Haitian-Americans file lawsuit to stop sales of Grand Theft Auto Vice City.

Sun Sentinel ^ | 12/29/03 | C. Ron Allen

[Pikamax]

Haitian-Americans file lawsuit to stop sales of controversial video game

By C. Ron Allen Staff Writer

December 24, 2003

Haitian-Americans protesting a controversial video game asked a judge on Tuesday to halt its sale and distribution.

The suit, filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court, alleges that Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, is violent and racist because characters call for the killing of Haitians and other ethnic groups the game portrays as thugs, thieves and drug dealers.

"To see Haitians portrayed in this fashion, they've really reached a new low with these video games," attorney Barry Silver, who filed the suit, said at a news conference. "It's bad enough that they've targeted other people for execution, but now they're doing so based on their ethnic backgrounds and singling out Haitians and Cubans."

The suit names the producer of the game, Rockstar Games; its parent company, Take-Two Interactive Software; Target Corp.; Wal-Mart Stores; Best Buy Co.; Sony Computer Entertainment; and Microsoft Corp. as defendants.

Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive Software have apologized for any offense in the game and said objectionable content would be removed from future versions. Officials of Rockstar Games and Take-Two could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

With an estimated 11 million copies of the game sold since 2002, retailers say they will continue selling it until a revised version is released.

[Pikamax]

oops.. the date is actually the 24th. can a Mod change the date? thanks

[xrp]

I better hurry up and buy my copy for Xbox, then.

[joesnuffy]

Yeah they should get rid of the Haitians there is a much more appropriate group to
get our kids used to shooting ...imo

[RabidBartender]

Yeah, because we know how peace-loving, law-abiding, and tranquil Haitian history has been.

President & Year(s) in Office (Notes about term)
Jean Jacques Dessalines 1804 - 1806 (assassinated)
Henri Christophe 1807 - 1820 (suicide )
Alexander Petion 1807 - 1818 (died in office)
Jean Pierre Boyer 1818 - 1843 (overthrown)
Riviere Riviere-Herard 1843 - 1844 (overthrown)
Philippe Guerrier 1844 - 1845 (died in office)
Jean Louis Pierrot 1845 - 1846 (overthrown)
Jean Baptiste Riche 1847 - 1847 (died in office)
Faustin Soulouque 1847 - 1859 (overthrown)
Fabre Nicholas Geffrard 1859 - 1867 (overthrown)
Sylvain Salnave 1867 - 1869 (executed)
Saget Nissage 1870 - 1874 (full term - YAY!)
Michel Domingue 1874 - 1876 (overthrown)
Canal Boisrond 1876 - 1879 (overthrown)
Lysius Felicite Salomon 1879 - 1888 (overthrown)
Francois Legitime 1888 - 1889 (overthrown)
Florvil Hyppolite 1889 - 1896 (died in office)
Tiresias Simon Sam 1896 - 1902 (full term)
Alexis Nord 1902 - 1908 (overthrown)
Antoine Simon 1908 - 1911 (overthrown)
Cincinnatus Leconte 1911 - 1912 (died in office)
Tancrede Auguste 1912 - 1913 (died in office)
Michel Oreste 1913 - 1914 (overthrown)
Oreste Zamor 1914 (overthrown)
Davilmar Theodore 1914 - 1915 (overthrown)
Vilbrun Sam 1915 (assassinated)
Sudre Dartiguevave 1915 - 1922 (full term) (1st US Occupation)
Louis Borno 1922 - 1930 (full term) (1st US Occupation
Eugene Roy 1930 (full term) (1st US occupation)
Sternio Vincent 1930 - 1941 (full term) (occupation until 1934)
Élie Lescot 1941 - 1946 (overthrown)
Franck Lavaud 1946
Dumarsais Estimé 1946 - 1950 (overthrown)
Paul Eugène Magloire 1950 - 1956 (overthrown)
Joseph Nemours Pierre-Louis (1956 - 1957)
Franck Sylvain 1957
Executive Government Council 1957
Antonio Thrasybule Kebreau 1957
François Duvalier 1957 - 1971 "Papa Doc" (died in office)
Jean-Claude Duvalier 1971 - 1986 "Baby Doc" (overthrown)
Henri Namphy 1986 - 1987 (full term)
Lesli Manigat 1988 (overthrown)
Henri Namphy 1988 - 1989 (overthrown)
Prosper Avril 1989 - 1990 (overthrown)
Etha Pascal-Trouillot 1990 - 1991 (full term)
Jean-Bertrand Aristide 1991
Joseph Nerette 1991 - 1992
Marc Bazin 1992 - 1993
Jean-Bertrand Aristide 1993 - 1994
Émile Jonassaint 1994
Jean-Bertrand Aristide 1994 - 1996
Rene Preval 1996 - 2000 (full term)
Jean-Bertrand Aristide 2000 -

[AntiKev]

This is so stupid. It's a GAME folks. Although I agree that it is because some people have difficulty differentiating the virtual world from the real world that we have these issues to begin with, I still say it's just a game.

Maybe if people could stop "living in a dream world" (to quote the Matrix) we wouldn't have frivolous law suits like this. Wait a second, isn't there some law against filing firvolous law suits? Isn't there something that wouldn't waste the court's time?

[Textide]

It's a good game with valuable lessons. I learned while playing that if I were to accidentally run over a Haitian in 1980's Miami, his fellow gang-members would start shooting at me.

[AntiKev]

"I learned while playing that if I were to accidentally run over a Haitian in 1980's Miami, his fellow gang-members would start shooting at me."

Exactly! I'm glad Freepers have a better sense of humour than the majority of people.

I mean let's be serious here folks. Video games help people relax, different people have different taste in games. I'm sorry if you don't like the games i like to play, you don't have to sue the company...just don't freaking buy them. Boycott them like civilized folk.

I'm starting to wonder if this thread deserves a Just Damn ping, or is it not that outrageous?

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Well, maybe they can make a game called "necklacing." It's when burning tires are placed around people's necks.

[Cultural Jihad]

In the future, all movies and video games should show all people as gray, so as to not offend any particular professional victims ...

[RandallFlagg]

In the future, all movies and video games should show all people as gray, so as to not offend any particular professional victims ...


**shudder**

I can't wait for them to go after Doom III.

"Depicting the murders of demons and devils are too traumatizing for children!"

[John H K]

To be fair, at other times you're instructed to "Kill all the Cubans" in the game, too.