'Resident Evil 5' Trailer - Racist Or Not?

After watching the ‘Resident Evil 5’ trailer shown in class I think the video sparked some interesting thoughts about the way we approach issues of race in videogames (and in general, perhaps). In my opinion, I can definitely see both sides of the argument – the way it can be seen as BOTH racist and non-racist.

On the one hand, it seems more than anything, the historical connotations and the overall context of the trailer is what made it so racist. This is what makes it so difficult to watch. As Kevin mentioned in the lecture, I think the way the white man is depicted in relation to the black people tends to create this inequality and racial degradation. It tends to draw on historical issues, and for many people this trailer is probably too heavily tied up with horrible events that we experienced many years ago. In a way, it digs up racial issues which we’ve been trying to eradicate for centuries.

HOWEVER...

On the other hand, I can see why the producers (and other people) argued the game was not racist. The question is: had these masses of black people been WHITE would there be as much controversy surrounding it? Probably not.

It seems then, as soon as we see a mass of black people being assaulted by a white man it becomes too painful to watch – even if it is only a game, and even if these black people are meant to be zombies. If they were white zombies would we even care? Probably not – it would probably be fine.

So why is it that when we see these black people being assaulted by a single white man it is so horribly racist? It seems when a bunch of black people are grouped together in battle with a white person they are seen as others – but why can’t they just be a group of people?
In a way, then, I can kind of see WHY the producers of this game argued that they didn’t see it as racist. The game is set in Africa, where there are black people, these black people happened to become zombies, and they were being killed (just like in any other Resident Evil game – the main character was just protecting himself from these zombies!).

However, don’t get me wrong, I can definitely see the other side of the argument. I can see how the historical links make it racially controversial. Yet, I do think this should be the ONLY reason it should be seen as racist.

Or perhaps it really was racist in other ways, and I’m just unable to see what the fuss was about.
Anyway, that’s just my opinion on the matter.