Enter Race Card, Exit Rational Thought

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

A trailer has been released for the new Resident Evil game that has more than a few people pissed off. Her is the link if you are interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILuP43jcaXw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Evillagevoice%2Ecom%2Fblogs%2Frunninscared%2Farchives%2F2007%2F07%2Fzombies%5Fin%5Fafri%2Ephp Apparently this one seems to take place in Africa. Can you guess what the problem is, yet? I'll give you another hint, the protagonist is a white guy. Anyone got it yet? Now from what I gather from the movies, articles and watching folks play these games (I honestly have never played any of the Resident Evil games because I am too big of a wus) is that in the game, you are trying to deal with the aftermath of the release of a virus that creates zombies as well as an evil shadow corporation that keeps popping out new and improved monsters. The point is that you are killing zombies throughout the whole thing. It is classified as a "survival horror" game much like Silent Hill and the like. Now, logically, if one were to release a virus that created zombies into a rural region of Africa, what kind of people would you expect to become said zombies? If you said folks with a large concentration of melanin in their skin, go to the head of the class. It wouldn't make just a whole lot of sense to have the majority of zombies be pasty European descendants now would it? Despite the logic of the situation, a lot of folks have been up in arms saying that the game is preaching hate against black folks and that it is ok for white folks to shoot black folks. This is profoundly stupid. For my own part, let me just say this: If you are ever infected by a virus that turns you into a flesh-eating zombie intent on devouring alive, I will shoot you. I do not care what the melanin level in your skin is. I do not want to be disemboweled. Admittedly, I am quirky that way. This trailer is not a racist statement, at least not against black folks. It is a racist statement against zombies. It is suggesting that all zombies are flesh-eating monstrosities. Is this true? I have no idea as I am usually too busy running away and screaming like a little girl. Maybe that is just my prejudice. Now so far, most of the zombies in the game have been white as that was the population that the virus was released into. And, wait a minute, the company that makes the game is a Japanese one. Does that mean asian people hate white people? Have the previous four games been racist statements against white folks? Where is the outrage? Where is the righteous indignation. See how silly that sounds? There is racism in the world. There is prejudice and bigotry. It comes from all corners and is directed at all kinds of different people. Calling something like this racist just makes if more difficult when someone tries to point out actual racism. You cry wolf enough, no one is going to care when the real wolf is at the door. On the other hand, who am I to say? After all, knee-jerk reactions ARE much easier that actually thinking in a rational manor. Besides, it's not like anything bad has ever happened from people acting on knee-jerk reactions, right? Right? Hello? Rant Over... for now