Slashdot Mirror
A Gaming War Between Islam and the West?
The Washington Post has up an article looking at a burgeoning venue for political expression: gaming. Between 'The Quest for Bush', Counter-Strike mods, and more serious titles with a political slant, the political arena is quickly claiming gamers for their own. It's not just politics either; there are some excellent titles being released that attempt some truly insightful social commentary. From the article: "'UnderAsh,' released by Afkar Media in 2002, views the first intifada from the eyes of Ahmad, a Palestinian teenager resisting the Israeli occupation. Last year a sequel was released. A teaser to 'UnderSiege,' which tells the stories of five Palestinian families during the second intifada, shows a Palestinian teenager being shot on the street; an Israeli soldier appears to pound him with a concrete block seconds later. 'Our games are not propaganda,' Kasmiya says. 'Our games are a reflection of our history -- past or present. The fact is, most movies, most TV shows, most video games put Muslims in a bad light, so we have to try to tell our side of the story.'" Commentary from GamePolitics is also available.
" 'Our games are not propaganda,' Kasmiya says. 'Our games are a reflection of our history -- past or present."
This coming from the guys whose history includes the "fact" that the Holocaust did not happen.
Where were you when the voynix came?
The fact is, most movies, most TV shows, most video games put Muslims in a bad light, so we have to try to tell our side of the story.
Someone needs to explain to these people (and Fox News, while you're at it) that trying to cancel out a raving lunatic by adding a raving lunatic from the "other side" does not "balance out", you just have two raving lunatics.
If I have been able to see further than others, it is because I bought a pair of binoculars.
"'Our games are a reflection of our history -- past or present. The fact is, most movies, most TV shows, most video games put Muslims in a bad light, so we have to try to tell our side of the story.'"
Here is one example of how they do this: "Armed with a rifle, a shotgun or a grenade launcher, players navigate various missions that include "Jihad Growing Up," "Americans' Hell" and "Bush Hunted Like a Rat." In the final stage, you fight Bush.". So tell me, does this defy stereotypes at all? How is it a "good light" to make games in which Muslims are presented as violent commandos... the only difference being that they are the "first person" in the shooter and not the armed enemies for once? Or the other game in which "The goal is to kill"?
The game creators seem to think that it is a positive portrayal of Muslims to change them from being terrorists who are shot at to terrorists who are shooting.
Where were you when the voynix came?
Which is why I favor a strong Israeli military. BTW just so you know, Israel has *200* UN resolutions against them.
I don't favor Israel or Palestine; both sides are going over the top and while Israel is making necessary concessions, they have brutalized Palestinian civilians before. I don't feel the Muslims should be pissed on for making a mean ol' video game that's no worse than what we make about them.
There are Palestinians and Israelis working together; I wish they were running the show.
--- Grow a pair, liberals... stop letting the Republicans bully you!
I'm from the UK, I remember the IRA bombings, and I'm sure glad it stopped. As I recall, that conflict came to an end through negotiation and diplomacy. I dont recall seeing British helicopter gunships levelling Belfast. If you think that the current 'war on terror' will bring about peace in the way the IRA conflict ended, I'd respectfully suggest that's unlikely.
I agree with you, the terrorists should be hunted down and wiped out, but it needs to be a precise and targeted attack. Every bit of 'collateral damage' just ramps up support for the terrorists.
DRM-free indie games for the PC and Mac: Positech Games
Thanks, Dr. Godwin. The last one brings us back on topic, to a nation where a majority of the people insist as an important goal the extermination of another nation. By coincidence, the reason for the wanted extermination is because the targettted people happen to be Jewish.
Of course wanting to slaughter your enemies because they have been beating the ever living shit out of you for decades now has nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
When information is power, privacy is freedom.
The problem is that the Palestinians don't accept that.
Do you have sources for this? It's a rhetorical question, of course, because how could you have reliable sources for something you just made up? The fact is, Palestinians (regardless of their party) have always wanted back that which was taken from them. It's neither an unreasonable nor extreme request.
There is a saying that goes "to the victor go the spoils." And that is exactly what happened in Palestine after WWII. The Jews transformed American and British sympathy after the Holocaust into a greedy land grab. They didn't ask for part of the land that is holy to three different major religions. They didn't ask for sanctuary in a land that is holy to three different major religions. No, they took it all and displaced the native people who had been living there.
No matter how hard you try, you can't unmake history and injustice with rhetoric. In case the history of the last century escapes you, there once was a sovereign nation called Palestine. Then the U.N. passed a resolution, and Palestine was magically turned into Israel. And all the people who once lived there were herded up and sent to slums and refugee camps, where they have remained for three generations and counting--their land, their homes, and their property all stolen from them, their situation grim.
And you have the balls to label these people "extremists"?
but that doesn't extinguish the right the Palestinians had to the land, and more importantly to their culture and way of life--both of which have been dramatically changed now that the last three generations of Palestinians have grown up in refugee camps in Israel, Lebanon, and other places.
That's an unfortunate situation, I do agree. What happened to cause all this?
Oh yeah.. The attacking Arab nations asked the Arab residents to get out of the way so they could sweep in, destroy the "Zionist uprising", and end this silly matter once and for all. That failed miserably. The Arab-created refugees were still without their homes as the nations around them were still promising violence and still promising victory. And all the while, those nations who displaced the refugees refused to accept them into their borders.
So, let's stop this from happening. Let's go back in time, and tell the Arab nations to acknowledge Israel's right to exist, not to attack them, and not to displace the Arab residents creating refugees.
That sounds like what was intended anyway. Good idea!
In the camps, they are afforded no political rights (can't become citizens, can't own land, etc.) and very few human rights. It's an untenable situation, and one that the U.N., the U.S., and Israel must answer for.
Don't forget Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, and any other Arab nation who refused to allow entry to those refugees who desired to immigrate. Surely they should answer for their cries as well. Or is this just a "bash Israel and anyone who acknowledges their existence" sub-thread?