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gta iv, joint council for the welfare of immigrantsImmigration body criticises GTA IV

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Welfare regulator says Eastern European protagonist “plays on untrue stereotypes”

The Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants has hit out at Rockstar for basing GTA IV’s gang activity around Eastern European immigrants.

The main protagonist in the title, Niko Bellic, is an Eastern European immigrant in the US.

The JCWI has told The Times that it disagrees with a Balkan being portrayed as being involved in a criminal underworld – and that the game could even make ‘life hard’ for real-life Eastern European immigrants.

Trolltech


A spokesman said: “The figures show that East European immigrants are not proportionately responsible for any increase in crime. This plays on untrue stereotypes.”

The JCWI is an independent national voluntary organisation that says it ‘campaigns for justice and combating racism in immigration and asylum law and policy’.

1
 

“What?”
Posted by: Pantythief - Apr 28, 12:48pm

What I want to know is where did the JCWI get their copy of the game from prior to release?

;)

Apologies if I've offended anyone with that question....


2
 

“stereotypes”
Posted by: Rash - Apr 28, 12:52pm

No bodies suggesting the game is playing to stereotypes. Was the storyline in Eastern Promises based on stereotypes? Further ill informed and misguided criticism from those that should really be doing more constructive things with their time.


3
 

“Re: stereotypes”
Posted: Apr 28, 1:10pm

Does anyone else see the irony of a gamer telling anyone to 'be doing more constructive things with their time'?


4
 

“Political Correctness”
Posted by: Bruceongames - Apr 28, 1:12pm

You can see why so many games have aliens as the baddies. At least it gets all the potential oppressed victims off your back. Women, non whites, members of any religion, labour cabinet ministers etc.


5
 

“Re: Political Correctness”
Posted by: timrojaz - Apr 28, 1:14pm

Problem is what happens if aliens turn up and they start getting royally p****ed with stereotypes and start complaining.

Who we gonna shoot then?


6
 

“Re: Political Correctness”
Posted by: Damo - Apr 28, 1:22pm

The Die Hard films portrayed German people as baddies, but you don't hear anyone moaning about that!

We are not all as stupid as the JCWI make us out to be and I think that we can tell the difference between computer game stereotypes and reality thank you very much.


7
 

“Re: Political Correctness”
Posted by: Retailer X - Apr 28, 1:28pm

If I remember right, the black lobby didn't get in a fuss over the use of a black protagonist in San Andreas... or did they? I can understand the concerns but it is still a little bit reactionary.


8
 

“Re: Political Correctness”
Posted by: Big Dave Shoeshop - Apr 28, 2:31pm

I assume these people were also concerned about the recent Borat 'documentry'...


9
 

“Re: Political Correctness”
Posted by: SiPie - Apr 28, 2:37pm

I think it's unfair for them to be suggesting that there is in no way a possibility that a Balkan would get involved in crime. Surely statistically there are a few involved in criminal activity. You can't categorically state that any percentage of any ethnicity isn't involved in crime. I mean, we have a term "illegal immigrants". Surely THAT says something?!
And depending how far into things you look, are they therefore suggesting that seeing as Eastern Europeans aren't involved in any crime at all that all the criminals in New York are US citizens? How far is this supposed to go?! Black people have traditionally got a hard time so don't go calling them criminals even if they are? White guys have had it pretty easy so let's blame every single one of them?! You gotta blame someone...


10
 

“Swan killing”
Posted by: Dan - Apr 28, 2:52pm

I did think this was a rubbish story but after play my copy from Game ive found a cheat that lets you kill and eat a swan! first they take all the jobs now we cant even play a game! LOL

The cheat is circle circle on the D pad then A,B,C keys


11
 

“It's true and realistic.”
Posted by: Zed Zee - Apr 28, 3:58pm

No one can deny that things like the Russian Mafia, credit card fraud, cheap labour for prostitution have all recently been stories in the news about people from Eastern Europe.

But then, before this current wave was a focus on other 'groups'; Jamaicans with drugs, Italians for Mafiosi, Arabs as terrorists etc.

GTA is just simply reflecting extremes of life, nothing more. That's not to say ALL people from these ethnic backgrounds are criminals, prostitutes etc. But you can't base a GTA game on a guy from Poland who moves over to London, becomes a brick-layer and sends money home to his family. GTA is based on extremes of life and criminals and characters caught up in the violence.

It is one sided but that's just how the game is...It's not about a nice picnic in Central Park on a Sunday with the wife and children, afterall.


12
 

“Re: It's true and realistic.”
Posted by: churlish - Apr 28, 5:12pm

Well that settles it I'm packing up the kids and moving to eastern Europe, apparently its a crime free utopia. If an immigrant is playing the game do you think they just have Niko walk around buying hats?


13
 

“Re: It's true and realistic.”
Posted: Apr 28, 5:14pm

The truth hurts eh?

Bloody annoys this, as these hippie-vegan-tree-hugging-PC brigade companies are usually funded by us tax-payers and fuel our Nanny State.


14
 

“Re: It'z true and realistik.”
Posted by: cossack - Apr 29, 12:55pm

So, if only one Eastern European out of all the otherGTA protagonists is involved in crime - surely that goes against the 'stereotype' that is being suggested? I'd say that's pretty good really. It's more offensive they made him look like a caveman if you ask me.


15
 

“Re: It'z true and realistik.”
Posted by: LeeC - Apr 30, 10:41am

Someone should tell the JCWI that we don't actually give a damn what they like or dislike.

Fact is, immigrants, European or otherwise are involved in crime, you only have to watch the news.

Perhaps as a service, the JCWI can arrange plane tickets for all the immigrants, to takethem all back to their "safer" countries, away from all this crime. Then we can have all the jobs, houses and benefits back that these "law abiding" people are taking off the people who should be entitled to them.


16
 

“Re: For goodness sake!!!”
Posted by: Peter - May 5, 9:11am

Why is it that if you use anything other than white caucasian as a character in a game with some violence or anything else slightly controversial somebody gets up in arms about it. Please get a grip on reality. In real life it doesn't matter what colour or race you are. Their race or life situation aside, there are and always will be people in the world who are criminals etc. Go and write about something we haven't heard over and over again please...........


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