Oh Lord Capcom accused of Racism for RE5

[foont]

@Squrl

I think we might be saying the same thing. I meant that the image (removed from the context of the game's storyline), perpetuates and calls to mind a history of racial imagery. Like you said, it dehumanizes a culture.

For my imaginary game-set-in-Poland example, let's pretend that the enemies are still zombies-- that doesn't make the image less offensive. Images can carry a lot of weight, symbolism, and meaning, and I think that's how the controversy over RE5 started.

Here's an off-topic non-game example: I once went to a student art show, where the artist had arranged white pointed paper cones into a spiral shape on the floor. She thought it was just a pretty design, but it REALLY looked like a swastika made of Ku Klux hoods. She didn't mean for it to be offensive or racist, but it was possible to read the image that way, and people did. It's not her fault, but it didn't change the fact that a lot of people viewed it that way.

Also, did you just imply that I'm a racist? :) Well, I hope I'm not, but I think we live in a world where racism still exists, so it's impossible for anyone, not to be inadvertently racist sometimes (other than a child as pure as fresh fallen snow, untainted by the world).