Magic the Gathering - Depictions of Racism in Magic

[mouthmassage]

Magic the Gathering is about to be gutted. Whole swaths of cards, if not sets are going to be banned.

https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/news/depictions-racism-magic-2020-06-10

Invoke Prejudice, Cleanse, Stone-Throwing Devils, Pradesh Gypsies, Jihad, Imprison, and Crusade are now banned and images are removed from the website.

This is an extremely hot take on a very bad day-sleep deprived, nightmares, improperly caffeinated, driver tried to stage an collision where I would be at fault, leaks in my apartment, meeting with quarreling family, agitated physical conditions, and fuck ups at work.

I believe that "offensive" gets to be defined by oppressed, marginalized, exploited, persecuted, hunted, harassed, beaten and murdered people. Not anyone else.

That being said, I had to scour for several sources for explanations on why these cards are now banned from all play and images removed from official databases. One or two needed no explanation. I have not seen explanations for all of the cards. Most of the explanations were not from Wizards.com.

Stone-Throwing Devils still makes no sense to me. I have not seen an explanation on this one.

This reminds me of a time before I played Magic the Gathering (M:tG) that I've only seen alluded to in writings where references to demons, devils, devil worship, Satanism, and the occult were removed because of either objections by monotheistic religious types or questionable links to dangerous behavior by young players. (Dungeons and Dragons went through something similar) The writings I have seen are of the opinion that the actions of the company or previous incarnation of the company were heavy-handed, kinda silly, and possibly a people pleasing, cover your ass maneuver.

Most of the recently banned cards did need to go. However there is a notion of "cascading bans" in M:tG, where if X card is banned, then Y card must also be banned because it is similar. I'm afraid this is going to lead to any card referencing any real world culture, or word that has a different meaning or connotation IRL getting the axe. This includes cards with words like

dwarf (for people under average height)
possibly kithkin
witch
warlock
druid
shaman
faerie
leprachaun
Lucky Clover
Seance
All Hallow's Eve
Pentagram of the Ages
equinox
Gaea
rune
burning at the stake
slave
Illicit Auction
noose/hanging/gallows or similar
mob
loot
inquisitor
burnt offering (The Holocost)
church
basilica
cathedral
bishop
pilgrim
Forced March
savage
lunatic
crazed
insanity
madness
asylum
suicide
cripple
most of the Arabian Nights and The Dark sets
and maybe some of Conspiracy:Take the Crown

I don't completely disagree with this approach. I found the Innistrad sets to be a parody of Christianity. I thought the Ixalan sets were especially poorly thought-out and poorly timed (as was The Walking Dead season 7) The Ixalan sets were among the main reasons why I stopped buying M:tG product. (Which is why it takes such an especially angry and ranty day for me to actually write about a game where I'm only a spectator.)

Still, I like my fantasy close to reality. I've only read a few Stephen King books, I like when the supernatural is married to things like family disfunction, child abuse, substance use disorder, bullying, and harassment. (even when they are things that I have experienced) So I have mixed feelings about this. I'm trying hard to think of depiction of my heritage and physical characteristics which are untrue and would make me offended. I'm not going to come up with it today because today my brain is not equipped.

I hope this does not sound like a "You n yer political correctness are going to ru'n everything!" rant.

Please keep this an intelligent, civil thread aimed at educating and constructive debate. Please no trolling, flaming, name calling, "well duh", "obviously", "read a book", etc.

 

[tvstrip]

If we're banning all religious references, the majority of RPGs (incl JRPGs) are either going to be censored or banned.

Is there not a difference between referencing a religion and appropriating it?

And isn't Greek/Roman/Egyptian Mythology religion as well? At that point you're talking about a ban on practically every fantasy based game.
God of War? Assassin's Creed? Final Fantasy?
All gone.

Is this reasonable?

 

[mouthmassage]

I don't follow any other games, so I can't speak for them. I don't know if they've done anything similar to Magic the Gathering/Wizards of the Coast. They also own Dungeons & Dragons, so it would be reasonable to say that changes could occur there. I played some D&D in the 90s and 2000s. Nothing I came across was as glaringly offensive as some of the M:tG cards. But if M:tG starts to see cascading bans (for dwarves, polytheistic religions of Europe and Middle East, among others), I think it will happen in D&D too.

 

[FreeOnes_Adam]

If they want to make their game as much as a joke as Yu-Gi-Oh has become, this is how they start.

But, having a lot of insight into this side of the industry, this is only one of the stupid decisions they have been making since they stopped direct sales with stores.

 

[Little Red Wagon Repairman]

AW GEEZ!!!

 

[FreeOnes_Adam]

I hear they are gutting D&D too. It's 2020 but it might as well be the time of the pilgrims. Lucky for me, I outgrew D&D pretty quick. I like Savage Worlds, Genesys, and Mouse Guard.

 

[FreeOnes_Adam]

Now they are firing artists over this and politics. Told you, this is a shit show.

 

[tvstrip]

burnt offering (The Holocost)

People burn effigies all the time. How is this one related to the holocost?

 

[mouthmassage]

burnt offering (The Holocost)

People burn effigies all the time. How is this one related to the holocost?

I checked the origin of "holocaust" with one source. (In addition to seeing my misspelling) I was under the belief that "holocaust" translates into "burnt offering". It does not.

Also, the funny thing about offensive material is that it's subjective. Intent of the artist/creator has something to do with it but not completely. I was throwing out words and cards that people might find offensive. I'm probably wrong about this one.

 

[FreeOnes_Adam]

Burn all the Zelda 1 carts too because there's a manji sign for the 3rd dungeon.

 

[mouthmassage]

Burn all the Zelda 1 carts too because there's a manji sign for the 3rd dungeon.

oh fuck! I forgot about that! Nintendo might change that on future ports. Good one!

To be fair, that sign has different meanings in different cultures. It was appropriated by the wrong people. So Japanese game makers might not have caught it. They might have thought of it in its original meaning and not its appropriated meaning. Still, in Germany, that sign is censored in every context. It's not even allowed in a historical context. I don't know if they allow it for religious purposes. I don't know how The Legend of Zelda was handled in Germany in its original release.

Great point!

 

[tvstrip]

oh fuck! I forgot about that! Nintendo might change that on future ports. Good one!

To be fair, that sign has different meanings in different cultures. It was appropriated by the wrong people. So Japanese game makers might not have caught it. They might have thought of it in its original meaning and not its appropriated meaning. Still, in Germany, that sign is censored in every context. It's not even allowed in a historical context. I don't know if they allow it for religious purposes. I don't know how The Legend of Zelda was handled in Germany in its original release.

Great point!

First, the manji is not a swastika. The latter is in reverse and tilted on an angle. That might not sound like much, but there's a pretty big difference between a cross and an "X", or a E & 3. Manji is a legit religious symbol that predated Hitler by literally centuries, and you can still find it on Japanese maps for shines. I think it's kinda insulting to group them together.

I know Palpatine altered the Jedi mark (a religious symbol) into the empire insignia (sign of terror). I wonder if Lucas was making a connection there?

 

[tvstrip]

On a lighter note, a little something from my fav YT channel

 

[FreeOnes_Adam]

First, the manji is not a swastika.

You know that, I know that, and many others do. The problem is people bitching about shit for the sake of bitching. Negativity is in.

 

[tvstrip]

Also, the funny thing about offensive material is that it's subjective. Intent of the artist/creator has something to do with it but not completely. I was throwing out words and cards that people might find offensive. I'm probably wrong about this one.

Like how you didn't like that video? I thought you would appreciate it.

 

[lewdvrgames]

This makes me really sad. They should not have removed any cards at all in my opinion.