In June 2007, Sony was forced to apologize when Anglicans boo-hooed about the video game “Resistance: Fall of Man” which featured a violent shootout inside a building that resembled an Anglican cathedral in Manchester, northern England. Anglican leaders demanded that the game be removed from store shelves, and Sony refused. While we continue to hear stories from whiny religious folks about their delusions being offended, one of the latest complaints from some Muslim groups is that they find the background music in the eagerly anticipated “LittleBigPlanet” to be “offensive”. LittleBigPlanet was to be released yesterday but has been delayed as the game’s developer caved to the protests of the Muslim groups.
Videogame delayed over possible offense to Muslims
. . .” its release date has been put back after one of its background music tracks, a song by Mali-born artist Toumani Diabate, was found to have included expressions from the Koran, which could be interpreted as an offence to Muslims.”
Shit, the entire text of the Koran and Bible is offensive to many of us! The Koran and the Bible contain some of the most offensive literature ever published. Why aren’t we all out there protesting and demanding apologies and removal of these questionable texts from store shelves? Well, that answer is easy . . . the majority of we Americans believe in the freedom of speech and expression.
Religious folks complain about certain games, movies, and other forms of entertainment being offensive to them and instead of just not buying the product or choosing not to see a film they find objectionable, they want to censor these things for everyone. I find many films, games, magazines, etc to be offensive and I simply do not purchase those things or attend those films. It would be crazy for me to go around demanding that just because something offends me that it must be removed or changed to accommodate my sensitivities. But when the religious folks go around demanding things be removed or banned to accommodate their beliefs, god botherers are taken seriously, as the developers of LittleBigPlanet are taking their demands seriously.
According to a separate statement on the website of Media Molecule, the British-based developers of LittleBigPlanet, they were “shell-shocked and gutted” by the delay to the game’s release.
“We learnt… that there is a lyric in one of the licensed tracks which some people may find offensive, and which slipped through the usual screening processes,” the statement read.
“Obviously MM and Sony together took this very seriously. LBP should be enjoyable by all.”.
Now, how many “true believers” are going to be enjoying this game anyway, with or without the “offensive” background music? Why can’t these folks go find some hungry people to feed, some poverty to fight against, some wars to solve, some abused children to care for, etc?
As one commenter at GamesRadar said sarcastically, “what brave new world we live in.”
4 comments:
Stardust, this is why I've taken the principled, black and white defense of liberty that is now going out of style.
Progressives tell me that we should value compromise, tolerance, and diversity above all else. Well, should we compromise with religious fanatics? Should we permit barbaric, illegal religious practices in the name of tolerance? Must we treat different people by different standards in the name of diversity?
This is the point Allan Bloom once made, echoing Leo Strauss. Openness used to mean accepting the evidence, wherever it may lead. Today, being openminded means being open to closedness- being open to every orthodoxy, every prejudice, and every tradition. This is the difference between Marcuse and Mill, between multiculturalism and liberalism (in the philosophical understanding of the term.)
This is just an example of how companies without rules and regulations will bow to any conservative close-minded entity to try to sell just one more copy of their stupid game.
Conservatives are doing a good job of wooing diverse groups of people and treating different people by different standards in the name of diversity for their own personal gain.
I agree wholeheartedly about what you said of these pathetic religious complainers. If ya don't like something, then don't buy it or watch it. Or if ya bought it and your brain starting to get those evil "devil" thoughts about there not being a gawd, then take the damn thing back.
These nutcases won't be satisfied until they turn this country into a theocracy.
greg, I always find it interesting that these folks know so much about these video games, movies, etc. They could use that time in better ways to feed the poor, help the homeless find jobs and homes, help poor kids get education, etc. But instead they put all their time and energy into their obsession with trying to censor video games, books, music, etc. and disregarding people's right to free speech and expression. If you don't like it, don't buy it.
My guess is that they are afraid their own young 'uns are going to be getting their hands on these filthy games and other media that oppressed offspring of fundies are getting ahold of behind their parents' backs.
Since they can't control what their kids do, can't control the lust in their own hearts, by wiping it out they will be able to stay on the straight and narrow way for Jeebus.
Seeing that the country is mostly made up of god botherers of some sort, it seems to me that they simply have a problem with their own faith and controlling those things that they teach are bad.
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