Ethnic Cleansing: Wired Chimes In

February 21, 2002 5:19 PM

Ethnic Cleansing: Wired Chimes In "We want people to recognize we're average people," Hale said. "If we can influence video games and entertainment, it will make people understand we are their friends and neighbors.... As long as it doesn't denigrate white people or have pornography in it, it's OK with us."
posted by tpoh.org (21 comments total)

I'm not trying to prolong this or anything, I just found it interesting that Wired ran an article on this four days after my initial post, and I thought I'd pass it along.

The creator of the open-source engine used in this game has issued a statement.

And while we're at it, I guess we should thank Wired for helping spread the hate. </sarcasm>
posted by tpoh.org at 5:26 PM on February 21, 2002

Even though it's open-source, isn't it possible that the owners of the license can stipulate in their agreement that their free product not be used to promote hate?

And while we're at it, I guess we should thank Wired for helping spread the hate.

Yeah, but seriously, what's more effective, ignoring this and letting it grow into some huge underground activity, or openly exposing it and attacking it?
posted by insomnyuk at 5:32 PM on February 21, 2002

I'm pretty sure open-source means open-source. I would think that if it was legal to restrict open-source usage, we'd have heard of it by now.

Does anyone else think that an enemy yelling "oy vey" when killed is kinda funny? I know it's horrible, and it's not really funny, but it reminded me of Wolfenstein 3D.
posted by Yelling At Nothing at 5:35 PM on February 21, 2002

Liebfraumilch!

U to use
posted by vito90 at 5:58 PM on February 21, 2002

I would think that if it was legal to restrict open-source usage, we'd have heard of it by now.

Of course it is. "Open source" is not the same as "public domain." It's just a license agreement, and barring certain provisions that courts would probably throw out ("by using this software you agree to be our slave in perpetuity"), you can put anything you want in a license agreement. See, for example, the various varieties of open-source license, ranging from the GPL to Netscape's, BSD's, and Apple's.
posted by kindall at 6:04 PM on February 21, 2002

I've got the idea for the next hate game:

Christianity vs. the Civilized World

Christians slay non-believers with various religious techniques. Starting with laying hands on the enemy, progressing to thumping the opponent with a bible, then finally cramming the bible down their throats. Power-ups could be the Communal wine and cracker (representing the flesh and blood of christ)

Higher level weapons could be the Wrath of God, the Ark of the Covenant, and finally the electric chair.

The lower level bad guys could resemble any of the following stereotypes: gays, lesbians, liberals, athiests, buddists, pornographers (they'd hafta look extra sleazy), artists, the French, ... I guess just about everybody.

Bosses they have to kill could be any number of enemies of the faith: Darwin, Galileo, Abortion Doctors (their defense could be fetus chucking), J. K. Rowling, Gene Simmons, the old lady from the "where's the beef" commercials, and, (of course) Lucifer (a three headed monster chewing on Judas Iscariot, Brutus, and Bill Clinton).
posted by tcobretti at 6:04 PM on February 21, 2002

according to the definition of open source, for a program or library to qualify as "open source" it "must not restrict anyone from making use of the program in a specific field of endeavor. For example, it may not restrict the program from being used in a business, or from being used for genetic research."
posted by moz at 6:04 PM on February 21, 2002

Ok I've heard the term "oy vey" before, but what exactly does it mean?

Since I'm a not kosher gentile, what would I say in place of oy vey?
posted by Keen at 6:16 PM on February 21, 2002

Thanks for the laughs, tcobretti.

Since I'm a not kosher gentile, what would I say in place of oy vey?

May I suggest "Christ on a cracker"? It's been a fave of mine for a while.
posted by Optamystic at 6:19 PM on February 21, 2002

Christianity vs. the Civilized World

Troll.
posted by MrBaliHai at 6:22 PM on February 21, 2002

More about 'Oy Vey' than you ever wanted to know.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 6:23 PM on February 21, 2002

ah, i love being stereotyped as a non-believer hater, just because i'm a christian.. 'cause you know.. that just makes sense.

most. mature. ever.
posted by lotsofno at 6:48 PM on February 21, 2002

kindall: "Open Source" has a specific definition that product licenses need to meet in order to be considered "Open Source", according to the OSI (Open Source Initiative). One of those requirements is that the license must apply to everyone, regardless of the intent of their usage. An example given was genetic research.

Restricting code based on what you deem 'appropriate' would create quite a nightmare in the code sharing world, as different people disallowed certain groups and the code was taken and reused in other projects...

"Open" source means open to everyone, whether you like them or not.
posted by delmoi at 6:53 PM on February 21, 2002

ah, i love being stereotyped as a non-believer hater, just because i'm a christian.. 'cause you know.. that just makes sense.

It was a joke. Does anybody remember laughter?
posted by Optamystic at 6:56 PM on February 21, 2002

What's so goddamned funny??
I can't find the goddamned switch which opens the second to last door of the compound in level eight.
I think I saw it down in the hall (the one which you see through the star of david window at the start, which you can smash and jump on to get the shells).
I know if you take the "sewers" or whatever and get the two aryan brotherhood powerups you can get into the hall, but when I tried doing that the first time I ran into the demons trying to break a bottle in a felt bag on the ground, and then Jackie Robinson (sub boss one, who according to the walkthrough isn't supposed to even show up until level 12) and THEN the fucking Rabbi Gaurdian.
Who the hell designed this level?? I had to do the eight storey menorah jumping puzzle four times before I was lucky enough to grab the noose on the way down from the fourth one.

On a related note, maybe the kids who play this can have a multiplayer tourney with the staff at the ADL or something. Settle this once and for all in a safe forum.
posted by Settle at 7:13 PM on February 21, 2002

It was a joke. Does anybody remember laughter?

Jeez, Optamystic, this is metafilter. So innocent, so naive...
posted by Neale at 7:19 PM on February 21, 2002

Should Wired News pay a fee for this site setting up stories for them? It seems like there is at least one story a month that is uncovered here, and ends up there.
posted by mathowie at 8:59 PM on February 21, 2002

(I'm only half-serious, by the way)
posted by mathowie at 9:56 PM on February 21, 2002

oddly, I'm agreeing in full to your half seriousness. :-)
posted by dabitch at 5:33 AM on February 22, 2002

I've got the idea for the next hate game:
Christianity vs. the Civilized World

It already exists. It's called Catechumen. It's a "non-violent first person shooter." You play a Christian in Rome during the reign of Nero (the Civilized World) and (I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP) you zap people with the Sword of the Spirit until they fall to their knees in prayerful repentance as a light shines down from the heavens and a snippet of the Hallelujah Chorus is heard. Coincidentally, it also uses the Genesis3D engine.

Old Man Murray's interview with the creators of Catechumen is one of the funniest things I've ever read (not for the easily offended). See the answers to questions like these:

Erik: One of the hottest trends in shooters is the ability to target specific body parts. Instead of killing people, Catechumen has you converting them with swords that shoot the word of God. Does your engine support intra-model targeting? For instance, can I convert just the legs of a Roman soldier so that he starts running to church while his torso is still poking me with a spear? Cause that'd be wicked.

Erik: This is a two part question. The first part is about video cards, the second part deals with abortion.
posted by straight at 5:50 AM on February 22, 2002

Wired must think MetaFilter is some kind of Open Source story finder...
posted by StOne at 9:38 AM on February 22, 2002