So I've decided it's time to talk about something of a dark nature that occasionally crops up in relation to our hobby: racism, Nazi fanbois, and the strange, unpleasant vibe that goes with them.
As I am honor-bound to keep the initial paragraph (or whatever passes for such in my posts) and choice of blogroll pic controversy-free, I'm gonna use this space to warn you now that I may use words, terminology and imagery that might be unpleasant for some. Please be advised that I am doing this not to generate page hits, clicks and comments, but to generate some discussion, as is my want.
Most folks that have ever read anything I've written know that's what I'm about- no judgement here, no hate.
So...after the 'page break thingy,' we'll get started.
Token goofy joke first...
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| *Let's begin by admitting Monsters are racist, shall we? And Aliens are stereotyped. Nyah* |
Oh, crap...did I just use the word 'token' in my opening paragraph?
I might as well have said 'you people,' huh?
-_-
See?
Already it's getting weird...one single paragraph (or whatever) in.
Sigh...
This is what happens when the subjects of racism and hate are raised.
Maybe I should lay a few things about myself on the table first, and we'll go from there.
- I'm a white guy of basically French descent that lives in the Bronx, NYC.
My neighborhood is very ethnically mixed, and the majority of people that live here are non-white.
We don't call non-whites 'minorities' here, because they're not.
*shrug*
- I have no difficulties with anybody. You'd be forced to live in a small, lonely cube in NYC if you didn't want to rub elbows with folks who don't look like you (have you seen the subways at rush hour? Sheesh!). If you're unliked here, it's probably because you're a jerk, not because of what color you are, what religion you subscribe to, etc.
- In my lifetime, I have never owned slaves, stolen land from anybody, or tried to eliminate any particular race of people. I have never oppressed anyone, either. Nor do I particularly care who does what in their bedrooms. So if you're going to use these points as the basis of your anger, please do.
Remember to lead with, 'you people,' ok?
Blah.
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| *Somewhere, a Terran Female is angry they're not calling themselves 'Klanspeople'* |
The particular reason I'm thinking about this subject is that I've had a couple of kinda off-putting moments while interacting with some hobbyists and gamer types.
Like this one:
'Hey buddy, you know how 40k has no minorities in it, right?'
*pause*
'Yeah, the future sure looks bright, huh?'
Sigh @ old Jetsons jokes recycled for use in 40k.
:P
Well, now, this person might not know that my stepson is Latino, and that future doesn't sound cool to me at all. But whatevs, it's a joke, right? Chances are the person is just joking...
...
...and right here the discussion can very well get thrown off-track, can't it?
I'm not here to discuss 'racial humor,' thankfully.
I've already lost that argument, after all...I'm French.
;)
I'm not gonna try and guess why no one really ever sees black Space Marines, or even pretend to care.
That's just looking for an argument that really isn't there, I think
I don't really feel like pointing a finger at everyone who ever painted a Space Marine, and accusing them of harboring racist thoughts because they didn't paint their lil' dudes in a politically correct manner that properly represents...whatever.
The 40k Universe is rife with all sorts of phobic nonsense, and besides that, it's fictional. We can project whatever we want onto it. That's actually one of the cooler things about 40k as a whole, in my opinion.
A case could be made regarding the lack of variety amongst the Space Marines, I suppose, and an interesting discussion could very well result.
And hey, that's cool...
Unfortunately, nobody will ever be able to convince me that the world would be better off if Nazi Germany had prevailed in World War II. That's just crazy talk, right?
Not to some people, unfortunately.
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| *Seriously? This sounds like a good idea to you? Ok, officially disturbed now* |
Since I'm French, I should technically be mad at the Nazis, I suppose. My great granny arrived on American shores just prior to the outbreak of WWII because she was fleeing them. Her parents, who put her on that boat, subsequently disappeared in the carnage that swept Europe in the years following.
I say 'disappeared,' and not 'died,' or 'were killed,' because she never found out what happened to them.
...yeah, how crazy is that?
Safe to say she hated the Nazis.
She wasn't the type to wildly wave a cane and rant about it, however. She was a quiet, dignified woman who preferred not to discuss such things casually. One does not discuss genuine 'hate' casually, after all.
I never even heard her story directly from her, in fact. I was too young, and my great granny, bless her, passed away many years before I heard her tale from my mother.
Needless to say, it was harrowing, and she was quite a brave soul.
My great granny was awesome, and I am so thankful I got to know her.
Rest in Peace, Emily. I miss you.
Ultimately, though, the Nazis got theirs, didn't they?
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| *The French had rock, which didn't help in this situation....dammit!* |
Now, if anyone wants to discuss this, in a historical sense, I'm cool with that.
I can and will talk WWII all day long. I even hold some admiration for many of the German soldiers that fought in that conflict.
Michael Wittmann was a heck of a Tank Ace. Michael Wittmann was also a member of the Waffen SS.
These many years later, is it ok to recognize his actions in the war as 'heroic,' or is he a bad guy who killed a bunch of Allied soldiers?
Depends on who you ask, I suppose, but I'm willing to discuss it.
Regardless- I've got a 15mm Flames of War model that represents him, in his Tiger Tank.
I so love Tiger Tanks. We could surely discuss those.
I'm currently reading a Stackpole Military Book called Panzer Aces. Censors apparently removed all the Nazi insignias from the portraits of many of the soldiers featured in the book following the war. That's...interesting. I don't approve of censorship. We could discuss that, too.
Now, it's gonna be hard to for me to take these discussions seriously if a few minutes previously you were joking about sending the Gestapo to my house, bearing yellow Stars of David for me and my family to wear.
:P
I get a lil' freaked out when some random dude playing Flames of War a few tables down from me is loudly and proudly running a SS list, and shouting 'dirty Jew' at his opponent.
Whoah.
I wonder if I put my foot in it, when I was trying to sway random members of my gaming club to play FoW and join me as an Axis player and one guy goes, 'I could never play Germans.'
Now I knew what was coming, but I still asked why.
'Because I'm Jewish.'
...I have no answer to that. Literally answerless, me.
When a dark, brooding gentleman with swastikas on every tank starts talking about Hitler in an obviously admiring tone, how do I weasel outta that conversation when I'm stuck playing a two hour game with them due to a lack of Allied players in the immediate vicinity?
What do you say to the guy who makes a bunch of copies of this (pic below), and puts 'em up all over the place, or the gamestore management that allows it? Or the guy that takes one down and tapes it to the genuine German Wehrmacht helmet he bought to play in the day's event?
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| *Oh...I see what you did there -_-* |
Look, I'm a reasonable guy an' all. I'm trying really hard here....to, y'know, remain reasonable....
But having seen all of the above listed nonsense firsthand, I'm struggling.
When I first started playing Flames of War, I had this sneaking suspicion that it might act as as a sort of 'safe zone' for people who, for lack of a better term, are Nazi sympathizers. Here was a game they could come and play, and not just have the opportunity to push around lil' models representing actual Nazis.
More than that, you can proudly display your allegiance. Like, out loud.
You can put Nazi symbols on your army bag, integrate them into your modeling, etc. Swastikas for everyone!
You can wear the gear, talk the talk, etc.
And if anyone casts a disparaging glance, you can say you're 'playing a historical game.'
How...terribly convenient.
I can genuinely say that has not proven to be the case. By far the vast majority of the people I've met playing Flames of War have been cool.
I suppose this game attracts no more, and no less, of...those people than does any other 'thing' out there...that has Nazis in it...maybe?.
There's plenty of those types on XBox Live, I know that for sure. Lots of them in the dark, creepy corners of the internet, as well.
Sigh @ my use of the term 'those people,' huh?
I mean, when the company that makes the game posts an image like this (pic below), and clearly has zero issues doing so, I start to wonder why I'm feeling uncomfortable.
.jpg) | |
| *Is it just me, maybe?* |
If Battlefront themselves has no problems putting this pic up on their website, why am I a bit taken aback seeing it?
Why am I hoping that the little handkerchief is a treasured piece of memorabilia, and not home-made?
-_-
Why is this bugging me?
Is it all just jokes, and maybe the occasional dark, hateful soul? Am I overreacting?
I never said anything to the guy with the Hitler meme on his head, or the guy that was yelling slurs, or the guy that idolized the Third Reich, despite how I felt. Maybe that's it?
I knew I wasn't cool with what was going on. When I talked to a passing store employee in one of these cases, he laughed it off.
So...yeah. Whatevs, right?
On the way home from a tournament one time, I asked the Ultimate Rival what he thought of these shenanigans.
'Man, I dunno. Those guys are assholes.'
He does have a way with words.
:)
Until next time, folks- Exit with catchphrase!
-SinSynn
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