Lego Accused of Racism With Star Wars Set

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Lego Accused of Racism With Star Wars Set

Posted by Soulskill on Friday January 25, 2013 @04:16AM from the Han,-mah-bukee,-keel-ee-calleya-ku-kah dept.

Ch_Omega writes "According to this article over at The Telegraph, Lego has been accused of racism by the Turkish community in Austria over a Star Wars model that supposedly resembles one of Istanbul's most revered mosques. The anger was provoked by 'Jabba's Palace,' a model of the home of Jabba the Hutt from Lego's Star Wars product range based on the blockbusting series of science fiction films. 'The terrorist Jabba the Hutt likes to smoke a hookah and have his victims killed,' said the statement posted on the organization's website. 'It is clear that the ugly figure of Jabba and the whole scene smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Asians and Orientals as people with deceitful and criminal personalities.'"

42 of 514 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

here we go by Titan1080 · 2013-01-25 04:18 · Score: 4, Insightful

Is there anything left in the world that the big bad white man hasn't destroyed through 'racism'?
1. Re:here we go by tripleevenfall · 2013-01-25 04:22 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I am altering the world. Pray I don't alter it further.
2. Re:here we go by CanHasDIY · 2013-01-25 04:29 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Is there anything left in the world that the big bad white man hasn't destroyed through 'racism'?
  ...
  Porn?
  
  --
  An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
3. Re:here we go by DarkRat · 2013-01-25 04:34 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  praying is part of the problem
4. Re:here we go by SirGarlon · 2013-01-25 04:43 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  Yeah, but I reserve judgment on whether Afghanistan is such a mess because of all those failed attempts, or if the Afghans deserve the blame themselves.
  
  --
  [Sir Garlon] is the marvellest knight that is now living, for he destroyeth many good knights, for he goeth invisible.
5. Re:here we go by ackthpt · 2013-01-25 04:43 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  Is there anything left in the world that the big bad white man hasn't destroyed through 'racism'?
  Well, I guess that'll put the skids on the Armenian Genocide play set...
  
  --
  
  A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
6. Re:here we go by idontgno · 2013-01-25 04:47 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  I find your lack of faith disturbing.
  
  --
  Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
7. Re:here we go by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 04:54 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Hokey religions and old superstitions don't compare to a good blaster at your side.
8. Re:here we go by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 04:59 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Nope....
  http://www.theonion.com/video/use-of-nword-may-end-porn-stars-career,14174/
9. Re:here we go by Artraze · 2013-01-25 05:09 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Really? Because this seems to have an awful lot more to do with race (and stereotypes thereof) than religion. Heck, the "mosque" in question has been a museum for almost 70 years! (And in the long past if was Christian rather than Islamic.) It has far more meaning at this point as an iconic and history bit of architecture that represents the region.
  I know hating on religion is all the rage these day, but racial stereotyping and sensitivity (like this article and discussion are about) have basically nothing to do with it. You'll find plenty of overly sensitive or overly insensitive atheists. Many westerns that get upset about this kind of thing are anti-religion and a lot of hate groups are agnostic. So I quite fail to see where religion plays into this at all.
10. Re:here we go by craigminah · 2013-01-25 05:13 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Who cares is it resembles a famous mosque? If the mosque wasn't so old I'd love to see Lucas sue them for copyright infringement for stealing the design from Star Wars. All these cries of racism are pretty weak and detract from the actual racism being committed daily. People need to lighten up...
11. Re:here we go by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 06:02 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I find your lack of Star Wars savvy disturbing.
12. Re:here we go by NicBenjamin · 2013-01-25 06:02 · Score: 4, Interesting
  
  "Never colonized" is actually a lot harder to figure out then you'd think. The only actual clear-cut case is Thailand/Siam.
  Liberia technically counts, but it was a) an outpost of thoroughly Westernized African-Americans, and b) a de facto protectorate of the United States. Afghanistan was de facto a condominium between the Czar and the Brits, which was allowed technical autonomy to keep those two countries from fighting each-other. Within 5 years of figuring out that he no longer had to worry about the Romanovs their Amir decided that he was now prestigious enough to be a full-King, but as long as those Russian troops were on his northern frontier he was very careful to never say or do anything to offend them. Persia and China kept technical independence, but were cut up into competing spheres of influence. The only other countries to successfully fight off all attempts at Western colonization were the Japanese and Ethiopians, but the Japanese were basically colonized after WW2 and the Ethiopians were actually colonized during the War.
  Depending on whether Turks count as European the Turks were a) never colonized by Euros/Westerners or b) are by definition colonized by themselves. The Saudis always maintained significant autonomy from the Sultan in Istanbul.
13. Re:here we go by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 06:07 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  I want to agree with you here, but
  
  I know hating on religion is all the rage these day, but racial stereotyping and sensitivity (like this article and discussion are about) have basically nothing to do with it.
  does kind of conflict with
  
  The Turkish Cultural Community of Austria released a statement calling for Lego to apologise for affronting religious and cultural feelings.
  
  It looks like religion and stereotyping have everything to do with it. At least in their eyes. And let's be honest, most of the hate groups and violence we read about are perpetrated under religious excuse. Not a lot of militant atheists out there wiping out neighboring tribes for having religion, or blowing themselves up on public transportation, RPG'ing the kafir embassy, genital mutilation, firebombing health facilities, shooting doctors, or getting on TV to scream "GOD HATES FAGS".
  I'm happy to give people the benefit of the doubt. Particularly in more civilized nations where the religious are less likely to kill people. But let's not go full-on hallucinatory.
14. Re:here we go by afeeney · 2013-01-25 06:25 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  In Turkey, this has always been more or less flexible, as it is in many branches of Islam.
  It comes from two theological roots: The first that portraying the face of a prophet (including Jesus, Moses, etc.) is full of opportunities for blasphemy, the second that creating realistic images of living things usurps Allah's role as creator. In many ways, these reflect the Judaic prohibition in the Ten Commandments against creating carved images. This is one reason why Islamic architecture is full of those amazing geometric designs.
  In Turkish art and architecture, this has been fairly relaxed, especially in Istanbul. Typically, images of a prophet simply cover his (I'm fairly sure that they're all male) face with a veil or show him from behind. Mosques in Istanbul are full of images of flowers and sultans often commissioned portraits of themselves, books with figurative art in illuminated manuscripts, and so on. Topkapi Palace is full of this kind of art.
  I've been in Hagia Sophia several times and can't see the resemblance myself, beyond the fact that it's a domed building with a squared front.
15. Re:here we go by davester666 · 2013-01-25 06:46 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Not if I fire first.
  
  --
  Sleep your way to a whiter smile...date a dentist!
Huh? by tripleevenfall · 2013-01-25 04:19 · Score: 5, Insightful

This objection is silly because Jabba's Palace and the Hagia Sophia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hagia_Sophia ) don't look much alike at all, other than having a dome, in which case they'd better prepare for a lot more outrage when they start to see other photos of the outside world...
1. Re:Huh? by geminidomino · 2013-01-25 05:14 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople.
  I didn't learn this until I had a date in Constantinople and she was waiting in Istanbul.
2. Re:Huh? by Sperbels · 2013-01-25 07:01 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  well.. nobody better tell 'em history of hagia sofia either...
  You mean that hagia sofia is actually based on Jabba's palace and not the other way around? The movies clearly say at the beginning: "A long time ago...".
It follows, then.... by mark-t · 2013-01-25 04:21 · Score: 4, Insightful

.... that their objection should be with Lucasfilm (or Disney, now, I suppose)... since the concept is actually theirs. All Lego does is license it.

--
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
So many things wrong here... by eepok · 2013-01-25 04:22 · Score: 5, Informative

First, Lego didn't design Jabba's Palace. I'm pretty sure that was under LucasArts' realm.
Second, Jabba's Palace is modeled like all the other homes on Tatooine. Except his is bigger. It's desert design influencing desert design.
Third, Jabba's not the only one smoking from a hookah like device in the movie.
Fourth, omg stop being the dumb.
Re:Multiculterialim[sic] by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 04:22 · Score: 5, Insightful

Sucks the life out of everything.
Wrong, it's politically correctness bullshit that sucks the life out of everything.
I'm mad too by hawguy · 2013-01-25 04:24 · Score: 5, Insightful

I'm still mad at the makers of Silence of the Lambs for portraying Hannibal Lecter as a Caucasian male. I am a Caucasian male and it's clear that the whole movie the smacks of racial prejudice and vulgar insinuations against Caucasians as people with deceitful and criminal personalities. Movies should stop having bad guys because it always paints some race or culture as having deceitful and criminal personalities and that upsets me.
1. Re:I'm mad too by Psyborgue · 2013-01-25 04:45 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  It's the accent. You guys just sound really cool as the villain. Take it as a compliment.
Allah Akbar, Han Solo? by CanHasDIY · 2013-01-25 04:25 · Score: 5, Insightful

Huh.

And here I was thinking that Jabba was a caricature of American politicians - fat, stupid, lazy, ready to kill on a whim, and unable to speak anything but nonsensical gibberish.

--
An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
Also in the news.... by Beer_Smurf · 2013-01-25 04:28 · Score: 5, Funny

Johnny Cash is also very offended that Darth Vader wears black and is dead.
Re:No It Doesn't by JaredOfEuropa · 2013-01-25 04:28 · Score: 5, Insightful

Too bad Lego responded to this nonsense and even offered an apology. Were I in charge of the company, I'd have offered a different reply: "We at the Lego company do not usually offer the following advice, but in this case we will go ahead and suggest that you grow up.". Seriously, some people...

--
If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
Re:Blame Lucas, not Lego by TheSunborn · 2013-01-25 04:28 · Score: 5, Insightful

Enjoy thte story??? Are we talking about the same movie?.
Ridiculous by theof · 2013-01-25 04:29 · Score: 5, Informative

The Hagia Sofia was built as an Orthodox Christian Church, and was used as such for a thousand years. It was converted into a mosque when the Turks conquered the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire in 1453, and it's been a museum since 1931. As it's not a Turkish building, they should not be offended. I'm sick of the whining and attempts at playing the victim by some people. It's even more ridiculous that what they are claiming offense at isn't even a building which was built by their culture.
The solution is in your comment by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 04:30 · Score: 5, Insightful

The only bad guys you can safely portray in movies are white guys. So what if Jabba's Palace borrows some architectural, decorational and floral inspirations from the Persians. Having a villain with taste Persian trappings doesn't make any Persian a villain any more than owning a Walther PPK makes you a hero.
Perhaps most villains are white, but not all villians are white. And given that Vader and Palpatine where both very white, and Lando, Chewie, Yoda and R2 weren't, if anything I think it's the corn fed Nebraskans that should be offended.
1. Re:The solution is in your comment by hermitdev · 2013-01-25 05:00 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Never mind they're objecting over a structure (the Hagia Sophia) that was originally a Christian basilica. And, it's Byzantium architecture, not Persian.
Victimhood is power - go get some by bazmail · 2013-01-25 04:35 · Score: 5, Informative

Just try telling the Turks about the Armenian genocide committed by their troops in the early 20th century and you'll see their inner Jabba come out.
Re:No It Doesn't by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 04:39 · Score: 5, Funny

I'm not sure anyone hypothetically running a toy company should issue a public statement telling people to "grow up".
That's not a Lego Haggia Sophia by WillAdams · 2013-01-25 04:43 · Score: 4, Interesting

This is a Lego Haggia Sophia:
http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=67199

--
Sphinx of black quartz, judge my vow.
Actually Naboo Was Based on Hagia Sophia by eldavojohn · 2013-01-25 04:46 · Score: 5, Informative

According to the "Behind the Scenes" on Episodes 1-3 Naboo's architecture was based on Hagia Sophia. Examples: Hagia Sophia, Naboo, Titus Blue Mosque, more naboo.

Also ... it took them how long to notice this latent xenophobia? I'm not saying they're wrong, Lucas was a little unimaginative when he developed some of the Star Wars cultures but it's not like he presented Muslims like they did in the movie "True Lies."

--
My work here is dung.
1. Re:Actually Naboo Was Based on Hagia Sophia by eldavojohn · 2013-01-25 05:02 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Yea because Muslims NEVER form terrorist groups, blow up innocent people or launder money.
  It NEVER HAPPENED.
  Are you kidding?
  Right so that's why whenever Americans appear in a very popular Vietnamese movie the Americans murder and rape everyone? Because it's not like the My Lai Massacre never happened.
  
  All I meant was there are more blatant "all Muslims are bad" productions in American culture than Jabba's Sail Barge. I'm not saying Muslim based terrorism never happened. I'm not saying all Muslims are good. I'm not saying none of them launder money. I'm saying that the most prominent representations of them in movies and TV happen to be solely bad guys. But you can go ahead and list off all those Muslim turban wearing hero movies that Hollywood puts out every year. That'll show me. Hell, name one Hollywood male lead actor who's Muslim.
  
  --
  My work here is dung.
Re:No It Doesn't by gnasher719 · 2013-01-25 04:48 · Score: 5, Informative

Too bad Lego responded to this nonsense and even offered an apology
Responding is not bad; you said yourself that the company would have responded if you were in charge. And there was no apology either, the reply was "We regret that the product has caused the members of the Turkish cultural community to come to a wrong interpretation. " That's not an apology. That's saying these people are wrong.
Re:Austria's Turkish community by idontgno · 2013-01-25 04:52 · Score: 4, Insightful

I bet most people in the Austrian Turkish community are embarrassed as fuck to be associated with the specific whinging ass-rags..
FTFY. I hope.

--
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
Wait, WHICH Hagia Sophia are we talking about? by argStyopa · 2013-01-25 05:00 · Score: 5, Funny

I'd love it if Lego replied:
"We're not portraying the revered Hagia Sophia mosque of Istanbul (which, btw ISN'T EVEN A MOSQUE since it was secularized in 1931)...no, we're portraying the Hagia Sophia CHURCH, the most holy church in Christendom until it was conquered by 'the religion of peace' in 1453."
What's "whiny bitch" in Byzantine?

--
-Styopa
Re:It's all Lego's fault. by Skewray · 2013-01-25 05:16 · Score: 5, Insightful

In Phantom Menace, the evil guys are clearly parodies of Japanese samurai, while the comic relief is given by stupid Jar Jar and friends, clearly parodies of Rastafarians. The Star Wars movies have all sorts of fodder for the ultra-sensitive.
It could be worse. by dietdew7 · 2013-01-25 05:24 · Score: 5, Funny

Thankfully it's not a rectangle with rounded corners.
Also they're complaining about... by Anonymous Coward · 2013-01-25 05:36 · Score: 5, Insightful

a LEGO Jabba the Hutt as insulting asians and orientals and completely ignoring Jar Jar Binks, who is at least a *RECENT* example of racial stereotyping in a Star Wars theme. I mean shit the Lego Jabba has been around for over 10 years now (maybe nearing 15), and I imagine even Turkey, nevermind Austria, has had access to the original 3 Star Wars films for at least 20 years.
Obviously much like the fundie Christians this guy is just racism-mongering, but still.