Patch 5.4 patch notes
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The latest patch 5.4 newsRacism in arena names
by Adam Holisky 
May 13th 2008 at 3:00PM
I think there are few things more disturbing in the modern world than ill-conceived notions of racial, religious, and sexual divisions. For some reason parts of humanity continue to believe that just because one group or another looks and/or acts differently, they are bad. One of the reasons I enjoy WoW and just games in general is because it allows us to escape the problems this world gives to us, even if only for a few hours a week.Unfortunately, some people find it necessary to bring their attitudes in game. We've covered some of this before, from border-line inappropriate arena names to sexism in WoW. However while playing an arena game recently fellow writer Amanda Dean came up against a team named "Rosa Parks Stole My Seat," and this name is possibly the most offensive one I've seen. Rosa Parks (for those of you who need a history lesson) refused to go to the back of a bus because of her skin color and continued to sit in the white only section of the bus, despite being told to do otherwise. She represented a key moment in the history of civil rights.
There are 65 arena teams with this racist name.
When Amanda ran into one of the teams she reported it via a GM ticket.
The GM escalated the ticket, which I'm sure was the right action on the part of the GM. However as is usually the case we don't, and won't, know exactly what happened to the offending team. This is due to privacy policies Blizzard has in place. What we do know however is that there are plenty of other teams out there that have this and other racist names. Furthermore, the team that Amanda reported is still listed in the armory (as of 11:30 p.m. on the evening on May 12th).
The writers had a discussion last night about this name, and it was brought up that people have these names on mainly defunct teams – which appears to be true. They have them there so they can "be cool" with their racist friends and have something that produces a lot of shock value.
People rarely see these teams in action, so the problem goes by unnoticed.
Except for the teams that are sitting at a high rating, such as the 2153 rating team from the Dethecus server. Or the team that played 344 games so far this season. It strikes me as deplorable that people would see this and turn a blind eye to it. Do we not all have a moral imperative to end racism, or any other isms, when we see them? Especially if the solution is as easy as filing a GM ticket.
Please try to do your part and keep this game free of such trash. If you see things like this, report it to the GMs.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Virtual selves, Blizzard, News items, PvP, Arena
Reader Comments (Page 2 of 18)
Gryphon Hall May 13th 2008 7:06PM
What if an arena team had the name "Osama should have finished the job and taken out the Statue of Liberty"? Even if it was "tongue-in-cheek" and people are free to say what they want (free speech and all that), then I'm also free to not only be offended and disgusted, but to report the heck out of such irreverent and flippant teams.
Eternalpayn May 13th 2008 7:07PM
USA bullshit? I hate to burst your bubble, but racism exists everywhere. I laughed when I read this too. It's pretty damn funny, and a rather obscure reference for a video game name. Does the fact that I find this funny make me racist? Hell no. It means I'm not out to say "I'm so fucking politically correct! My shit doesn't stink!" Honestly, Blizzard has every right to stop this. It's their game. But if you are about to honestly say that everybody who makes a race joke is racist, you have some serious issues somewhere deep in your soul. Is the word soul still politically correct? Ok, just checking.
Eh? May 14th 2008 2:00AM
@Oneiroi
If anyone says that a person cannot do something because they are a certain race, they are being racist. Period.
Counter racism is *not* a myth. Unfortunately, claiming that it does not exist is a very popular attitude to have that makes it's use seem "accepted" in society due to historical events.
I am very tired of having one of my friends say something, and have me repeat it with the exact same tone and attitude, yet when he says it it's ok and funny but when I say it it's suddenly extremely racist and "shame on me."
There is NOT ONE race on this planet that has not had some type of racism committed against them and have done so in return. Even many decades/centuries after the fact there still can be lingering feelings of such under the surface which color the thoughts and actions of the people.
swatltlen May 13th 2008 3:08PM
Not to defend people being retarded, but 99.9% of the people using offensive names, language, guild tags, jokes, ect aren't doing so because they represent their actual beliefs, but because they find it hilarious when people overreact because something is PC.
john thorpe May 13th 2008 3:16PM
Exactly. This piece reads like a sophomore's term paper, trying to placate some left-wing moron professor. Re-read and note the urgency and importance the author is trying to ascribe to the topic. I did, and it tells me that, deep down, he knows he is full of shit.
Real "racists" don't make racist jokes on video games -- they're too busy STILL taking slaves in africa, or oppressing tibet, or slaughtering their own people in some third world swamp.
For the love of all that is holy, this site is supposed to be about warcraft. Quit it with the articles about the environment and racism and whatever other random PC thought tickles your fancy today.
Just because you live in some collegiate haze doesn't mean the rest of us want to be dragged through your attempts at righting the world via GMs.
GG
Jagoex May 13th 2008 3:23PM
@john thorpe:
Way to try to sound even more important than the post you are insulting for doing the same thing.
Listen, if you are going to make an argument, at least construct one that makes sense.
You're essentially saying that because they kids don't really know what racism is, that their behavior shouldn't elicit a response such as the one presented in this post?
Sorry to burst your bubble, bro, but when people are racist or just "act" like a racist, it shouldn't be society's responsibility to sift through the garbage to find what stinks. Ultimate responsibility rests with the individual.
If they want to act racist, than they should be prepared to deal with the consequences of being one. Period.
Jagoex May 13th 2008 3:24PM
they = the.
Before the grammar police shows up. ;)
Suzushiro May 13th 2008 3:30PM
Exactly. The majority of WoW's playerbase is a generation that has grown up in an environment of political correctness, and the rampancy of racist/sexist jokes on their part is more of a backlash against it all than because they seriously believe it.
And to be quite honest this is another case of the very attitude that's made them this way. Honestly, what's racist about the name? The only difference between a team name like this and "George Washington chopped down my cherry tree" is that the historical figure in question is black. A joke about a person who is black is not inherently racist.
Jagoex May 13th 2008 3:52PM
@Suz:
I understand your point and agree that the motivation behind the behavior is something other than pure racism. But that still doesn't make the behavior any more acceptable, nor does it mean we should put up with it.
The reason the behavior continues is because of the passive attitude that people who make excuses for these kids offer.
Ladli May 13th 2008 4:14PM
also @ johnthorpe
Just because this is a blog about World of Warcraft doesn't mean that it only has to focus on strictly in-game issues or mechanics, which I think is what you're looking for. I find it refreshing when people look beyond the scope that you're using and address things that DO relate to the game, but have other influences as well. It keeps it interesting, because really, how many times can you read about what's coming in WotLK before it gets old? It's nice to see the game through other people's perspectives - the more creative the view, the better.
jbodar May 13th 2008 4:30PM
Political correctness, like racism, is a disease which destroys rational thought. Railing against "being PC" does not mean a free pass for saying ridiculously ignorant crap though.
Matthew Rossi May 13th 2008 4:58PM
Being racist because you think it's funny means you're still racist.
Juneau May 13th 2008 5:25PM
Not really Rossi, being racist would mean you actually believe white > black or whatever. Making a joke isn't racist. Seriously, can nobody take a joke nowadays?
LuckyRollz May 13th 2008 10:07PM
To #20: Your use of the term "retarded" is equally offensive and irresponsible, in my opinion.
To the larger discussion: For all the people in these comments who argue so vehemently that it our right to say whatever we want are inherently correct, but disgustingly irreverent of the purpose such a freedom was meant for. Society without conscience is a failure. Just because someone "can" do something does NOT mean they "should." I can curse and use coarse language in front of my children, but it doesn't mean I should.
I hate to see so many arguments supposedly in favor of "freedom" that aren't arguments for freedom as much as they are for ignorance.
It could be a myth, but according to a Google search for "Crazy American Laws," it's apparently perfectly legal for a resident of Arizona to beat his wife-- but only once a month. So, for the sake of argument, let's say this law is, in fact, legitimate and this is legal. Simply because someone COULD do such a terrible thing, does that mean that they SHOULD?
If you are making the argument that you should be able to do or say anything, again, I feel it's an argument for irresponsibility and not freedom. It should NOT be a right to inflict pain on someone else without having to give thought to it. It's selfish, it's ignorant, and it's ridiculous.
I'm grateful that Blizzard has something in its terms of service that allow the company to mandate against that type of ignorance, since people clearly cannot do so for themselves. (And I hope that every, single one of those teams is forced to change their names to something socially responsible.)
LuckyRollz May 13th 2008 10:12PM
To #20: Your use of the term "retarded" is equally offensive and irresponsible, in my opinion.
To the larger discussion: For all the people in these comments who argue so vehemently that it our right to say whatever we want are inherently correct, but disgustingly irreverent of the purpose such a freedom was meant for. Society without conscience is a failure. Just because someone "can" do something does NOT mean they "should." I can curse and use coarse language in front of my children, but it doesn't mean I should.
I hate to see so many arguments supposedly in favor of "freedom" that aren't arguments for freedom as much as they are for ignorance.
It could be a myth, but according to a Google search for "Crazy American Laws," it's apparently perfectly legal for a resident of Arizona to beat his wife-- but only once a month. So, for the sake of argument, let's say this law is, in fact, legitimate and this is legal. Simply because someone COULD do such a terrible thing, does that mean that they SHOULD?
If you are making the argument that you should be able to do or say anything, again, I feel it's an argument for irresponsibility and not freedom. It should NOT be a right to inflict pain on someone else without having to give thought to it. It's selfish, it's ignorant, and it's ridiculous.
I'm grateful that Blizzard has something in its terms of service that allow the company to mandate against that type of ignorance, since people clearly cannot do so for themselves. (And I hope that every, single one of those teams is forced to change their names to something socially responsible.)
LuckyRollz May 13th 2008 10:20PM
To #20: Your use of the term "retarded" is equally offensive and irresponsible, in my opinion.
To the larger discussion: For all the people in these comments who argue so vehemently that it our right to say whatever we want are inherently correct, but disgustingly irreverent of the purpose such a freedom was meant for. Society without conscience is a failure. Just because someone "can" do something does NOT mean they "should." I can curse and use coarse language in front of my children, but it doesn't mean I should.
I hate to see so many arguments supposedly in favor of "freedom" that aren't arguments for freedom as much as they are for ignorance.
It could be a myth, but according to a Google search for "Crazy American Laws," it's apparently perfectly legal for a resident of Arizona to beat his wife-- but only once a month. So, for the sake of argument, let's say this law is, in fact, legitimate and this is legal. Simply because someone COULD do such a terrible thing, does that mean that they SHOULD?
If you are making the argument that you should be able to do or say anything, again, I feel it's an argument for irresponsibility and not freedom. It should NOT be a right to inflict pain on someone else without having to give thought to it. It's selfish, it's ignorant, and it's ridiculous.
I'm grateful that Blizzard has something in its terms of service that allow the company to mandate against that type of ignorance, since people clearly cannot do so for themselves. (And I hope that every, single one of those teams is forced to change their names to something socially responsible.)
RanWitScissorz May 13th 2008 3:08PM
Care Bears are so 80s.
Matt May 13th 2008 3:13PM
lets hope you fall on your scissors, and maybe get some maturity ftw?
RanWitScissorz May 13th 2008 3:21PM
As if telling someone to fall on scissors is mature.
People get to butt hurt over words that have no direction towards them or anyone they know, just so they can feel like they are standing up for a cause. It's the fact that we let these things bother us that perpetuates the problem.
Justin May 13th 2008 3:26PM
...and small-minded jerks are timeless.