Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

[Feb 03, 2013, 1:58 pm ET] - Share - Viewing Comments

Kotaku has a running summary of an discussion taking place over twitter over whether the Tiny Tina character in Borderlands 2 is racist, based on the white character's use of clichéd African-American slang. Some have expressed the opinion that this is "verbal blackface," and after originally resisting, lead writer Anthony Burch moved on to try to expand the discussion to see if he needed to re-work the character's dialog in future releases. Randy Pitchford's take on this is that it's not racist as long as it was not written by a racist: "@reverendanthony tina is not racist because you are not racist. You're a pillar of tolerance and inclusion." Thanks nin.

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20.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:58

007Bistromath

Having been poor and around poor people pretty much forever, I can say with certainty that this isn't at all racist. Tiny Tina doesn't talk like a black girl, she talks like a poor girl. The underlying problem is the overlap between those in the real world.

19.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:51

Cutter

You can chop down the tree but the roots run pretty deep. We're all bigots and racists it's merely a question of degrees. Fear of the unknown/different is a survival trait.




"Are you crazy? Is that your problem?" - Jack Burton

18.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:50

Bhruic

You know what I think is racist? Suggesting there's such a thing as "cliched African-American slang" (not accusing Blue, just the people making the argument). If they'd stop assuming that's how black people talk, then maybe they stop being so damn offended when non-black people talk like that. Fuck, if they are going to be this idiotic, why not go after Eminem? Damn white guy stealing black people's music! Here's a tip you idiotic "I see racist people!" motherfuckers... Just because a certain portion of one type of people do something doesn't make it racist if a non-"type" person does it too. Stop trying to be fucking offended by everything!

17.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:50

fightinfilipino

MajorD wrote on Feb 3, 2013, 13:43: Please!! Does 'Tiny Tina' offend midgets too…….or should I say 'Height Challenged' people? While on the subject; I never understood, and still don't, why it is considered derogatory to call somebody from the ‘Orient’ an ‘Oriental’. ‘Asian’ encompasses people from Afghanistan to Yemen. From what I’ve been told and understand, it is only in North America that calling some an ‘Oriental’ is considered derogatory. //shakes head In fifty years we’ll all have vaginas!!! the term "oriental" has traditionally been used in only two ways: 1) to refer to objects, not sentient people, and 2) in a historically-derogatory manner (implying in the old colonial sense some kind of superiority over Asian people) as for your "vaginas" comment, erm, what?

16.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:49

qsto

Only a very entitled and self-righteous American upper middle-class white kid can say shit like this with a perfectly straight face. Your country makes me sick in so many ways, it's not even funny anymore.

15.

Re: More Big Picture Details

Feb 3, 2013, 13:49

The Half Elf

But if Tina was black it would be ok, just like it would be ok for me to call other gays faggots? (which I don't unless they are flaming faggots, in which case I just beat them with their own purses and stab them in the eyes with their overpriced shoes they bought after watching a episode of Sex in the City, but that's another story)... goes off to watch Louis CK describing a Cinnabon as a fat faggot treat and isn't offended in the least bit

14.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:47

WyldKat

So... some people with white guilt bitched about Tiny Tina's portrayal as being racist because of how she talks, meanwhile they are all actually being racist by insinuating that all black people talk like Tiny Tina... Ok.

13.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:43

MajorD

Please!! Does 'Tiny Tina' offend midgets too…….or should I say 'Height Challenged' people?

While on the subject; I never understood, and still don't, why it is considered derogatory to call somebody from the ‘Orient’ an ‘Oriental’. ‘Asian’ encompasses people from Afghanistan to Yemen. From what I’ve been told and understand, it is only in North America that calling some an ‘Oriental’ is considered derogatory. //shakes head

In fifty years we’ll all have vaginas!!!




http://www.youtube.com/user/M4jorDICK

12.

Re: More Big Picture Details

Feb 3, 2013, 13:41

HorrorScope

Question TV and Hollywood first, then we'll get to inappropriate dialog in games.

11.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:34

Quboid

PHJF wrote on Feb 3, 2013, 13:23:
Tina was raised by Roland. Roland is black. Ergo, Tina displays black tendencies.

Problem solved!

But they're not actual black tendencies (an odd phrase), it's racist stereotyping of black culture! That's the problem! (Or not, if you're sane.)




- Quboid

10.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:28

nin

xXBatmanXx wrote on Feb 3, 2013, 13:07:
wow...really?

Pretty much my comment to Blue. And why now, 6 months after the game came out?




RollinThundr Apr 17, 2013, 12:25: Eh really tossing stuff like that in there only to get your panties all bunched up. If you really want to call that trolling sure. Mr. Tact Apr 17, 2013, 12:33: Pretty sure that's the definition of trolling...

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:26

Agent.X7

I met white people in the south that used all the gangster rap slang and listened to gangster rap and hated black people.

Someone always wants to scream racism because they want attention. Usually the people screaming racism the loudest are the racists.




Seven Star Gaming - Sayre, PA

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:23

PHJF

Tina was raised by Roland. Roland is black. Ergo, Tina displays black tendencies.

Problem solved!




Steam + PSN: PHJF

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:23

El Pit

Racism is bad, but this... REALLY?! Guys, if you really want to fight racism, there are much, MUCh worse cases that deserve your time. BL2 ain't so bad, brutha!




Consoles? I owned two: a Pong clone and an Atari 2600. And that's it.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:22

born2expire

racist? no most annoying game character ever? yes

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:16

Alamar

heh... If people think that's racist, I wonder what would be going on if Tiny Tina was 'black'... -Alamar

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:13

Saboth

If you have to ask, then no. Are there white people that use cliched slang? Yes. End of story.

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:07

xXBatmanXx

wow...really?




In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem. / Few men have virtue enough to withstand the highest bidder. Playing: RL

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:06

Quboid

Some people love nothing more than to be offended. I think they just want suckle on the sweet nipple of faux moral superiority.

IMHO, you have to be, well, perhaps not racist, but very misguided to consider that racist. Like you are projecting your own repressed bias on to the script.

I could only bear to play a few levels of BL2 but it was clear they were piling in every stereotype and cliche they could find. It's like South Park, it's not discrimination if you take the piss out of everyone and that barely counts as taking the piss at all.




- Quboid

Re: Borderlands 2 Racism Discussion

Feb 3, 2013, 13:04

Omni

Major gaming news. I still like you blue even tho its not my favorite colour.

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