Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#1

Post by shaneramey » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 5:58 PM UTC

Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag
ultimategeneral.com

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#2

Post by PaulHoule » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:02 PM UTC

This seems stupid to me.

It is one thing for a state government to fly that flag, it is a different thing for a private individual. (i.e. it is different when the police kill people and held unaccountable then when it is some nutjob.)

I think games, documentaries and such are not showing the flag to be racist.

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#3

Post by beamatronic » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:10 PM UTC

"Spielberg’s "Schindler's List" did not try to amend his movie to look more comfortable. The historical "Gettysburg" movie (1993) is still on iTunes."

It seems Apple has started down a slippery slope. Will they now remove any movie from iTunes that contains the image of a Confederate flag anywhere in the movie?

It begs the question, is there any "fair use" of a Confederate flag, anywhere? Or is it now fully taboo? If so, was this way overdue?

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#4

Post by ryanobjc » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:13 PM UTC

beamatronic wrote: post #3

"Spielberg’s "Schindler's List" did not try to amend his movie to look more comfortable. The historical "Gettysburg" movie (1993) is still on iTunes." It seems Apple has started down a slippery slope. Will they now remove any movie from iTunes that contains the image of a Confederate flag anywhere in the movie? It begs the question, is there any "fair use" of a Confederate flag, anywhere? Or is it now fully taboo? If…

This is really not unlike banning the nazi flag post WWII germany. The parallels are apt.

Perhaps in time, the flag will lose its emotional charge but that isn't the case now.

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#5

Post by ryanobjc » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:14 PM UTC

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

This seems stupid to me. It is one thing for a state government to fly that flag, it is a different thing for a private individual. (i.e. it is different when the police kill people and held unaccountable then when it is some nutjob.) I think games, documentaries and such are not showing the flag to be racist.

While YOU may not see the flag as a racist symbol, I assure you that others do. The general term is called dog-whistle politics. Eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#6

Post by screwedup » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:14 PM UTC

ryanobjc wrote: post #4

beamatronic wrote: post #3

"Spielberg’s "Schindler's List" did not try to amend his movie to look more comfortable. The historical "Gettysburg" movie (1993) is still on iTunes." It seems Apple has started down a slippery slope. Will they now remove any movie from iTunes that contains the image of a Confederate flag anywhere in the movie? It begs the question, is there any "fair use" of a Confederate flag, anywhere? Or is it now fully taboo? If…

This is really not unlike banning the nazi flag post WWII germany. The parallels are apt. Perhaps in time, the flag will lose its emotional charge but that isn't the case now.

I'm very comfortable with games that display the Nazi flag, why shouldn't the Confederate flag be different?

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#7

Post by kdamken » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:15 PM UTC

This is rather silly. What's next? Are we going to change the uniforms of Nazis in World War 2 games? Start putting "CENSORED" watermarks over the confederate flag in civil war themed movies?

The flag shouldn't be flying on state buildings, but leave historically themed art and media out of this.

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#8

Post by zxcvcxz » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:16 PM UTC

Hopefully they'll ban all songs that contain blatantly racist lyrics.

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#9

Post by freewizard » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:16 PM UTC

We can’t change history, but we can change the future.

We can't change Apple, but we can buy Android.

Re: Apple removes Civil War game from App Store until it removes Confederate flag

#10

Post by comrh » Thu, Jun 25, 2015, 6:16 PM UTC

ryanobjc wrote: post #5

PaulHoule wrote: post #2

This seems stupid to me. It is one thing for a state government to fly that flag, it is a different thing for a private individual. (i.e. it is different when the police kill people and held unaccountable then when it is some nutjob.) I think games, documentaries and such are not showing the flag to be racist.

While YOU may not see the flag as a racist symbol, I assure you that others do. The general term is called dog-whistle politics. Eg: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dog-whistle_politics

Surely dog-whistle politics doesn't apply to Ultimate General: Gettysburg though. The flag is there for purely historical reasons. Obviously putting it on your bumper or flying it above your state capital is a completely different story.