Controversy Arises Over Taliban Option In Medal of Honor

eldavojohn writes "CVG is covering the controversy surrounding players' ability to play as a member of the Taliban in EA's Medal of Honor multiplayer. Fox News hopped on the wagon, interviewing a Gold Star mom whose son died in Iraq. She said, 'My son didn't get to start over when he was killed. His life was over and I had to deal with that every day. There's 1200 families from Afghanistan that have to live with this every day. And we live it — it's not a game... EA is very cavalier about it: "Well, it's just a game." But it isn't a game to the people who are suffering from the loss of the children and loved ones.' EA's response to this criticism of giving players the objective to 'gun down American troops' was this: 'Medal Of Honor is set in today's war, putting players in the boots of today's soldier... We give gamers the opportunity to play both sides. Most of us have been doing this since we were seven. If someone's the cop, someone's got to be the robber, someone's got to be the pirate, somebody's got to be the alien. In Medal Of Honor multiplayer, someone has to be the Taliban.' Of course the story recalls Six Days in Fallujah, which was dropped by Konami following similar controversy. It's clear at least a few people take issue with games surrounding modern conflicts."

Comments

Re:Hypocrisy Isn't Free

[jez9999]

Except this has absolutely nothing to do with freedom, but rather good taste and a little sensitivity

Funny, that's almost the exact argument about whether to allow the mosque to be built next to Ground Zero... and Obama came out and supported it.

Re:Hypocrisy Isn't Free

[OeLeWaPpErKe]

I think it is arrogant and counterproductive to Islamic/US relations for them to build this symbol near ground zero, but the laws of this land say they can. That's what makes the US different than, e.g., Iran or just about any Islamic nation.

You might want to look up one of the main differences between islam and christianity. If you're hoping to court sympathy for the US in islamic lands by pointing out that we support equality and separation of church and state, you're not going to get very far. I would even say it's extremely counterproductive. A bit like starting an American political party advocating the right to paedophilia (or any other policy that goes against a core religious belief).

Islam is about power and control. Nothing proves power and control like this despicable building would. It will be a disaster for freedom, and not just in the US.

Quite frankly, if anyone wants any kind of freedom to live under a government of his/her choice, he or she is not a muslim (or they could be an idiot).

Re:Hypocrisy Isn't Free

[lgw]

There's what should be legal, and then there's what's in very poor taste. For example: building a mosque and dance hall on ground 0 to celebrate the death of the infidel? Definitely should be legal. Definitely in poor taste.

Fighting as the opposite side in an ongoing conflict? That's just not right. EA needs to be reminded that it's an American company. The Taliban represent a mindset that makes it illegal and punishible by death in some places to import a video game. You'd think they'd show the slightest respect for the freedoms that allow them to exist, but I guess not.

Just naming the game Medal of Honor is in pretty poor taste. It's the highest honor an American can earn, given for saving the lives of those around you under fire (usually, for continuing to do so after being wounded multiple times) with total disregard for your own safety, and usually given posthumously as that degree of valor is hard to survive. It should never be trivialized in this way.