skinnyrattler said:
My problem is actually with the OP reaction. It continues a common thread that was exposed with RE5 and Ngai. Many people not exposed to American racism, including a lot of White Americans, get angry if anyone implies that something is racist. They over-react and deny when there are obviously people hurt by stuff like this. I consider myself to be a smart, intelligent Black guy. I'm not offended by scribblenauts and probably will buy the game, just like I intended to do beforehand.
You don't have to be knowledgeable of American media and literary history to see the problems RE5 causes with its representation of Africa, you just have to be slightly intelligent. It's not 'racist' as there is no malicious intent, but it's seriously insensitive and there needed to be an intelligent discussion on the matter (I'm still not certain that need has been satisfied, but at this point no-one's going to bother. Maybe in five years?).
However, this Scribblenauts issue was just (until proven otherwise) an honest mistake born out of complete ignorance over a term that is (thankfully) fading from existence. I hesitate to even call it a mistake, because the term used literally represents what it is supposed to once you research it a little. In this case, the ignorance is on both sides - 5th Cell can be called ignorant for not understanding the link between the term 'sambo' and racism (had they known they most definitely wouldn't have included the item due to its potential to cause offence) and those offended by its inclusion can be called ignorant of its actual meaning, rather than its use as a racial slur.
Were I to release a work that contained imagery I had a perfectly valid reason for using but also had an alternative association I was originally ignorant of, I would, of course, be upset that such an association existed, issue an apology to those who might be inadvertantly offended by my work and explain my perfectly valid reason for including the said imagery. That's what I call basic politeness. Maybe it'd even lead to an interesting discussion on authorial responsibility that everyone could enjoy in a reasoned and intelligent manner and everyone would come away having learned something knew.
I would
not expect an journalist on a popular and influential blog to write a 'fair and balanced' piece exploring whether or not my intentions were to be racist when I offered a perfectly valid explanation as to why the imagery was included.
I would
not expect members on a popular and influential message board to chastise everyone else for not understanding why I was completely racially insensitive and ignorant to the very basics of African slavery in America, as according to one commenter.
For the record, I also would
not expect a bunch of members on that same message board to act hostile when the racial link is (mistakenly) made, claim political correctness has gone mad and that an artist is above being held accountable for offence they may cause, because it'd horrify me that a work I had used was being used a banner for the promotion of racial ignorance.
Beyond that "so sorry for offence caused but xyz calm down" statement I mentioned earlier they should offer out of basic politeness, 5th Cell should be required to do nothing. Nintendo, at their discretion, could demand the word be removed from the game's dictionary, but I don't feel anyone is obliged to make that particular call in this situation.