 

[Mrmandude]

well it could be there 0rit could not they did this in res 4 kinda accepte they were sapanish but na i don't think so

 

[this_was_a_mistake]

Why is everyone saying they're zombies. THEY'RE NOT ZOMBIES! They are diseased peasants. Zombies don't have parasite-things sprouting out of their necks.

 

[sirdiealot88]

Of course it's not racist! No-one complained in the other games when you killed white zombies, or are white people not a race these days.

 

[DarkBlood626]

Ok it?s a Wight guy shooting black people BUT in a society where Barr?Barr black sheep was banned through fear of resist sautés it was seen coming)) racism by definition is comparing your culture or RACE to another and concluding yours is superior because u don?t like there?s because of aesthetic differences that?s racism and so ((if every time he shot one he said ((smile NI***R)) that would be racist)) I have m8s with black skin who think this is a load of crap and are offended they are told what to be offended at

 

[Toiboi]

im half Black you no like our president. I will tell you there is nothing wrong with this game and you no what me and president Obama and all other black people are probably really going 2 enjoy shooting zombies when this game comes out (hopefully soon). NO1 cared when we was shooting spanish zombies why do they care now look at the poll on top 90.3 % said it isn't racist!

 

[anti_strunt]

A piece of media can be racist without anyone (including people of the race being depicted in a racist way) actually feeling offended or even complaining about it. Racist notions can easily be internalised by the vicitms and turned into a negative, but accepted self-image.

Also: cries of DOESN'T ANYONE CARE ABOUT THE WHITE ANGLO-SAXON MALE?! WE ARE SO OPPRESSED are as absurdly pathetic as always.

 

[Galletea]

I don't get it. Surely if you set a game somewhere you have to be kinda accurate to it. Spain is full of Spaniards, Africa has quite a few black folk. Surely games that stick to the stereotypes are worse, like GTA and it's representations. No one ever seems too bothered about that, but gunning down black zombies, in a predominantly black country is racist?

 

[anti_strunt]

I don't get it. Surely if you set a game somewhere you have to be kinda accurate to it. Spain is full of Spaniards, Africa has quite a few black folk. Surely games that stick to the stereotypes are worse, like GTA and it's representations. No one ever seems too bothered about that, but gunning down black zombies, in a predominantly black country is racist?

18th century colonial heroes killing hordes of black/brown natives is Black/Brownistan is not?

There is a very long and unhappy history of how black Africa's been portrayed in mass media with a wide range of negative racist stereotypes. When creating a product which involves the continent and its inhabitants, one must work very hard to avoid those stereotypes to reach a sensible and true portrayal. This is not easy. The end product can end up being contaminated by racism without any ill intent from the developers.

So yes, caution (if not premature alarm) is called for.

 

[anti_strunt]

Wow. Way to kill a hot thread, self.

 

[Axolotl]

Wow. Way to kill a hot thread, self.

You posted a logical argument witch lacked a clear point. Theres no real attack on your post that can easily be made.

 

[Baby Tea]

So, no, claiming that they are "just zombies" is not a valid defense against raciscm.
Claiming that they are the aggressors is not a valid defense against raciscm.

Sure they are.

If a white man kills a black man because, say, the black man ran over his kid (As an example), then that's not a racist. Race had nothing to do with the white guy wanting, and succeeding, in killing the black man. Whether he was white or black or Asian or Hispanic, his kid was dead and he wanted revenge.

If a black man attacked a white man in an alley or something and the white man killed him in self-defense: That's not racist. Again, race had NOTHING to do with it. It was self defense. Wouldn't matter WHAT race the guy was! He was protecting himself.

If a zombie-virus gets released in Africa and the hero of the day has to kill a bunch of zombies to save the day, and those zombies happen to be black, that's not racist. Race, again, has NOTHING to do with it! It wouldn't matter what race they are.

The point is: If race isn't the cause, then race isn't the issue.

 

[Ago Iterum]

No, just because it has people who are black in Africa does not mean it is RACIST.... Anyone thinks that, needs to look up the definition of racism.

Haha. In fact, segregating them and making it an issue instead of accepting that they are just human, like these people are doing, comes off a lot more racist thatn the game designers, who obviously just see that people are people.

Making race and issue is just as racist as most things, except, you know, blatant racism.

*EDIT* However I did read somewhere that a lot of the anger stems from the fact that it is a white man doing the killing. But there aren't any black RE characters as far as I know, and nobody wants to play a new character! And sub-conciously, I don't think I like playing as a black main character. Because I feel I can't relate to it at all. The best part about delving into a game, and engrossing yourself in it is feeling like you are the character.

However, maybe putting in a new black alt character would settle some qualms?

 

[Eiseman]

You posted a logical argument witch lacked a clear point. Theres no real attack on your post that can easily be made.

Here's the point. Africans are poverty-stricken, starving, and dying on a scale that is baffling in this post-modern world. RE5 is making THOSE people the bad guys you have to shoot at. Do you see how that might be a little bit of poor taste?